Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

You know he didn't, but what's the relevance?

It's a development tour for the coaches too. Farrell is going to be splitting duties with the Lions next year anyway, so we need to give more chances like this to Easterby and the next layer of coaches.

The same way every other team does by not playing the same 23 every game. You dont have to put in 35 players just 1 every game or two over 4 years

Come on - are you really suggesting that we pick some of the likely guys who'll tour with the EI squad against the Springboks this summer? Would that actually be in the best interests of those players or the Irish team?

There are a handful of guys from what I think the likely EI squad will be who may well crack the full Ireland squad soon (Cormac Izuchukwu, David McCann, Matthew Devine IMO), but the sample size on all of them is very small.

I don't think there is one player in my 35 man EI squad above who would justify a place in a 23 for a test against the Springboks.

And they can't justifiy their place unless you try them a game vs amateurs wont change that.

David McCann for example has 44 senior caps lads like kendellan and hodnett have 50-60 what would you think is a suitable sample size?

we have plenty of players capable of playing the boks which is why lads like nash and hansen can fill in and thrive

We play plenty of boks several times annually now. Their not mythical our players often outplay them

They don't send all the coaches to this anyway and we are able to accomodate our head coach being away for the lions.

Its basically the irfu saying they don't care about the urc again.

Perhaps our players would be different beasts also. Difference is they will try players. See them having a player who couldnt make an irish squad for 4 years play a key role in a world cup final as an example.

Ireland are very successful but also very very conservative. We have increadible depth but are afraid to use it other countrys are not.

As you said without injury or an emerging tour vs amateurs does crowley stary for ireland? The fact that its a question at all shows the issue

20 caps including a win away to the top 14 champions isint enough to try a player but games against amateurs is? That seems like a coaching staff that struggles with talent evaluation to me

Joe mccarty had been in Irish squads for a year at that point he got in adter 4 senior appearancesi doubt the emerging ireland tour was a defining factor

He had 6 starts at 10 ffs - he was 22 years of age. He'd come through during peak COVID disruption, and the season immediately prior to this he was third choice for his province.

If you really think Jack Crowley's selection is indicative of poor talent identification by the Irish coaches then I really don't know what you're looking for.

I don't know where your info on Joe McCarthy is coming from either - he was picked to tour NZ in summer '22 and played in the Maori games. At that point, he'd made 11 appearances for Leinster (8 starts) for 596 mins. He'd been thought highly enough of by Leinster to have sat on the bench for the European cup knock outs, including the final (albeit playing small mins in those games). He was obviously a strong prospect.

If you're complaining about Jack Crowley not travelling to NZ - at that same time he had played 18 times for Munster for 506 mins, 5 starts. At that point he was third choice 10 at Munster behind Carbery and Healy.