Assume expected selection: Porter, Sheehan, Furlong Beirne, McCarthy O’Mahony (C), Doris, Van der Flier Murray, Crowley, Lowe, Aki, Ringrose, Nash O’Brien. Bench: Kelleher, Healy, Bealham, Ryan, Timoney, Casey, Frawley, Henshaw. 2nd Bench: Herring, O’Toole, Jager, Baird, C Prendergast, Blade, S Prendergast, Larmour. Wider Squad: McCloskey, Stockdale, Izuchuwu, Osborne. On that basis, selected in this order: Captain: 1 O’Mahony (C) Best players: 2 Beirne 3 Doris 4 Sheehan By least depth in position: 5 Crowley 6 O’Brien 7 Porter By least competition in position: 8 Lowe 9 Nash 10 Furlong 11 Van der Flier 12 Murray 13 Ringrose 14 Aki 15 McCarthy Bench: Healy, Frawley, Ryan, Henshaw, Casey, Timoney, Bealham, Kelleher.
In what way is he not remotely ready?
He has played against every single South African URC team in South Africa already. He has very nearly as much gametime as Crowley did when he started against Australia.
He's as thin as a rake, doesn't seem to like tackling and has not to my knowledge played a single minute in a game that mattered or wasn't already decided when he came on. He's ready for a summer of adding muscle and an EI tour, not test rugby.
I presume you're referring to kleyn with the WC comment? A WC medal does not make you a world class player. Look at Steven Donald.
A lot is being made of Coombes' effectiveness in the carry 1m from the line. Maybe Farrell doesn't place much value in that when he already has Sheehan, Porter, Furlong etc who are all as effective from close range?
Case and point, the 2023 6N. JGP played 100 minutes across the 5 games…Ireland still dominated.
McCann was exceptional that day, to be fair. But I think more broadly, I'd argue Coombes has previously played well in big games - he was absolutely exceptional in Europe last season coming into the 6 Nations - but still couldn't force his way in.
If any of the 4 incumbents around then got injured, I suspect he'd have been next cab off the rank. (Tbh at the time, I'd have argued he should've been ahead of Conan who had a drop in form. Conan, to his credit, did hit some form during the 6N's).
Timing, luck, injuries all come into it. You could even argue if Farrell had been experimenting with a 6-2 split back then (which he seems much more open to now) Coombes could've found himself in the 23.
Such are the vagaries of selection.
Im saying faf de klerk is a good 9 and wed be lucky to have him
A world cup medal dosent make a good player take this one famous exampme i had to go back 13 years for. We could do worse than stephen donald as a backup 10 now
I think we all know who you are talking about
Just because a player has a WC medal doesn't make them better than any other player in the World. But bang away at trying to edge in a certain player on every conversation about Ireland
Point being its impossible for those players to impress
Oh theres lists of awful players whove played in and won world cup finals im sure that why the same (not that bad) player is brough up as an example every time.
Just because a player dosent suit what farrells doing or he dosent rate him dosent mean hes not international quality either. Kleyns the go to because he was clearly rated by one of the great coaches and won a world cup. Anyone else youll just say is not international quality.
Mccanns probably the in form backrow in the country in fairness to him
?
Coombes has had more opportunities than most to impress the coaches, it just appears that he has not done so.
I wasnt talking about the coaches but im over coombes hes not going to get his chance in an ireland shirt. Hopefully Izuchukwu can get one on this tour he looks great
I'm fairly sure the 6 URC games he has started were not decided before he came on. Also if you consider 12 points up away from home with 17 mins to go in the European Cup a match "decided" fair enough, but I wouldn't.
His tackling is a weak point in his game, though it is far better than it was last season.
He will put on more muscle mass over time, but he has played against nearly every single player he might face in South Africa already. He's not a bloody porcelain doll.
I could literally make a whole list of players who are not great with world cup medals. Would you like that?
Also 13 years is not long when the WC is only every 4 years...
Go for it
Right. But impressing randomers on the internet (or not) is ulitmately meaningless, it's only impressing the coaches that matters. I think you've lost sight of that.
I think people are forgetting it's a two game tour. A chunk of this squad won't be anywhere near getting test game time
If there are no injuries. I think they probably should have taken ross just in case.
Izuchukwu was part of the EI tour, so he was already part of the Irish plan
Coombes is one player in Ireland
So he's already ahead of ROG when he came through, given he's bigger and a running threat as well. I hope we get to see him play, tired of waiting for this new era to begin
No, he's not a porcelain doll. He is a young skinny rugby player who was third choice for the vast majority of the year. The idea that he is ready to play test rugby based on his actual performances this year is honestly laughable. I'd be surprised if Leinster even started him in important games NEXT year. Also, being beaten in south africa is not some kind of great calling card for selection. If experience in south africa is the key, there are a ton of other guys they could pick.
Shouldn't that new era begin at the club that doesn't want to play him? Or even an EI tour? People compare him to JGP, but he had infinitely more experience when called up.
Not really the Farrell motto is it?
You'd best quit while you're ahead! I forsee a fatwa coming in your direction! Lol
Hopefully Boyle is the remedy. Maybe McCarthy? My dark horse would be Hadden.
It has started, he's been making teams, and it's pretty apparent that he's already offering more than the Brynes. Green as he is.
Plenty of lads have come through early. Bod, D'Arcy, Fitzgerald, Ryan etc. If you're good enough, you're good enough.
Coombes is done. Izuchukwu gets a shot hopefully or prendergast. We need more than 4 backrows and need to be moving on from.the likes of pom
Its not apparent to cullen and nienebar.
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