Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

While I think the "all the drama he's caused" part of this is just silly, it is pertinent that they brought Sexton in to consult and Crowley was very underwhelming and Frawley was dreadful. Possibly not coincidence.

In reality it's coincidence.

Re-watched the game. Our phase attack was badly off kilter. So many knock ons that we could never snap into our established attacking shape.

On the flip side, I thought we had some very well worked strike moves off lineout that won us a lot of metres. It was when we were put to ground after and went back to phase play that we struggled again.

We weren't as bad as I initially thought. Clean up the handling errors and I think we'll be fine.

You're welcome.

Some of the comments on this board make me laugh. A few sensible observations IMHO:

1 - Age is a factor, but heeping pressure on 21 year olds who are learning their trade and are also unproven is unhelpful. Prendergast & Gus for example. Both great but better to mature behind the hype as most of their contemporaries have the benefit of

2 - This was game 1 in an Autumn series, it’s not a World Cup game and facing a well bonded All Blacks after a few days at Irish Camp without game time is not ideal

3 - The Post Sexton era question needs time to evolve. Crowley is very talented and going through a tough time in confidence, it happens, Sexton was living proof of that, but came good in the end, give him and Frawley, another exceptional player, time to build themselves. Leinster need to back Frawley to allow him to back himself

4 - Andy Farrell & their management team are world class give them time, some commentary is just so amateur and impatient.