Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

So you just ignored the 2nd one then? Ok…

That Argentina pack will eat us alive if we don't front up.

maybe i missed it in your earlier posts, Can you detail your points on why you think Crowley didnt play well ?

I'd be delighted to.

He was too passive, not enough presence, no stamp on the game. The argument seems to be that because he didn't do much wrong, then he played well, and because other people were worse, then we can't be too harsh on Crowley. That's OK to a point, but only to a point.

If your out-half isn't getting the ball, then he needs to demand it. Do you think ROG or Sexton would just stand quietly and wait for it? Absolutely not.

If we're playing a flat attacking line but keep dropping the ball, stand deeper and focus on retention rather than a game-breaking play. If your team is struggling to hold onto possession in the rucks, launch the focking ball down into the corners. If it's pissing rain and the ball is greasy, pin them back into their half and let them make the errors. I don't think we did that. We got our try not from a fantastic backline move but from a sequence of errors by both sides - but it was in their 22 - and we eventually made it count.

I see people talking about "game management" and for a long time in Irish rugby, that was synonymous with ROG pinging it into the corner and marching his forwards up the pitch. Did we see any kicking for territory from Crowley? I remember Lowe, Keenan and Hansen doing it a few times alright. Even though it upset some people, the 50-22 from Lowe got the crowd going and you'd have to assume it got the team psyched up too.

And I understand that they're given a game plan from the coaches, but I also understand that the OH is supposed to be the guy leading the backline and playing what's in front of him - that's what game management is and I didn't see much of that on show on Friday.

And to extremely clear, because the repeated insinuation is that it's provincial, Frawley was even worse and I wouldn't dream of giving him the free pass that Crowley is getting, nor would I dream of starting anyone other than Crowley this week.

And to be even clearer, I'm not expecting Crowley to be as good as Sexton, but he's 25 in January, he's not a kid any more. If we're judging him as a young bloke learning his craft, then he's doing fine, and I've said that over and over again, even if certain posters coincidentally seem to miss that.

However, he's the starting OH for one of the best teams in the world, the bar should be set pretty high, and if he's not there yet, then the discussion will continue.

“He was too passive, not enough presence, no stamp on the game.”

So too passive, no presence, no stamp on the game. ?

Sorry but thats just waffle.

Outside of a bar stool discussion, what do these words mean ? The rest of your response makes no sense and not related to the game v AB’s, but you comparing Crowleys career to ROG/Sexton our all time great OHs.

It’s like something the bluffer George Hook would say - “needs to demand it”. I can even imagine him bluffing in the RTE panel saying this type of stuff.

Any passages of play in the game where you can identify these failings ?

It’s being pointed out by others here that his kicks out of hand/restarts/kicks at goal were seen as very good/excellent, his passes were on the mark, his passes were on the mark. Does “passive, presence, “ fit in here somewhere ?

Once again can you be specific on the game itself as if we don't focus on the one game being discussed here (v NZ) then others could reference Crowleys performance in 6N v France, URC SF v leinster, URC final etc. etc.

Or Maybe you mean the general “He is too passive, he doesn’t have presence, no stamp on the game.” ?

focus on the match v NZ, and particularly the part JC played in it.

I think it’s more relevant to compare his performance to Damien McKenzie , his opposite number , who didnt seem to be under enough pressure when he got the ball.

Any passages of play in the game where you can identify these failings ?

I honestly can't think of anything I would less like to do than rewatch the game with a notepad and pen, hoping to see an Ireland player do something wrong so I can crow about it on the internet. I think that's an awful way to watch rugby but it seems to have its fans here.

Look, I gave you my thoughts. If you think it's waffle that an out-half should be a signficant presence in the match, then we're never going to agree.

I'm a fan of Crowley. He was decent. Not great but decent. Frawley for me had a mare. But to be fair, I'd go with them both this week.

It's a nice kick up the arse that we were so poor. In fact, bar the match v France and the win v the books, I think we've been a very flat side. Kind of stuck in motion. Why? One area for me is depth. Faz uses the same tired OLD bench players. They've no more credit in the bank. They're past due and regardless of the next up players and how they perform, they will never get to a good level if not given the opportunity.

This week is a good chance to get minutes into Prendergast and Izzy. I think Prendergast as back row cover and / or Izzy as back row cover would be worth a shot.

Yeah, I really struggled with this one too. Is it Alan McGowan?

Can't even think of a huge amount of left footed players:

Rob Kearney, Simon Zebo, James Lowe, Jamie Osborne, Rory Scannell, Jacob Stockdale, Jimmy O'Brien, Craig Casey, Luke Fitzgerald, I'm sure there are more I'm forgetting.

Team is out. Very similar to last week's 23 bar a few changes.

15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(40)

14. Mack Hansen (Corinthians/Connacht)(22)

13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(61)

12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(74)

11. James Lowe (Leinster)(34)

10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(17)

9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(36)

1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(67)

2. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(34)

3. Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)(43)

4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(13)

5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(65)

6. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(53)

7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(65)

8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(44)(captain)

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(41)

17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(132)

18. Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster)*

19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(22)

20. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(108)

21. Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(15)

22. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)*

23. Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(3)

Would have preferred more impact subs off the bench, but I guess Izuchukwu might be earmarked for Fiji.

I do wonder if the plan was for Prendergast to sub in this game or if Frawley has been brought out of the firing line after last week.

Delighted for Sam and Tom Clarkson though. Always great to see young debutants in the squad.