Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Thought VDF was the best player across the 80

I'm sure you're very pleased that he didn't, and instead started taking our lineouts cleanly.

Thought Casey and Crowley improved matters hugely, and Lowe is decidedly ponderous these days.

have to say but I did say. Kelleher, what's the point. Porter, what's the point. Beirne in the back row. Two inside centres. Just just bullshit selection issues are killing the harmony of this team

Goodish: Keenan, Aki, Henshaw, Hansen, Doris, Beirne, Crowley, Casey, G Mc.

Average: Porter, J Mc, VdF, JGP, POM, TOT, Ringrose, Sam P, Henderson.

Poor: Bealham, Lowe, Kelleher.

Special mention: Cian Healy. One of the all time greats of the pro era. Probably the best prop we've ever produced. Can be seriously proud of what he's achieved in both Green and Blue.

MoM: Doris. Tough to choose as we didn't play well but he carried like a tank and was excellent in the tackle too. Not sure about his captaincy credentials but he may grow into it. Undroppable regardless.

Aussie no.7 had 4 turnovers. Can't be leaving that happen. He should have been marked all game even if that meant sacrificing Josh VdF's normal game.

Delighted with the win, Casey, Crowley and Ringrose were great from the bench, brought a lot of energy and got us motoring again. Was also happy with SP and delighted he knocked over that difficult penalty following the poor conversion miss. Pack is a big worry. Getting turned over a lot, not solving the lineout. Big issues there.

Bench players were the winning of the game, PoM, Ringrose, Henderson, Crowley and Casey all made big impacts.
I think Crowley is back as clear no1, mistake aside, but he is going to be fighting with Prendergast for a long time I hope, it should spur on both players to better standards.

Casey has really come on, I think he’s pushing JGP hard now.

I think Ringrose is still our starting 13 for the biggest games, he was outstanding from the moment he came on.

Henderson looking like the player of old, PoM and himself seemed to make the lineout acceptable at least.

the nonsense of selecting Beirne at 6 is costing us.

SP had some fantastic kicks to touch and has a lot of positive attributes, but Crowley showed something different when he came on. I just wonder is it that Ireland are not set up to play the SP way.

terrible performance from quite a lot of players in green today, but don’t think I’ve ever seen James Lowe have such a overall poor performance. No some good moments that were counteracted by a defensive error as has happened in the past just slow and ponderous in attack. He definitely doesn’t have the legs for the kick chase game and he seemed to struggle with his timing on SP slight delay passing style. By no means the biggest fault we displayed but if our forwards can’t break the line we’re well short of options going wide.

You'd hope a fit Jack Conan will result in that selection being put to bed for the 6N

Prendergast Was bang average let's be honest.

Every good moment came with a mistake shortly after

Let him start for leinster and see how that works first before building an international attack around him

I said he was marginally in the positive column during the first half but was accused of provincialism so I cannot positively comment.

I think Casey is probably the biggest winner in this series

Not sure about Henderson though.

Doris was really really good today. I thought he communicated well with the ref.

Not sure I would put POM on he scrap heap too soon though.