Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Rewatched it there myself. Crowley really didn't do all that much in the attacking game when he came on. He wasn't involved in creating either of the two tries.

60th minute, he passes to Henshaw, who pops the ball to Doris, who knocks it on.

63rd minute, passes to Henshaw, who takes it into contact. JGP then passes to Lowe from the ruck, setting up Beirne's try.

67th minute, he makes a nice pop pass out the back while being tackled to put Hansen in space, leading to Keenan's kick into the deadball area and Murley's **** up.

68th minute, we're on the line and he cuts inside, with Curry making the steal.

69th minute, takes a pass from JGP and shuffles it on to Henshaw. Ball is recycled and he puts up a kick into the 22, which Smith marks. From the following lineout, puts up a bomb that England regather.

74th minute, regathers a spilled English ball and tries a behind the back pass to Henderson, which goes into touch.

78th minute, we're attacking in the English, he 22 pops a pass to Doris, who carries into contact. From the ruck, he gets the ball and gives a nice pullback pass to Ringrose working right. He passes to Lowe, who puts Conan into space on the right wing. Murley shoulder charges him into touch.

79th minute, Ireland are attacking from an English clearing kick. He gets the ball away to Ringrose as he's being tackled. Ball is recycled and he gets it again, popping it to Keenan on a crash ball. From that ruck, he gets the ball again and carries it briefly before popping it to Healy, who rumbles through a couple of tackles. 2 phases later, gets the ball one last time on the left, passing to Lowe on the short side, who pops it to Murray. Ball gets turned over by England in the ruck.

Boyle. I like him.
Plus he has the head of a lad born to prop.

I expect he’ll get capped v Italy.

I’d start him v Wales.
Give Porter max R&R for France game.

He wasn't passive, but he was less involved in the structure of the attack than Prendergast was. I broke down his passing involvements in a previous post. His most significant pass came on the sequence when Conan got shouldered into touch. It's arguably his most significant attacking moment was when he cut inside over exploiting an overlap to the right. He had a fine game, but the claim he had a better game than Prendergast has little basis imo. He wasn't a factor in either of the tries, and he wasn't particularly integral to any attacks we had.

Now, can you do a clock watch on Sam, in the interest of fairness too all, players and posters.

Crowley didn't make a single pass over 5ms iirc, Prendergast had multiple ones, which all hit the receiver in stride at chest height.

I also think it’s a little exaggerating his involvement in Aki’s try by call the pass (a quality pass, in fairness) “integral”.

AKi doesn't score the try without the pass, fairly fundamental part of the process. If Prendergast doesn't nail the skip pass, the cover drifts across and Aki doesn't have the space to make the line.

1st min, ball from lineout, SP pops ball to Aki on an inside cut.

3rd min lineout ball in our 22, SP dinks a kick over the defense, regathered by Ringrose

5th min, end of sequence from an English kick, kicks high ball which is regathered by Steward

6 min, pick goes from a ruck, makes 5 ms. Few phases later, takes a pass on the left, runs an arcing line and is tackled. Ball spills out of the ruck into touch.

7 min, receives ball from the linout and hoists kick which is gathered uncontested by England

8 min, kicks deep from an Irish ruck, gathered uncontested by Smith. England score from this sequence.

12 min, mesy scrum in the English 22. Gets pull back pass from Baird, passes to Keenan in space, who cuts back in and is tackled.

13 min, on penalty adv, gets ball in front of the posts and fires a pass into an English player. Whistle blows. Would criticise him here for not running at the gap, or putting a kick through. 5ms out from the line, he needs to be more aggressive imo. This is the sequence that ultimately ends with the disallowed try.

17 min, Ireland gather kick, SP receives cut back pass from Ryan and passes to Keenan sweeping across. From following ruck on the right touchline, receives pass and hits Bealham. Itoje knocks on in the tackle and SP gathers the fumbled ball, fires a pass into midfield that's intercepted. Dangerous play imo.

19 min, takes ball from scrum and crossfield kicks to Lowe, who gathers and puts in a line kick to the English 22. England counter attack, ultimately getting to the Irish 10.

22 min, clears kick from our 22 to the half way line

24 min, from an Irish attacking lineout, takes pass from Aki on 3rd phase. Puts Hansen through a gap, who offloads to Baird for a big run down the right. Ireland win a penalty and Smith is YC'd.

27 min, Ireland take a quick throw and from the ruck, SP puts in a deep kick to the right touchline. Aki nails Slade, but England retain possession.

28 min, after a JGP box, Ireland regather and are attacking just inside the English half. SP gets the ball at 2nd receiver and puts in a long skip pass to hit Hansen in stride on the right touchline, who makes it to the English 22. Ball is turned over in the ruck.

29 min, attacking ball off of an English overthow at the lineout. SP does the Sexton loop going left. He gets outside of Slade on the edge, creating a 3 on 2. I'd cricitise him here again for not backing himself and taking the gap. He had Ringrose and JGP on his right, with only Mitchell sweeping across. Freeman had already turned his hips to track Keenan, and he could've gone through cleanly. Instead he passes to Keenan, who gets tackled. From the ruck, the ball sweeps right, with SP taking a cutback pass from Aki. He carries to the line well here, committing Mitchell and putting Vdf into acres of space with the line at his mercy. For some unknown reason, he cuts inside and the ball is knocked on by Aki shortly afterwards. This is one of SP's best series of actions in the game.

30 min, Ireland attacking again outside the English 22. SP pops a pass to Ringrose, who pops to Keenan on a crash. Ireland win a penalty at the ruck.

32 min, from a 5m lineout, ball spills lose in tackle. SP pops it Porter running an arc to the left. Ball makes it to Lowe on the wing, who gets tripped by Steward. From the following ruck, SP gets the ball on a cut back, hits Hansen with a long pass to the right. Ball is ultimately lost forward.

34 min, irish lineout on halfway. SP gets the ball on 2nd phase, throws a bad pass behind Hansen on the right touchline. Ball ends up back on halfway, where SP gets it again from the ruck. Pops it to Ringrose, who makes a phenomenal pass to Lowe on the left touchline. He man shames Mitchell in the tackle and Ireland score. SP misses the conversion.

36 min, Ireland work their kick off return in their 22. SP passes to Keenan sweeping to the right, then to Ringrose after the next ruck. Ireland lose possession and England ultimately kick it away to force an Irish lineout in their 22.

46 min, from an Irish tap and go on the English 5m, receives the ball on the right side of the posts and puts in a massive skip pass to hit Keenan in stride on the left, putting him on the outside of the English defensive line. Mitchell makes an excellent scramble tackle, killing the 2 vs 1 chance. Ref blows for Irish penalty.

50 min, after a bit of back and forth, Ireland are attacking in the English 22. SP gets the ball on the left, and puts in a long skip pass to Aki, hitting him in stride to put him away down the left. Ireland score. SP misses the conversion.

54 min, England give away a penalty at the lineout. SP nails the kick for 3pts.

55 min, hanging clearance kick to halfway, which England fail to catch it and Ireland regather. From the ruck, Ryan passes back to SP, who fires a skip pass to Doris wide on the left. He puts Conan into space, who pops to Lowe, who kicks out on the full.

58 min, Crowley comes on.

Bolded what I'd consider his most significant inputs.