Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

RichieRich_89 · 18-02-2025 12:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123182271#Comment_123182271

Josh Murphy, Joe Joyce, Oisín Dowling, Brian Deeny, Alan O'Connor, Kieran Treadwell and Matty Rea played at the weekend.

Harry Sheridan is also presumably uninjured. He wasn't mentioned in the latest Ulster injury update, and featured 10 days ago in the challenge match against the Reds. Similarly, Connacht's Niall Murray and David O'Connor aren't mentioned as being unavailable through injury as far as I can see.

So I don't think "practically every other lock being injured…" covers it.

bingobango12 · 18-02-2025 12:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123182703#Comment_123182703

Everyone you named bar Deeny and Dowling are in their 30s and nowhere near international quality. Dowling is 27 and never going to be good enough to play for Ireland. Mangan is 21, he is going to be holding tackle bags and be an opposition jumper in training. He isn't going to be anywhere near the 23 so why not get a young second row in who could turn out to be international quality in the future instead wasting the opportunity on an Alan O'Connor or Treadwell. If another young lock with potential like Edogbo was fit it would probably have been him to make up the numbers.

RichieRich_89 · 18-02-2025 01:22AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123182740#Comment_123182740

I don't necessarily disagree with Mangan being selected. I was just pointing out it's a mistake to say nearly everyone else is unavailable.

His future potential is probably playing a large part in him getting selected. But I would say part of it is they like the type of player he is now. He's not massive, but he's kind of brawny. And pacy. They seem to like acceleration/pace in their forwards (except having it isn't enough for Scott Wilson).

If two of Beirne, James Ryan, Joe McCarthy and Baird were unavailable for some reason I wonder would they bump Mangan into the XXIII, or have Coombes/Prendergast as the bench lock cover, or draft in Murray/Wycherley from the A panel.

niallm77 · 18-02-2025 06:37AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123182703#Comment_123182703

Murphy, Joyce and Dowling are not international quality at all and never will be. Treadwell is leaving at the end of the season and OConnor is 30odd. So kinda pointless.

So it's a toss up between a few younger lads with potential and they opted for mangan. Bit pedantic really when they have called a guy up primarily to assist training. If Henderson and Doris were fit, he wouldn't be there.

Why do people get offended by every little decision the coaches make these days.

Very selective quoting there Richierich_89, I never said practically ever other lock is injured. There is 69 players called up across two squads. Several locks are injured (Henderson, Ahern) for sure and others could have been considered for all we know but have been in RTPP or have other minor injuries.

I would have thought the reason for the Mangan call up was relatively easy to understand but I guess some folk like yourself need to be outraged by something all the time.

niallm77 · 18-02-2025 06:39AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123182624#Comment_123182624

So long as our line out functions in their 22 I think we will win quite comfortably. We will get big success at scrum time I feel. Wales will put up a fight but I think we will have too much for them.

18-02-2025 07:27AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123182703#Comment_123182703

Of our Connacht locks only Darragh Murray has International potential and he would need to add more muscle and develop his game a lot to be in squad contention. His brother Niall is a great line out operator but he struggles for the power required at URC level. If you see the two brothers side by side the difference in frame is very clear. Josh Murphy and Joe Joyce are good URC level players and are probably too late in their careers to be of interest to Ireland outside an injury crisis. Dowling and O'Connor are really just journeyman players. If we had an international quality lock in our squad right now they'd stand out a mile compared to the rest. After out half it's the greatest area of weakness in our starting team. Gavin Thornbury was that player but unfortunately for Connacht and Ireland we could never keep him fit.

I'll comment less on the other provinces. Munster have struggled to get any of their best locks on the pitch this season. Aside from Henderson, Ulster's locks are similar to Connacht's or leaving Ireland in Treadwell's case.

If the IRFU had just stuck an * beside Mangan's name this discussion could have ended a long time ago. 😁

theVersatile · 18-02-2025 10:14AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123182911#Comment_123182911

I have to say, RichieRich's post is probably the tamest "outrage" I've ever seen.

Former Former Former · 18-02-2025 11:09AM

Mangan is there purely because he’s approximately the right size and shape to be a second row in a training drill. They couldn’t call him a development player because he’s not there for his own development.

As noted on another thread, these squads are more interesting for who isn’t there, eg Scott Penny, Will Connors and pretty much every Ulster forward.

Clegg · 18-02-2025 01:59PM

Doris, Kelleher and Furlong are all out according to Murray Kinsella. We have capable replacements for them, but I think that will limit any experimentation we may have considered making.

Select your strongest available team to stave off the inevitable strong start from Wales.

eagle eye · 18-02-2025 02:04PM

Hopefully they are all fit for the France game. These injuries aren't a huge concern for the Wales game because we have adequate replacements but against France the loss of Doris and Furlong would be magnified.

Larbre34 · 18-02-2025 02:18PM

I'd be completely unconcerned for the Wales game, and hopefully Doris and Kelleher will indeed be fit for France.

But what is the situation with Furlong? He was in a race to be fit for mid-January, then for the start of the 6N, now week to week being ruled out. Whats going on with him?

All_in_Flynn · 18-02-2025 02:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123183933#Comment_123183933

Calf issue apparently. He was in line to start vs England and then apparently the calf went again.

It's a really difficult one I think, especially for a man of his size and the force he would put through the muscle. I'd suspect he will have issues with it for the rest of his career.

P.Walnuts · 18-02-2025 02:38PM

Strange to say but we are not missing Furlong and there's an argument to be made for Beahlam keeping the jersey regardless

ionadnapóca · 18-02-2025 02:52PM

Doris looked grand at the end of the Scot game.

Richie cleaned him out of a ruck from, eh 'up under his arse'.

Maybe things haven't yet returned to fully functioning order.

He's a must start if Ireland are to beat France.

Kermit.de.frog · 18-02-2025 04:59PM

How many players does Ireland need to beat Wales? 12? 🤔

ionadnapóca · 18-02-2025 05:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123184576#Comment_123184576

If i could Thank this post I wouldn't.

Since Joe Molloy left they are in (hyper) desperation click mode. From here on in they should be ignored.

The Macho Man · 18-02-2025 05:54PM

Looks like we're returning to Soldier Field - https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2025/0218/1497487-ireland-to-face-all-blacks-in-soldier-field-rematch/

phog · 18-02-2025 06:36PM

AIs confirmed

Screenshot_2025-02-18-17-35-47-58_0b2fce7a16bf2b728d6ffa28c8d60efb.jpg

AbusesToilets · 18-02-2025 06:54PM

Big chance to sweep the SANZAR lads

Former Former Former · 18-02-2025 07:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123184953#Comment_123184953

Or a chance to plummet down the rankings right before the RWC draw.

ersatz · 18-02-2025 07:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123185024#Comment_123185024

Would be nice to get a decent route to a WC semi/final.

AlmightyCushion · 18-02-2025 09:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123185024#Comment_123185024

There are 6 groups in RWC 2027. We'd have to be 7th in the rankings to be in pot 2.

50HX · 18-02-2025 10:41PM

Good to see them all one a Sat & none of this Fri nite nonsense

For those of outside of the M50 that is 😁

AbusesToilets · 18-02-2025 10:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123185024#Comment_123185024

It doesn't matter whether we're number 1 or 10. We always get a **** draw one way or another

Larbre34 · 18-02-2025 11:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123184953#Comment_123184953

Now THAT'S hubris.

God knows what state the Irish members of the Lions squad will come back in, and we will have by far the largest contingent. There could be several still making a come back from injury by November.

awec · 18-02-2025 11:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123185683#Comment_123185683

Japan at Saturday lunch time is fairly crap.

They will really struggle to sell that one unless they make it really cheap.

50HX · 18-02-2025 11:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123185952#Comment_123185952

Price it right & it would be a good family day out, it's been done in croker for last 16 CC games.

Leave the SA game for beers then 😉

Oíche Na Gaoithe Móire · 19-02-2025 01:02AM

Haven't heard much news the last few days.

Are Doris, Kelleher, Hansen, Furlong, Henderson likely to be available for the French?

Brief_Lives · 19-02-2025 01:45AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123186141#Comment_123186141

Doris is unreplaceable, the others we have very able replacements.

it is Wales 2025, we should beat them with 15 players.

#otb

Packrat · 19-02-2025 01:47AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123186141#Comment_123186141

Only Doris and Kelleher matter really. We've become used to playing and winning without Furlong, Hansen is in dogsh1t form right now, and Henderson is a liability at this stage.

Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

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