Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

We've only played 2 games?

Yep, exactly this. Nash had a decent game against Scotland but it was an out-and-out winger performance. When the ball came to him, he did good things. The stats cited above show that Hansen managed twice as many involvements in the same number of minutes as Nash and that's the difference. I'll bet if you looked at Lowe's involvements, they'd be along the same lines as Hansen and this is what Ireland want from their wingers.

it's hard on Nash who's done nothing wrong but he was always up against it.

I don't think Nash would make the extended squad of England, France or Scotland to be brutally honest. He's a decent player, he won't let you down, but he's always a stop-gap.

This team selection is important for Ireland going forward if they win with ease it augurs well for Ireland's futhure in that we are developing a squad that is able to be competitive. Hopefully the days of an outhalf playing for 80 +minuites because the back up cant be trusted is behind us.

I've been thinking similar scores myself in the recent past, but looking at the way the team has been playing, it seems to be a slow start, then 50 minutes of a blow out studded with training ground moves.

If we turn them over once or twice early on, it could open a serious flood gate. I'm going to say 37-12.

Looking at that team, Gatland should be not let manage anyone ever again.

That is a way better balanced side than anything they've put out in a considerable period of time.

I'm a natural pessimist when it comes to supporting my own teams but I'm not sure this will be the walk in the park many believe to be the case.

When the bench comes on we could have 7 players u25 on the pitch.

You're not going to build anything playing players out of position. Getting humped every week is not going to put them in a better position for a world cup.

I'd be shocked if he got a decent job ever again.

This is a real "no win" situation for Ireland. The only satisfactory outcome is an absolute hammering. Anything else will be seen as a failure. It's one of those games we need to get out of the way early and move on to 2 weeks time.

Bealham is fantastic but he's a year older than Furlong! Need to have young guns at the ready too.

Doesn't really matter what it's "seen as" imo. The team will privately be aiming for a grand slam, the objective will be a win and ideally 5 points. Nobody will care if we lift the trophy in Rome in ~3 weeks.

(though having said that, some of the background whinging this year has been through the roof, so I'm sure some people will find a way to complain no matter what).

Furlong

Bealham

ToT (got injured in November, then suspended in January)

Jager

Clarkson

That would have been the depth chart at the start of the season. Clarkson basically got his chance as a result of injuries, took it and kept his place. I don't see what's off about it. It's not like he has been getting mullered in the scrum either.

I have zero idea why Clarkson is ahead of Wilson, who has been good in the scrum and often excellent in the loose.

Well, fair play to Clarkson, but I'd have had Wilson ahead as a development player.