Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Thornley was saying that they are going for this approach from a tactical perspective in that they want the forwards to absolutely empty themselves so that they can get the space to go wide. Something to that effect anyway.

It's a massive risk.

The French are ruffled.

Dropping Penaud-Bringing him back-Cheaty Henry in camp-Alldritt 'Groin' issue to mirror Doris knock-

The 7-1 Bench is the biggest indicator that they are desperate.

IF Ireland score 1st Try and are leading at H-T; The French wont come back into it.

7-1 has only convinced me further of that.

Its still a big IF but the last time France won at Lansdowne Road when behind at HT was 1999. edit & 2011!

Osborne is a far better 12/15 than he is a wing. But he's an excellent line runner and I think/hope we'll have him make trailing runs off Henshaw's shoulder. He's a big athlete and could do a lot of damage breaking the line after receiving an offload. He also has the longest kicking distance of any player in the tournament to date. Prendergast, Lowe and he could be vitally important to counteracting the France kicking game.

you don’t win comfortably against that French team

For the life of me I don't understand the reason for a 6-2.

Beine will play the full 80 and if there's an issue in the back row he can move there. O'Mahoney is the only one of them that is coming off unless there's an injury. We'd be much better with a 5-3 and proper cover for the backs.

I wouldn't have Baird.

Aggregate score the last 2 games is 70-36!

Marseille 😝😎

There are injury concerns over both Doris and Conan, and Joe McCarthy has very little rugby recently.

I don’t love the 6-2 as a concept but in this case it seems the right call.

And we’re running out of quality backs

Would imagine it's game plan related. Going to be raining bombs on the French. Hope our kick chase is on point.

The only logic I can see is that they will actually keep Osborne at FB for his Left foot.

And thus also providing cover/enabling a 6-2.

Keenan at 14 will have the aerial and defensive skills and pace to try and match up with Billie-Barry and exploit him in the air.

If Osborne does starts at 14 Its a huge risk.

6-2 split means Nash was ruled out. only plays 1 position.

we should see if he can prop next season

Reasonably happy with that selection.

I'd have started Ryan though, he's criminally underrated. I'd rather Joe McC come on fresh around the same time Meafou comes in fresh.

With Ringrose and Hansen both out we sort of had to play the 6-2. Only other option would have been to start Nash and put Osborne at 23, which IMO is what we should have done. Not sure having Baird on the bench adds anything. Nash seriously unlucky to miss out.

Biggest worry is our starting props are going to have to play 70+ mins. An injury there early in the game could be crucial.

Edit: The Baird inclusion acknowledges that Doris won't last the 80. POM won't be asked to play 80 again and Doris may not be able to. That forced the 6-2.