Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I have to say I'd like to see POM put off his retirement for a year. He's still an important member of the 23, there's nobody coming through yet to replace him.

Are you trying to give them heart attacks!! Lol...

No, Pete is better off out of it now, whilst he's still playing well.

The fallout and blame game for what will happen next year is going to be epic when a few of the current 'freak of nature' or 'high ceiling' swans turn out to be ducks.

Better off away from that.

I'll be kind here, this is absolute waffle and nothing but waffle.

You're harping on about POM and it sounds like you don't understand rugby because other than using cliches you give no real evidence of why he should not be starting.

Oddly enough, our two worst performers from the starting 15 yesterday were our youngest back and our youngest forward.

Where are you going to play Izuchukwu? He plays second row for Ulster. He looked lost at 6 against Fiji.

So Prendergast is next up. He's not having a great season to this point.

O'Mahoney is still strong, he's experienced and he's smart. He just doesn't have anything close to 80 minutes in him but he's a great bench option. He and Conan are a great fit together as a starter and replacement.

I'd be promoting conan to start at 6 now. Possibly look at Coombes in a new impact role, but he seems to be out of favour. I just think he would contribute in the right role, he's not an international starter though. I don't like Baird as an international player against the big teams, just don't think he has the fight in him. Great athlete but goes missing.

I wouldn't put POM, Murray or Healy in the 23 for Italy now, they had their home send off and it must be close to 50/50 with some of the replacements

Ryan and Beirne in 2nd row. McCarthy impact sub.

Osbourne and ringrose centres. Henshaw covering a number of back positions.

I'd start crowley at 10 and prendergast on bench in our normal 5/3 split. I see this as a long term partnership between the 2 of them to develop both.

Furlong back into 23 assuming he is fit to come off bench. Although I fear he is in twilight now and we won't see the player we all loved over the years.

Hopefully Lowe and Hansen are available.

There are too many variables next week to think we are realistic championship winners not to make a few changes. Nothing radical there I feel, just freshening up.

Long term, there needs to be 4 competitive teams in Irish provinces. Munster best placed to improve at the moment but short a few top class operators. I think Ahern and Gleeson will make step up by WC 27 to replace the likes of Beirne, Conan.

Without leinster we would be at the level of Wales and Scotland fighting it out for 3rd/4th place but leinster are coming to the end of 2nd golden generation now, a 3rd generation is a tough ask, maybe they will, maybe they won't. France have toulouse and bordeaux up at or above leinsters level to heavily contribute to national team, plus 12 other teams to cherry pick a player or 2 from, like that la rochelle flanker that played centre yesterday, they'll never be stuck once they have their heads in the game.

Its fairly obvious to me the day Mike Catt walked out the door after the SA tour, Ireland have regressed. In every way. Attack is borderline one dimensional. At times disjointed. We don't have the slick, fluid, constantly changing the point of attack anymore. Ruck resourcing is poor. Turnovers are high.

Even in defence, we're not as strong. We've gone very narrow. If Farrell doesnt address that we're in trouble big time.

If changes need to be made do it now, and build towards the next WC.