Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Being 'outplayed' by your opposite number does not mean he played badly.

He was one of our better forwards against Wales, him and Morgan were very closely aligned on the stat sheets.

Ben Curry played 7 against us and VdF absolutely outplayed him, so you can stop lying right there.

As I've pointed out before, fans from every top tier nation in World Rugby see Van Der Flier for the class act he is except for fans in Ireland - who for some bizarre reason (see also: Ringrose) try to make up things to make him come across as a worse player than he actually is.

Overall view coming away from that game is that France were unbelievable for a 25-30 minute period after we went ahead early in the second half. It was difficult for us to match them physically, which is ultimately what rugby comes down to at any level.

A lot of discourse around the 10 situation. Sam was poor yesterday but I don't really see any problem playing him for every game in this championship. He will benefit from the experience and the longer term hope would be that we will have two 10s capable of playing to a high level in international rugby.

What I do think is a deeper issue however is the depth of our squad. France could roll off all their subs with immediate impact. Yesterday we basically couldn't bring on Herring, Healy or Murray until the game ended. This has been the case with LHP and 9 for some time now. A part of it is selection policy where the coaches just haven't gone with Boyle. Another part of it is that we don't really have many players knocking the door down for selection with their performances for their provinces. A lot has been made of the Leinster bias which I don't think exists from a coaching perspective. How many Ireland players have come through in the last 10-15 years from Munster or Ulster? Connacht in fairness probably punch above their weight in that respect. I think the state of the provinces is the real issue here and maybe is beginning to manifest itself on the pitch now.

So what's the solution?

Milne and Barron are heading south next season. Loughman, Salanoa, Illo, Aungier, Jack Mcgrath, Moore, Dooley, Ed Byrne and Lasisi have all came through in the Leinster academy. Some have moved to another province, Moore via a few years at wasps. Ed Byrne is gone to Cardiff.

If the other provinces aren't producing guys good enough to bench for Ireland then the solution is??

But you know right well that if he was fit and on form he still wouldn't be selected plus like Ahern he's a natural big athlete, that's something you can't train.

Healy offers no impact off the bench so Porter is flogged so no matter how good he is a 125kg man after 60 mins is burnt. Yes O'Mahony has workrate nut lacks a bit of power in games like these that forces Doris to be our real main backrow carrying option in the backrow. VDF was quiet, he needs someone like Hodnett breathing down his neck.

The fact is Ireland go too conservative and flog the dead horse. Example is I think Cardiff 2017 a game we lost against Wales, Murray gets injured in the 1st half and he's playing on 1 arm, luckily it's near half time and they get him off without subbing him so he can be assessed, come the 2nd half he's back on still visibly injured playing on 1 arm everyones like WTF! Eventually Marmion replaces him and he has a decent showing, but any scrum half in Ireland must be looking at that sickened thinking even if i play well the coaches still won't select me the end result is lack of competition kills competitiveness.

Was Tom ahern named in the squad update last week?

I'd like to see Boyle and him start next week

He got a boot to the head early on and wasn't right after.

Agreed

Prendergast carried for 45 metres yesterday. One of the highest on the team. Also his metres gained per carry this campaign are roughly double those of Jack last campaign. But don’t let statistics get in the way of trying to put a dig in against a kid.

Worry about what?