Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I agree with you on Osborne's strengths as a centre. He's also an excellent offloader which imo is a rare thing in Irish born players.

I think Farrell and his staff have seen the lack of options at fullback and are pointing Osborne's development in that direction for the moment. Keenan aside there's no other established 15 in the country that we can rely upon. Makes sense that Osborne is given a crack. Can still use his footballing skills, but we also then get the chance to use his kicking game. He has a bigger boot than Lowe.

Lowry? Haley? Shane Daly? None of them worth a shot?

I don't think so, no.

Lowry maybe had the chance to establish himself as a counterattacking threat unlike any other fullback we had. But he seems to have plateaued in recent seasons.

It was me who used the term “preordained”, but what I meant was that it’s not all this talk about Crowley’s contract that has spurred the change as was suggested and I don’t think it’s a reaction to anyone’s performance against France.

I don’t think it’s any harm to freshen the team especially after a loss. The only guys (apparently) coming in are those who are very close to the first XV anyway; Ryan, Conan, Crowley, Ringrose. There’s no left field selection that shows we’re cleaning house after last week. I think McCarthy definitely deserves a day on the naughty step for his stupidity but POM and Aki didn’t do anything last week to deserve to be dropped.

I am glad we’re picking Boyle though, hopefully he gets a decent run.

IRFU & Irish management team have handled this situation really poorly and in full glare, it wouldn’t even be an issue if the mismanagement of Crowley hadn’t been so apparent, Leicester being very opportunistic. I’m a huge fan of Andy Farrell and he gets most things right, but this has been a low point and unfair to put everything on Easterby

If Crowley decided to leave Munster and Ireland because he had to come off the bench in this year's 6 nations it would be a sign of a massive lack of mental fortitude and immaturity. I could understand if he left purely for the money though.

However I dont believe for a second he is going to leave. It's called playing the game when it's contract renewal time.

Just because Ben Healy **** the bed doesn't mean Crowley would do the same.

3 wins out of 4 and a triple crown is a disaster now?

Its from views like this that the perception of arrogant irish rugby fans is growing

If Crowley decided to leave Munster and Ireland because he had to come off the bench in this year's 6 nations it would be a sign of a massive lack of mental fortitude and immaturity.

Or, it’s a sign that he rates himself higher than the treatment he’s gotten would suggest he is.

Its only munster players allowed to leave so who knows

Mod Edit

Warnng issued.

The correct changes have been made, would like to have seen Boyle start.

Congrats to Cian Healy on one of the great test careers. Finishes up on 137 Ireland caps.