Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

What I mean to say is, you can't really flip flop between backing Prendergast in the previous games to now backing a total pivot away from that

Let me stop you there.

Go back to any of my posts since the start of the 6N and count how many times I've said I would be happy to see either Crowley or Prendergast starting, how it's a great problem to have, how a case could be made for either of them etc.

You had no problem going back to some fictional bullshit from 2013 to have a pop at me earlier, let's see if you have the balls to go back a couple of weeks, see what I've actually said, and then admit you were wrong. I doubt you do.

The coaches obviously thought Prendergast was the right man to lead the charge for the 6N championship. We are extremely unlikely to win (not because of Prendergast) so now maybe the question is, what can we get from the last match?

Giving a young OH only his sixth start in the 6N (and 13th ever) especially when he's had limited game time up to now? That doesn't sound like a bad idea to me, and it definitely doesn't sound bizarre. I’d go so far as to say it might just even be a good idea.

Hey, it might even give a few of you a reason to cheer for Ireland on Saturday. Who knows, you might even find you like it.

Well, I guess you can do it, but it's hard to take it seriously.

I'm really, really OK with that.

You are being very harsh on Crowley.

Just take a step back and look at what happened him since November.

Started v NZ, replaced after 57 mins by Frawley, it was 13-10, Ireland failed to score after this + lost 23-13.

Started v Argentina, replaced by Sam P after 61 mins, scored try, 3 cons + dg, it was 22-19 when he went off and that's how it finished.

Left out of the squad for the next game v Fiji.

Prendergast handed the start for the next game v Australia, Crowley came on after 65 mins with Ireland 19-15 down, Ireland won 22-19.

Prendergast started v England, Crowley came on after 58 mins when it was 13-10, Ireland won 27-22.

So since the Argentina game he has got 37 mins at 10 out of the following 480 mins. (Prendergast played 443)

With rotations, injury + suspension, only 4 players will have started the 5 games.

JPG - has played all bar 32 mins, Casey was his reserve and he is injured.

Porter has played an average of 70 mins per game, he needs a break

Beirne- the only mins he has missed was a few mins for a HIA.

Van D F. Has played all bar 5 mins, along with Porter & Beirne, they could do with a break before the Champions Cup

It's not Prendergast that has been punished.

Fully agree the outhalf position has been handled diabolically where we now have both players with zero confidence. Prendegast because he has been dropped and Crowley because he's been treated shamefully and entirely overlooked for the No 10. To compound matters they brought him on out of position, barring the England game. By the way he excelled in this game, a point that's lost on many here!!

The current mgmt, excluding Farrell, should hang their heads in shame on how the 6N has gone. What has Sexton contributed???

I really do hope Munster and Leinster meet again this season and Prendegast plays. Munster are hurting now so bad it wouldn't surprise me if they go on to win the Champions Cup

Why should we fear a team that lost 6/7 in a row? Munster are weaker this year but the pschye should always be that we fear nobody. I know the fans will get their hands on tickets and the support could well be 50 50 by match day

Anyways off topic, back to Ireland

I’m delighted to see Crowley get a start and hope he shoots out the lights. No idea why we haven’t gone with Osborne to partner Ringrose if we’re hoping to upgrade our attack. Nothing against Henshaw who’s been a great servant and still has plenty to offer at 12, but we should be getting minutes into Osborne in his best position and he’s capable to getting an offload to Crowley or Ringrose in traffic to break the line.

Aki and POM shouldn’t be in the 23 going by last weeks performances and considering their ages/ability to cover one position each. I assume the idea is the coaches are expecting a response from both of them but it does feel like an opportunity lost to get someone else out there.

If Keenan goes down, presume it will be Crowley to 15 and Prendergast to 10 as opposed to Aki to 12, Henshaw to 13, Ringrose to 14 and Hansen to 15?

Do you work for the irfu or something?

From yesterdays “Why do we need to learn from selections?”

Now its an odd idea “That there is nothing to be gained by playing him…”

And Italy are “very decent”. Seriously?

You didn’t read the post you quoted.

I was clearly specifically talking about the suggestion that there’s no point starting Crowley this weekend. There very much is a point.

I would have liked to have seen him get more time during the 6N. I just don’t see the need to repeat that in every single post.

Do you work for the irfu or something?

That is hilarious and so original, so fresh.

From yesterdays “Why do we need to learn from selections?”

Now its an odd idea “That there is nothing to be gained by playing him…”

Why do you see that as a contradiction? We know Crowley is good enough to play against Italy, but he’ll benefit from starting another test.

I really hope he progresses..

Very impressive during his u20s years.

BOD said before selection that Crowley should get the nod against Italy. He also said Prendergast's game need a good bit of tightening up. That's an honest assessment.

I did read the post. And yes Crowley should start vs. Italy. We agree there. The point I was challenging is that Crowley is a young OH that needs gametime for development. He's young, yes, but he's also proven his worth. He's not just some new kid on the block who should be given token game time vs. Italy in a dead rubber fixture.

As another poster pointed out, he'd likely be benching this weekend had we beaten France.

To me it is bizarre how Crowley has been treated. There must be something more to this , there has to be. It literally makes no sense.
I am going to guess it comes down to money.
I would not be surprised there has been contract issues since last summer, Crowley wants his value and the IRFU wanted to pay less than half of that. So the IRFU have decided to make an example of Crowley.

It would explain the way Farrell has spoke of Crowley, how Crowley is being treated - they have dropped him and they have taken his lions chances away - and why prendergast was pushed forward so quickly and why sexton is involved in the squad.

Anyone else have an ideas on what’s going on.