Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

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.

That's a bit of a leap. But I also think Sexton should have been nowhere near this squad. A clean break was needed there.

It does seem there's something more going on with the Jack Crowley debacle. Prendergast was shoved forward in record pace. Perhaps we'll never know the truth...

All I do know is Sexton added nothing and should be got rid. He's always had a deep hatred for Munster, spurred on by Ronan O Gara!

No there's not. Irish coaching team just think Sam is a better fit, currently, for how they want to play. It's not a conspiracy. There is no great hidden secrets. This is tinfoil hat nonsense.

A better fit? There having their worst 6 nations in years. At least admit they got it wrong! Crowley is a proven winner, as others have said a 6N and URC.

Sam has a lot to learn and unfortunately for Ireland fans the mgmt seem to think several poor performances is grand. Even the media are along for the ride!

But the Munster fans will call it out because its bully boy tactics. How else do you explain Prendergast getting 80 mins against France when his performance was woeful. I tell you why, because Easterby and Sextons ego were put ahead of the good of this team

Compare the England Bench to Ireland

Pollock getting a chance and learning and developing whereas Ireland have POM

In the props division England have brought through Fin Baxter where as Ireland have stuck with Healy

That is a damming indictment of Easterby and Farrell

They actually made a tv show about the ROG/Sexton love affair in France.

I think the 'more going on' with Crowley is that Farrell doesn't really trust him. He's dropped him whenever there's been a viable alternative and obvs decided to promote SP faster than he has with anyone else, though it reminds me a little of Keenan who was older but dropped into the 6N in 2021 in what was his first real season as a Leinster starter (1 appearance in the 2 previous seasons) and never looked back. I still feel like Crowley has a big future for Ireland but while lots of us feel like SP has a lot to learn, Farrell feels that way about Crowley. He hasn't been cast aide in the way the Byrnes or Frawley have been so clearly he is part of the plan.