Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

even over Barrett?

Please don’t start this again.

I thought the game yesterday proved conclusively that Prendergast has some outstanding abilities at controlling games with his kicking. None of that was there against Italy. I don't know what Crowley provides as a number 10 that he couldn't provide in another position?

The debate has been put to bed for me. Prendergast at 21, yes he makes some mistakes, but he provides structure, control, a strategic mindset that is already very good and only going to get better.

Watched the game back this morning, I'm pretty convinced now that we missed Farrell more than we realise.

Firstly, team selection was irrelevant. Swapping Prendergast for Crowley, or Baird for POM, or whatever, would have made no difference either yesterday or last week. The issues affected almost everyone and rearranging the deck chairs wouldn't have helped.

Secondly, these guys have not all gone from (almost) the best team in the world to being rubbish, none of them are particularly old and we had a reasonably fit squad to pick from, France game aside.

So what happened?

Watching the game yesterday, it was obvious to me that the difference is in their heads, that we're not mentally switched on at all and we've lost the ability to dig out a performance.

From yesterday - the brain-dead penalties from Ringrose and Beirne, Hansen having the ball in his hands and then taking his eye off it to gift them the second try, Crowley's pass behind Sheehan 10 metres out, JGP with his big loopy pass over Lowe's head into touch, all the easy line breaks for Italy in the first half, Murray staring at a loose ball instead of pouncing on it. We just weren't tuned in at all. (edit: Lowe was the honorable exception, he was razor sharp)

And go back to the France game, what killed us? Their quick turnarounds every time we did something right. We scored a try, we instantly concede a penalty. We score a try, we instantly concede a try and get a man yellow-carded. The easy 'held-ups' over the line, McCarthy's YC, on and on. France were very good but we certainly helped them.

The Wales game? We go down to 14 men and suddenly Wales look like an actual rugby team. We needed to find an extra gear to make up for the man down and instead we collapsed in on ourselves like a dying star. We get back to 15 and normal service resumes.

Scotland and England games - we did all the hard work and then conceded a silly amount of points in the closing minutes, it might not have affected the results but it gave us a mountain to climb yesterday. Again, we were already in the dressing room while the game was still going on, our heads weren't in it at all.

Key players just didn't seem to have their mojo at all, and all the focus on the 10 jersey is missing the wood for the trees IMO.

Is it too optimistic to think that Farrell has a better command of the mental preparation side of things than Easterby, and the lack of focus and determination can be fixed relatively quickly when he comes back? I certainly hope so because something was definitely off this 6N.

As soon as this money grab Lions jolly ends the better for Irish Rugby.

If no Irish player gets picked it would be a blessing.

Human nature, but a lot of over reactions I feel to the last few weeks.

It was a messy tournament from an Irish perspective. Head coach on sabbatical, players coming to an end mixed with young and inexperienced players trying to find their footing at this level. We still played some great rugby in patches. We dismantled England (world cup champions in waiting 🙄) and should have won by more. Bullied Scotland and should have won by more.

The France game got away from us. 20 mins with 14 men against them killed us and we played into their hands. Didn't kick half enough.

I think and feel we will see a bit of an evolution in the team come the autumn series. The likes of Osborne are going to be making more squads and starting 15's at centre. Prendergast will have come on for the runs he's going to get for Leinster and we are going to see new blood in a number of key positions due to retirements.

Just one thing to note from yesterday's game. I thought Furlong looked very powerful when he came on. Touch wood he's over his issues because he's a game changer for both club and country.

Furlong and Bealham would be a huge concern.

Boyle and Clarkson need to be starting games in the summer.

We have a bit of a problem at 9

I was in the stadium and thought the ovations for the departing players were very nice myself.

Apart from Osborne who the coaching staff seem reluctant to pick in his best position, none of the players you mention have really taken their opportunities when they arise.

I think it's a sign of a management team that have run out of ideas when they consistently stick with the same players when they are no longer performing, the other piece being they will shuffle around half the team to keep the same core on the field rather than simply replace the player that is out like for like. Eddie O Sullivan in his latter days had a brilliant backline, but if one was missing everyone else was moved rather than simply swap out for the next best available.

Our lineout has been poor since the world cup. No one knows how our scrum will perform on any given day. For a details based team, we've been shockingly casual this season. Where has our famed quick rucks gone to? even against France where they competed very little. The coaching team needs a big shake up.

A lot of our senior players could do with a long hard look at how they are performing. Would any Irish Player make a team of the tournament? Dan Sheehan probably, maybe Lowe but who else? possibly Gibson Park? A few honorable mentions, Keenan consistently good, Doris maybe?

Mostly. Pom had the ability to win defensive lineouts that I don't think any other six we have can do as well.

If we see Conan as the replacement then he has a lot of experience, between Ireland and the lions, on the internal stage. If we see one of Izzy, Baird, Cian p, ahead, coombs etc, then absolutely agree