Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

But Farrell will go with the leinster lad.

You’ve forgotten what happened what happened when Farrell picked Stockdale at 15 but I doubt Farrell has. We might want a little bit more evidence that he can actually do it against decent opposition.

Wait, let me guess. Systems, cohesion, familiarity etc.

No, he’s not.

But he’s not going to pick whoever he picks because of Leinster bias, that’s the point.

I didn't notice any issues with it. As I say there was one poor spilled ball from a restart. Ulster defended well in the first half amd he was obviously part of that. The second half Ulster were generally on the front foot and Stockdale shone brightly.

They are very decent, but it’s one game, ie “more evidence against decent opposition”.

Maybe I could have phrased that better

Would much rather see Stockdale on the left wing. He's been in good to excellent form for a couple of seasons now - his issue is that he's been injured in every one of his last three caps, been forced off and then missed the subsequent Ireland games. He just needs a run of injury luck and he could be close to displacing Lowe.

Farrell will want to beat New Zealand in Chicago and so will pick the most experienced players he has available.

And if he thinks Prendergast is the best 10 available he should start him, Farrell should continue to back him going forward so he is gets plenty of bedding in experience for 2027 World Cup.

I am on record as saying I believe Prendergast is not now and never will be the 10 Farrell and others expect, nothing personal against the man and I am not trying to be anti Leinster.
I actually think Frawley is a real talent and if given the same chances Prendergast has got he could really have pushed on.
just my opinion

it really didnt though, the only reason the lions won the last test was that the series was already decided and SA changed half their team, if the 2nd test had been a draw then SA would have taken it more seriously and put out their strongest team with which they would have won easily

Doris and Joe McCarthy expected to be named in the squad and the squad are off on their training camp next week according to Off The Ball this morning. Any ideas when the squad is to be named? Presume this week if they are going into camp next week?

really?

that 1 penalty is what cost the lions? out of the whole 1st and 2nd test?

lets ignore the penalties given up by the lions and scored by Steyn throughout those tests, especially Vickery's scrumming in the first test.

It's not really relevant.

O'Gara became a very successful player in spite of being a rubbish defender.

However, it's 25 years since he made his test debut; the game was very, very different back then and the emphasis on defence and structure in the modern game means that a) it's not at all certain O'Gara would have the same career if he was coming through now and more importantly b) Prendergast is really going to struggle if he can't improve.

Without going back and watching, in my recollection it was by some distance the most brain dead episode of those two games, with the caveat that ROG likely didn't know where he was after a head knock. The ball needed to go off the field, and everyone in the stadium knew it. Conceding the penalty was the chefs kiss, from an SA pov. F*ck it, let's refresh our memories. HIs defensive powers are on full display here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1B9-ha7TP0

not wanting to derail the thread too much here, but the lions team for the third test was also fairly weakened (bowe and flutely in the centres, monye back on the wing much as he played well in the end). if SA put out their first team against that lions team then realistically they would have won at a bit of a canter