Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I think it's possibly, at most, around 24?

• 5 x2 seasons of 6 Nations games: 10
• 4 x2 seasons of AI's: 8 (trend now seems to be to play 4 AI games, we've done it the last 2 seasons
• Max 3 Summer Tests: 3
• Max 3 RWC warm-ups: 3

It doesn't leave us very much time.

As far as I'm aware, the upper-end of Casey's injury prognosis still has him back for the NZ game. He's an outside chance to play vs Leinster this weekend.

Also worth mentioning, JGP's average number of minutes last season was 72 minutes.

In that context I don't think it'd have been a huge risk to call up one of the younger guys ahead of Blade.

Remains to be seen - but I fully believe the inclusion of Blade is down to injury concerns around Casey more than anything else. The statements around Casey's injuries have been pretty vague so far tbf.

Right, except this week's injury update said absolutely nothing about injured players at all, just launches into an irrelevant blurb about players playing AIL:

And, the previous one, had Casey out for a period of 1-3 weeks. The upper end of that would only have him returning the actual week of the NZ game.

The suggestion there are injury doubts about Craig Casey for the NZ game hardly seems outlandish.

Another underwhelming squad which seems to be prioritizing short term gain for long term pain. We have no chance to win the next world cup, and if it keeps going like this we'll be even further behind once the prep to 2031 begins. Farrell has done a lot of good things but should be moved on.

Granted Connors in injured for the time being but I'd have thought on form he is an able replacement for VDF, and he's 3 years younger.

it’s not up to Farrell to give the younger players game time, he will take them on once they have had sufficient time at club proving themselves, and then the integration will be fast trekked. Look at what was achieved in a relatively short period in Lyon’s and many said it was their best coaching performance they had experienced. I agree with the couple of situations which seem odd due to age or an importance to choose the 2nd or 3rd for WC27 but even there the club performance will be crucial to estimate the next wave of talent. 6N will be an easier time to rotate accurately after the URC & EPCR campaigns are well underway

I don't think he is injured at present, he just hasn't played particularly well on his last few outings (he was poor enough v Bulls, and lucky to get away with a yellow for a high hit). Defensively he is as good a player as there is in Irish rugby, but the attacking side of his game isn't where it needs to be IMO.

In the South Africa squad for the Rugby Championship they had only 4 players that will be under 30 at the next RWC. They also have 11 players that will be over 34 at the next RWC, Kolisi, Etzebeth, Du Toit, Koch, Mostert, Mbonambi, Smith, De Klerk, Reinach, De Allende and Mapimpi. The following players will be 33 at the RWC - Marx, Louw, Pollard, Esterhuizen, Kriel and Kolbe. RG Snyman will be 32.

I think the only squads that really are comfortable age wise is New Zealand and France. The rest have an age problem.

Touch a nerve, did I? I'm not trolling, just giving my opinion. I'm entitled to one just like everyone else. Some people are content with little short term victories and being perennial quarter final losers I guess. I'd rather we aim higher.