Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I think it's a reflection of the absolute dearth of options in the LHP position across the provinces, that when a guy shows good potential they have little choice but to accelerate his development. Worth noting Michael Milne is a relatively known prospect to the coaches - he's been in camp a few times, he's 25. They know his strengths and they know his weaknesses.

On the point around "who packed down beside him in the front row" - yeah, against the Sharks he had Furlong & Kelleher in the front row, but worth noting he had Baird & Deeny in the second row - hardly a heavyweight scrummaging combo there.

He also did well against the Bulls scrum - where he had Gus McCarthy & Tom Clarkson alongside him, and Baird & Deeny in the row behind. I'm intrigued to see how he goes this weekend with a proper heavyweight lock duo behind him.

I absolutely don't - as I've made clear countless times on here. I rate both players very highly. But that the wasn't the point I was making in the post you quoted at all.

Over the 10 days or that poster has said all of the following around this debate and the wider Irish team selection on this thread:

Anyone with a functioning pair of eyes can tell that Crowley is a better athlete than Prendergast.

 The level of gaslighting and goal post moving undertaken by a regular cohort of posters on here against anyone with a dissenting opinion is ridiculous.

Some amount of rubbish posted on here but what's new.

You get the feeling that some posters constantly repeat the same dross in the hope that it becomes the prevailing narrative.

The entire debate on here is extremely dishonest but that's par for the course.

This is what my comment about the bias piece (which affects all of us for the most part on here) was about. Disagree with the view fine, but this goes a good bit further than that.

So you've an issue with the tone of the posts?

Do I need to point out the obvious here….

Yeah I don't feel strongly about it, but you've a 26 year old guy who's never been more than average and who doesn't look to have blown the coaches away in the summer, versus a guy who's 22 and looks like he might (emphasis; might) be something special, it seems like we want Farrell to be doing the latter.

I don't disagree with you on the centres btw but tbh the next cab off the rank is Osborne who's already there. I am not quite as big on Gavin or Cooney as others.

Whatever about other posts, nothing in the post you took issue with suggests there was bias at play. It suggests a mistake was made:

More nonsense. It's amazing how Crowley is no longer of the required standard now that Prendergast is no longer seen as a dead cert going forward. I suppose it's easier to dismiss both players than for people to admit that a mistake was actually made. It's certainly eye opening though that people would so happily declare a fella who led Ireland to a 6 Nations in his debut season, including our largest ever away win in France, as not being international quality. How quick we are to throw players on the scrap heap. The same player also led his side to a league win down in South Africa after away wins in the quarter's and the semi's but sure he's clearly not up to par.

Do you accept the fact that, regardless of your own views on the out half situation, that up to now, it would appear that the Irish coaching team rate Sam Prendergast more highly?

I think this is overly simplistic. I accept that they obviously thought Prendergast was a better fit for the new game plan they wanted to play, and /or thought he was in better form when they selected him last Autumn. That's a more nuanced position.

That position is also subject to change, btw.

and, if you do accept that, do you believe that those are genuinely held beliefs of the coaches, or do you share the view that there must be some sort of bias at play?

I've said countless times at this point that no, I don't think Andy Farrell is biased.

But similarly, do you accept that cohesion / partnerships / systems / familiarity / continuity are a real thing when it comes to putting 15 rugby players on a pitch together, or a squad together? I do. And I think that sometimes is a consideration.

And I wouldn't disagree with very much of that whatsoever, FTD. Happy days.

Ross Byrne playing well for Gloucster, makes a mockery of him not allowed to be picked

Still playing week in week our for a Prem Team

Marmion playing 80 mins for Bristol, hes a better option than Blade

Blade is still Connaught best 9 and deserves his place on the Irish panel

Tough end for Connaught but does highlight the importance of the kicking game which Sam beats every other 10 on by a distance

Connacht

looked like a bad knee injury hopefully not

If that's a bad injury to Hansen I think we're looking at Tommy O'Brien starting against the All Blacks now. Stockdale and Lowe play at 11 rather than 14.