Ok. I did not know that Henshaw and Aki were at the the top of their games. Of course then that they would be ahead. I have not seen either play this season so I will take you at your word.
We have had players older than 34 at World Cups and I was under the impression he was younger than both Henshaw and Aki.
Sure, though the squad doesn't help there. I would think/hope there will be a number coming in for Japan now.
Why not? For example, if Casey is fit in time, he’s shown much better form this season than JGP. Or, for example, TOB’s inclusion if fit.
But my point is a broader one anyways than just the NZ game.
Ireland A plays Spain on 8 November, the same day the first team play Japan. So there won't be much change from the squad except for injury cover. The next batch of players will be with the A team, I imagine.
I wasn't arguing Farrell should be called up. I was responding to the strawman argument that anyone who thinks Andy should be a bit less conservative in his selections, thinks that the squad should be picked purely on form (which is of course nonsense).
So we had Forde and Cooney in as development players, and capped Gavin in an utterly pointless 100 point win vs Portugal. Great. Let's have a look at them in actual games against tier 1 teams and see how they go. Or Kelly, or Postlethwaite. That's what our competitors do. They give guys a go. We'll keep picking the same 3 guys until they get injured or retire.
sorry that sarcasm
At the last World Cup we had three players 34 and older. The least experienced of these had 53 caps and had been an international for ten years. Do you see the difference?
Again, Henshaw and Aki are irrelevant here, Farrell is not competing with them.
Henshaw has played like a corpse for the best part of two seasons. I've seen one legged geriatrics with more pace than Robbie these days.
Mod Edit
Warning issued.
MOD EDIT
Ha, don't, neither are near the top of their games e.g. Henshaw has been playing below the required level for well over a year now, & Aki ain't looking great this season so far either.... so tbh, they're both ripe for international squad rotation (I.e. being replaced), which would give a guy like a Tom Farrell a well earned opportunity to impress at international level, & might give them a wake up call, to up their game.
But this ain't happening, cos we're stuck in the mud with selection....
Selection Can't be based on week-to-week form. But farrell has a season of form generally above Henshaw. So how does it make sense to keep selecting Henshaw?
Central Contract?
Tom Farrell is younger than both Aki & Henshaw!!
It's such complete cobblers - 'now don't pick a guy who's been playing better than the 3 incumbents for over a year....' , why? Cos you can't be picking international teams on form now, can you!?
And then, even sillier, ' now you can't be going picking Tom Farrell at centre, cos he'll be 34 at the next RWC.....' why not? As the guys he would be replacing would be 34 & 37 then!! Like how does that make sense exactly!?
Basically, for some reason, there's a bunch of prominent posters on here continously defending stupid, self defeating, stuck in the mud selection policies by AF , by saying incoherent things like you shouldn't select on provincial form (!?) , and that you shouldn't introduce a centre now who might be around for the next RWC, then aged 34, when he's actually younger than the staid, clapped out international players he should be replacing right now!!
This is all just such nonsensical nonsense!!
Well there we go, we can all relax. Farrell has been added to the squad
Ah jaysis, I hope Edogbo isn't injured again. Gleeson's injury looked ominous, hopefully it's not too bad
Delighted for Farrell. Given our injuries at fullback I'm a bit mystified as to why someone like Lowry or Haley haven't been looked at.
(Or is the plan to play Osbourne there?)
almost certainly the plan is to play Osborne there. Which I think is annoying as I think his future is at 12 and I'd rather he was bedding in there now.
Is he a better 12 than McCloskey right now? Hard to say.
Very good, everybody wins.
Jesus but if Edogbo didn't have bad luck he'd have no luck.
Osborne? No, I wouldn't say so. I think he can do a number of positions very well but I'm still to be convinced that he's top-quality in any of them.
Fairly puts this into perspective…
Aki and Henshaw aren’t keeping Tom Farrell out of the national squad. That’s a common misconception here; if the first two got hit by a bus tomorrow, Farrell still wouldn’t be going to Chicago on Tuesday.
Absolutely delighted for Farrell, but gutted for Edogbo, Gleeson and Hansen.
McCloskey/Ringrose isn't a combination I can remember ever starting for Ireland. Could be an interesting pairing if it comes about.
Start of 2023 6 Nations, where we beat both Wales and France. McCloskey was very good, especially defensively, iirc.
Autumn 2022 against SA and Australia.
Delighted for Farrell, fully justified.
Puts the summer tour ommission into real question now.
The 1.5 games he has played this season is a continuation of last seasons form.
I thought Forde & Cooney were next up?
I don't know about Forde, but Hugh Cooney was called up so the coaches could get a better look at him. I've been impressed by him whenever he's had the chance to play for Leinster. Has a good outside break and hits hard in the tackle. He's also very fast which is something I think most Ireland centres aren't.
The issue for any Irish 13 looking to break into the squad is Ringrose. He's been one of the best outside centres in the world for a long time now. He's simply better than the other options.
He's generally been available for most of Farrell's tenure and if he's been injured/suspended mid-series Farrell has preferred selecting a centre within the current squad.
I agree re Ringrose but the default alternative is shuffle the other 12's across when he's not available...thats been the way for a long period.
Farrell is more about systems than form imo
Edit to add : its work v well for him but no harm in us fans discussing an alternative approach considering age profile of the 12/13 positions
Was Gleeson going on this tour as a development type player? I.e. tackle bag holder and getting used of the international setup?
If not, why haven't we added another no.8 to the squad? Conan and Doris currently are both not fit for selection I believe. Doris hasn't played since May and has had shoulder surgery. And Conan was withdrawn late before the Munster game with a knee injury and hasn't played since the Lions tour. Surely be to God we are not going to have them both in the match day 23 vs NZ? With neither of them having had played any rugby yet this season in their first games back from injury.
My Gavin Coombes conspiracy theories are growing by the day.
