Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Is there a separate Ireland A thread?

I can't see it.

here's the Spanish Squad

Yago Fernandez, a centre in that squad, played a few games for Terenure in AIL over the last couple of seasons.

if i had to put money on either of them starting itd be SP. I dont think he should but i can see it happening

I wouldn't be surprised, the unknowable is that Crowley has been playing very well which isn't something we'd have said at any stage last season, he played ok maybe, but not as much daylight as we've seen this season.

Completely agree. It’s never a black and white call although some people would like to portray it as that with regards the two of them.

Crowley wasn't playing particularly well last year but has been very good so far this year. Prendergast on the other hand looks like he’s having a bit of second season syndrome after some very good performances last year. I thought he deserved the shirt last year in the 6N but I’d definitely pick Crowley on current form. It could all be reversed come 6N time depending on how the next few months go but isn’t that what we want in every position on the pitch?!

I remember watching Crowley play at Franklin's Gardens in January and he was brilliant. He was the single reason why Munster stayed in that game (which they ultimately lost). So to me he had rediscovered his form just as the 6Ns came round again, but by then the die was cast.

Crowley's poor form last season is totally over-egged on here, can't for the life of me figure out why! He had some very good performances.

That may indeed be so or I may disagree, but I will say it's odd how we don't/didn't see that replicated across the team.

There have been occasions where players have been playing like drains and others can't get a look-in.

FWIW I find it bizarre that a young 10 who had just lead his team to their first trophy in donkey's years and an Ireland team to the Six Nations on the 'difficult' year would be jettisoned so quickly on the back of performances like Crowley had put in. Just one of the calls Farrell got wrong (and that's okay, he's not infallible), think we jumped the gun on SP a bit too early.

Maybe he'll (SP) have a storming AIs and 6Ns and all will be well and we'll have two strong contenders for the jersey, which is good.

Picking Crowley now that he's playing well does not mean that dropping him when he was playing less well was a mistake.

The Farrell critics here always complain he does not pick on form, but like it or not, 12 months ago and continuing on into the 6N, Prendergast was the guy in form and got picked. And still Farrell got absolutely roasted. "can't for the life of me figure out why!"

Now Prendergast is in a slump, Crowley looks to be in form and will likely get the nod. I don't see the problem.

Is this grounded in reality at all or what? And would anybody here think anything of it? I find it surprising given the number of exciting specialist wingers I see playing in the Prem these days. What’s Pollock’s kicking like, for example?

Steve Borthwick is considering playing his fast-rising back-row Henry Pollock on the wing at some stage this autumn as he seeks fresh impetus in all areas before the looming November Tests.

The England head coach says he wants his side to hit the ground running against Australia on Saturday and may also start Ben Earl at centre this season.

Isn't that what happened to France against Ireland last year? They had a 6:2 bench and injuries forced the 7 to play on the wing from early in the game. So they're training for 6:2 contingencies?

Has anyone suggested he's planning to start Pollock on the wing?