Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I agree, but that's a function of the IRFU scheduling this match so early in the season immediately following a Lions tour, they knew this was coming and there isn't really any changes we could have made now to mitigate it.

I had a feeling this was coming for McCarthy, amazing progression.

decent team considering , and w the paucity of minutes played by them this year we’ll go in w very low expectations. It’s a little bit of a nothing to lose situation for us. ABs have all the pressure honestly, they did ok in the RC but that big defeat against SA at home means the knives are out for razor, and he hasn’t stamped any kind of identity on this team, certainly nothing like all the hype warrants. He and his team are under the gun here. For us the risk is a sluggish start, but of the blocks and score early and we could have them.

We were far from perfect come the Aus game, but the NZ was particularly notable for the sheer amount of errors; handling errors, penalty count, missed tackles, turnovers conceded, scrum and lineout issues. I'd go as far as saying it was our poorest performance in years.

NZ have named their side:

(15-9,1-8):

Will Jordan, Leroy Carter, Quinn Tupaea, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Cam Roigard, Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Fabian Holland, Simon Parker, Ardie Savea, Peter Lakai

Reps: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Tamaiti Williams, Pasilio Tosi, Josh Lord, Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Damian McKenzie

If anything demonstrates the nonsense set up of the Champions Cup these days, it is this.

By this point of the season, irrespective of Lion's Tours, Ireland Summer Tours, development tours or anything else, senior players would have played at least two rounds of pool stage Heineken Cup games by now, as well as at least one major derby.

That the Ireland Men's squad are going into this game colder than a butcher's freezer has a lot to do with that.

As a Leinster fan, even I wouldn't have picked that many of our players to start against New Zealand. As a squad and as individuals, we are in shocking order.

If Joe Schmidt said to Rob Kearney 9 years ago 'you need a good one this week Robbie', I'd be saying the same thing tonight to Ryan Baird, Van der Flier, Gibson-Park, Ringrose, Furlong and a few others.

These two week in the U.S. had better have been spent pulling up trees and looking some unpleasant truths square in the eye, because if they haven't, we're gonna get pasted.

It's pretty close to our strongest side I think. Of the injured players (Tyrel Lomax, Tupou Vaa’i, Noah Hotham, Emoni Narawa, Ollie Norris, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Asafo Aumua, Stephen Perofeta, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Patrick Tuipulotu) only Lomax and Vaa'i are probably First XV.

Good luck to Irish fans - I watch more soccer than rugby these days, but will watch this game. Probably delayed coverage as there doesn't seem to be a lot of viewing options. I have no real idea about the Irish team form anymore, will see how the game unfolds.

12 from Leinster starting - only 2 from Munster ?

Completely agree on Baloucoune. Injuries have prevented him from showing Farrell how wrong he was.
He has time yet.

I would still pick Hansen myself and Lowe.

What am I missing about Lowe? He seems to be getting a bit of grief from fans. Like there is no way Stockdale should be starting.