Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

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Tommy O'Brien is fast but not even close to Will Jordan fast. In fact I'd say guys like Diarmuid Kilgallen or Nash would be faster. Then you have two pretty slow guys at FB and the wing. NZ like those little chips and high kicks to put the back 3 under pressure, I'm not sure this back 3 will live with it.

One thing about the URC these days is that we play against SA backs who are at least as fast as anything NZ can offer. We’re getting weekly feedback on our physical limitations out wide and are familiar with the challenge.

You’ve no basis for claiming Nash or Kilgallen are faster than O’Brien.

O’Brien has proper sprint athlete speed from his underage days - he won Leinster titles in the 110m hurdles in school. His record time in the 110m hurdles is 13.7 seconds - the Irish record is 13.3 seconds. He competed nationally as a sprinter in underage athletics. He’s an exceptionally fast player by any metric.

Not sure if you got that from world athletics but it’s incorrect. The Tailteann games had 100m at 33in hurdles not 110m at 42in, which is what Irish records are recorded at. 13.73 over 100m is definitely impressive, he finished second that year, but it’s not the national senior athlete level that 13.73 over 110m would be.

Easy, maybe it's based on an observational opinion by the poster from watching actual rugby matches, rather than looking up schoolboy times over hurdles from years back !?

Never mind that the athletes physiology will have changed radically from when they ran those times anyways...

The poster stated their post as a speculative opinion, clue here there was a 'maybe' precluding his opinion, but you label it 'crazy town ' cos you are who exactly!?

Who makes you the arbiter of whose opinion is crazy?? Do you have experience in this realm perhaps!?

This is a rugby opinion board, so it's open to opinion afaik.

Afaik, Nash & Kilgallen could well be as fast or faster , or even slower than TOB, but if I did offer my opinion I wouldn't expect you to be acting as the arbiter of crazy.

Have a nice day !! :)

TOB is clearly quicker than the current wingers in Lowe and Hansen imo, but I’m not sure he has the elite top-end back 3 pace of a Will Jordan, say.

With regards comparisons to Kilgallen and Nash, tbh, I think there’s every chance Kilgallen is quicker; especially from a standing start or that initial burst of acceleration.

Nash would be more marginal but it’s certainly not outlandish to suggest he might be as quick as TOB, say.

Out of the 3, I’d be picking Kilgallen every day, fwiw.

Looking forward to see TOB 2nite tho!

We haven't fired a shot in the second half here.

IIRC our lineout was pretty decent in the Six Nations after a poor start to the tournament. It's that first game that seems to catch us out no matter what. But against New Zealand that problem is magnified. They've been ruthless in taking away a great attacking platform. Lots of questions for the coaches to answer.

With a bit of luck Robertson will look to add Goodman to his ticket to replace the outgoing Jason Holland. Four tries to one says it all. The attack kept just breaking down after a few phases.

Ireland held back 3 lions (4 if you want to count Doris who would have been a lion bar injury).