Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Can we at least leave Soroka out of this discussion? He hasn't even played CC for Leinster.

Does the no.8 not bind the locks together in the scrum?

Because, as a rugby player, he is nowhere near the level of the two ahead of him.

At some point we need to accept that while Coombes goes well for Munster in the URC, he doesn't have the pedigree of the other two at the highest level.

I'd leave out Conan for a small number of said 19 games to build squad depth, give guys a chance and check out alternatives that may be required in the event of injury.

Because I think the premise that we should always pick our absolute best 15 and 23, without any eye towards squad building and evolution down the line, is a massively flawed one.

The next option has 3 caps

Isn't the whole point of this debate that he's not the next option?

can't get a look-in 

He has been in the vast majority of squads going back four years. He's had plenty of look-ins. After that, it's on him.

He has been in the vast majority of squads going back four years. He's had plenty of look-ins. After that, it's on him.

Which entirely overlooks Andy Farrell's role in the selection of the team…..

I very clearly meant "it's on him to make the most of his opportunities in camp and it appears he has not done so to date".

Even if you are convinced that Farrell only picks based on "cohesion" and "systems", does that not beg the question why Coombes can't learn the "systems" and become "cohesive" after four years of trying?

But I haven't said Farrell only picks based on "cohesion" and "systems". I have consistently said I think it's a factor.

Note: Not "bias". Not "only".

A, singular, factor.

And like I've also said previously, even if we grant you that Coombes isn't doing it in training, I think it would be a mistake for Farrell to judge solely on training, as there isn't anywhere near as much contact in training as there is in matches.

Equally, you're painting the picture that non-selection is evidence Coombes "can't learn the systems" while overlooking that it's also evidence of Farrell's conservatism. I can repeat my stat - 40 minutes to non-incumbents in 19 Tier 1 games prior to the RWC.

It indeed, also overlooks the role of injury here. Some players need an opportunity with injury to competitors before being able to prove their worth when getting an opportunity. Would you go as far as saying McCloskey "can't learn the systems"? It'd be the exact same argument prior to him getting opportunites. It would be incredibly harsh to pin that on McCloskey, and I feel the same for Coombes.

I get it; you think Coombes isn't good enough. What I'm saying is it might also be entirely possible that Coombes is good enough and that this is a selection mistake by Farrell.

This is the point I'm trying to make, it's not just Gavin Coombes but there are others that we should be assessing in games like that vs Japan and vs the likes of Italy and Wales in the 6N.

So we have 1 guy for the position and that's it? No alternative? And that's fine? The alternative being playing our captain and arguably best player out of position?