Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

He is

Akrasia, interesting post.

First of all, I didn't respond angrily to anybody. I laughed at Shooter McGavin alright because it was such a ridiculous post. Don't know where the angry suggestion has come from. This is the second time one of you has thrown that suggestion at me. Seems a particular section of Munster heads like to try and put words in peoples' mouths and completely misrepresent them.

Secondly, Shooter said very clearly:

I think Dan Kelly is a cert for starting 12 for the WC. The centre was huge for Munster against Leinster. And Dan Kelly is very much in the Lowe camp for giving energy to the team. Great tackler, fast runner and links up really well with Tom Farrell.

England's loss is our gain in this case.

I see only one game mentioned in this post. Unless you want to point out to me where he said more since then you can point it out to me, as I have yet to see it.

Now, 50HX later said:

Just for clarity Kelly had nearly played 100 times for Leicester, starting the vast majority of those games at 12

He's also played to CC level

Which, in response, I said was fine, and I know a good bit about him. I've watched him play in England. He's a good player and I said already that he could well be the starting 12 at the next Rugby World Cup. However, the central point is that to declare that he's a 'cert' 2 years out is ridiculous.

With regards to Paddy McCarthy. I never scoffed at anything. I never even brought him up. I never said anything about his abilities. All of that was brought up by someone else. I simply asked one question which none of you have been able to answer, and I hope you can. The question is below:

How many people in this thread have said Paddy McCarthy is a cert to start at loosehead prop at the next World Cup based on one game?

You mean both SA played Japan in a neutral venue thousands of miles from their own countries in meaningless international and it had poor attendance? Well I'm totally shocked and appalled!

"Also 12:40 is a great time for a family attendance esp with families" yeah great if your from D4 not so much if you have travel from Sligo, Cork etc

I'd take a 4pm kick off anyday.

Yeah you're wrong

• make’s point
• Point gets totally shown up using facts/logic
• Juventus: “BuT tHaTs DiFfErEnT!”

Exactly, SA have won a RWC…therefore we should trying to follow what they’ve been doing as opposed to the failed method the other nations have been doing! Certain posters like to use “SA won the World Cup” as some sort of counter argument, not realising it actually proves the point for why Farrell is right doing what he’s doing for the most part…

Maybe he subbed him because he’s 34 and doesn’t have the legs to go full 80 anymore…just a thought.

Mod edit

Sure we'll keep on playing Henshaw and Aki so we'll be proud of having the slowest backiline as a tier 1 nation and we'll also play Porter for the guts of every game sure that won't shorten his career🙄.

Mod

SA can play an older squad as many of the key players don't play grinding club rugby for the season, they're either on a holiday in Japan or winging it for their club like the Sharks. We can't do that in Ireland as the provinces would lose support rapidly.

LOL that all you got townie?

Pretty sure @sydthebeat is a country boy. Offaly or Laois I think.

Sam will be the 10 against Australia, he’s made all the difference today

Sloppy performance with poorhandling and passing stopping us in our tracks, the scoreline flattered us a bit I suppose. The lineout continues to be a problem, although I think Kelleher was obviously impacted by it today.

Doris and Tommy O'Brien were comfortably our best two players. Doris was a class apart up front. Most of the bench made a big impact as well, particularly the two Prendergasts and Gus McCarthy.

The 10 debate is live again next week and there is an argument for Gus McCarthy to bench behind Sheahan.

I guess Jimmy O'Brien to come in at 15.

Our scrum was generally very good. Dominated Japan's for most of the game. Baird and Doris were the pick of our forwards and the latter looked especially good for someone who hasn't started a game for six months.

Centres and scrum half are a concern. Henshaw was solid, but he no longer has the pace to punch holes in defence. Farrell was ok, but was similar to Ringrose last week in rushing up to make a tackle, missing and leaving other players exposed.

Casey and Blade both looked unauthoritative. Could see them changing their minds on their decisions, taking a different option then getting battered by the defence. McCloskey and JGP go straight back into the side for the next two games.

Yup and worryingly JGP will be 35 by the time the WC rolls around. And Caolan Blade looked poor enough out there too.