Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

This is maybe dipping into the realms of fantasy football, but I think jacothelad makes a good point here, perhaps a bit of the outside the box thinking like Rassie does with Estuihezen, where we start against certain opposition with three props and play Sheehan at 7 taking care of the l/o, Vdf on bench and Kelleher to come on as sub hooker if needed. I fully accept I don’t have anywhere near enough knowledge to know if that’s viable, but interested to hear what others think as Sheehan seems capable enough and fast.
If we could be sure to have enough ballast via Joe McC/Edogbo (if he can get fit for long enough) or A.n.other, none of this might be needed, but would altering the front row make up be a viable workaround until size and experience in the 2nd row improves?
Fogarty and to some extent McBride need to up their game pronto, every team is going to target our scrum now.

ya he is nowhere near that level. And to be honest I doubt he ever will be unfortunately.

Also I don't think any other FR in the other provinces are at this same level as the Leinster Front row either. I just don't see it. I gave a look at the other Leinster props.

THP - Niall Smyth from Blackrock College - I actually haven't see much of him. Could he be fast tracked in the spring?

Alex Mullan - from Blackrock College. 20s last year. Sam Bishti - also from Blackrock College. U20 captain last month.

Are these top level prospects, could any push through and be fast tracked next year or by the RWC 27.

more on the scrum https://x.com/patmccarry/status/1993446715555561654?s=61&t=N6OMcCvjVMlXDCDqfZCnAQ or find it direct on Rugby pass, he discusses the way SA and AB(in W.C. qf) try to exploit Porter’s position.

Side note to this, but I've seen it said elsewhere that Clarkson's rapid progression in scrummaging is down to him learning from Slimani.

I think this is something that gets overlooked in the conversation about the IRFU previously blocking Munster from signing props. (For example, we've also previously heard John Ryan discuss how he learned from BJ Botha).

I think it's been short-sighted decision making tbh, doubly so when an NIQ wouldn't be blocking the incumbents.

True, JGP has played very well. But the Oz game was well won, it was a nothing game. Bring Casey on earlier, give him a chance to impress or even make mistakes and learn!

oh my god stop hahahaha

Minutes played for their respective province last season

Clarkson : 819*

Bealham: 851

*including starts in the URC 1/4 final, 1/2 final and Final

In other words, Clarkson does play a lot for his province and in meaningful games. He’s not been plucked out of the sub academy by Farrell

He's where he is now on merit, and based on the quality of his performances. He played a lot of minutes for Leinster last season (18 games, 11 starts, 819 mins) and started every game of the URC run in (started from Rounds 14 through to the Grand Final). The season before that he played in 15 games, 10 starts, 581 mins.

He has looked largely pretty comfortable at an international level, in Europe and against some tough scrummaging teams in the URC.

His minutes for Leinster over the past 2 seasons are broadly comparable to any of the contenders for that #3 THP in the squad role - Clarkson has played 33 games, 21 starts for 1,400 mins over that period, versus the following other players in competition for the spot:

• Aungier - 38 games, 18 starts, 1,501 mins
• Jager - 27 games, 16 starts, 1,018 mins
• O'Toole - 35 games, 28 starts, 1,900 mins.

O'Toole is the more established of all those, he's the #1 choice at his province over that timeframe, and is someone the Irish coaches know very well, but it's not a crazy difference for all that. Clarkson isn't like Paddy McCarthy, someone who has just been highlighted but hasn't really delivered yet at a domestic level.