Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

When he was younger, that's exactly what I thought of him, headless chicken, like he could step all the opposition players on his way to the try line. It was exciting but not all that effective. The odd time ive seen him (due to injury) over the last couple of years I thought his game had matured very well, rarely getting isolated, offloading more after stepping the first (or second ) defender. I think he is likely a much better player now if he could put a string of appearances together without injury

Edit to add the date

Friday 6th February, which is the day after we play France in Paris

With the weather being really crap, instead of spending time in the mountains……I still have over 100 Munros to climb, I have rewatched all of Ireland's games from 2022 to the Autumn series just past. I have also been wqtching all the current URC and European games featuring the 4 Provinces.

As a 76 year old rugby man, I have seen over 60+ years of games and seen many great irish teams and many poor ones also. The advent of professionalism meant that Irish pro players could at last begin to compete on an equal footing with teams that were professional in everything but name, i.e. England, France, Wales and the Southern Hemisphere teams. I have seen the rise and fall of our teams over the years. The 'falls' are usual gradual until suddenly they tip over the edge. That has been happening since just after the 2023 RWC. Incremental slipping in the levels of skills and strategies that made Ireland…..and Leinster winners. Great to watch too. The stuffing by France in the 6Ns should have set alarms ringing but the signs were there even though we were still winning. Look at the games against Wales, Scotand, Italy and England with a critical eye.Wales actually ran us close when they should have been crushed but we weren't good enough to do what we needed. It was the same against Scotland. WE won but at times we were very ordinary. At others we looked sharp and ready to reclaim our form but these moments have become increasingly rare. It was the same in the Autumn though we did manage to stuff Australia and looked as if we had got over the 'hump' as it were but then we ran into the storm of SA. The scoreline flattered us though our players left nothing on the pitch which is to their credit.

What is happening of course is that time is taking it's toll on the best of our players and we don't see….or have yet to recognise…..those that will fill their shirts. Great players have lost some / a lot of their edge. It's not just in Green either as Leinster are looking the same. They are good enough to win most games but against the top teams…like France, S.A., N.Z. we have lost the cutting edge.

It is unrealistic to expect guys like Lowe, Henshaw, Ringrose et al to continue forever. Games are won by forwards and ours have lost that beastiality that made them ferocious. They are still 'good' but less often 'great.' Furlong isn't just as effective as he was, Van der Flier is still good but not the tornado he was. Ryan isn't as effective. Beirne looks off the boil. Baird has as many quiet games as eye catching ones. Even the force of nature that is Dan Sheehan is a bit off the boil. Neither of our 10s is terrible but they have room for improvement. Conan and Doris both look in great form which is heartening.

It is the nature of things to go in cycles of rise and decline. Let us hope that the incoming generation brings with them what our current guys have given. Some will regain form, new strategies will be developed, surprise star players will appear out of 'nowhere' but the clock ticks on and can't be denied forever. I wonder how long we will have to appreciate those who have given us such enjoyment over the last decade or so.

AS a predominantly Ulster supporter, I take great pleasure and delight when Leinster, Munster and Connacht do well. I think some of the 'hate' directed at opponents is childish, puerile and a waste of energy. James Lowe 'hates' Ulster for some reason and no doubt other teams. Well he isn't here as an existentialist philosopher but it's not really a good look. I hope he has another season in him at his best. He has been a great player and done us proud.

I'm not sure that is what was meant. I think their case was for Lowe to continue even if he has slowed rather than calling Stockdale slow……

I'm not disagreeing with you nor condoning what happens here but players, refs, coaches and commentators are tagged on X etc at least here a player would have to actively seek it out.