Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

bingobango12 · 21-01-2026 04:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167812#Comment_124167812

Murray and B Ward traveling to Portugal with main squad then linking up with Ireland XV, guess they are counting them as development players.

Paddy_Mag · 21-01-2026 04:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167806#Comment_124167806

Are you mixing up Clarkson and Paddy McCarthy?

Clarkson played at the weekend

Clegg · 21-01-2026 04:10PM

Zac Ward and JJ Kenny are in the Ireland A squad to play England A.

bingobango12 · 21-01-2026 04:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167820#Comment_124167820

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167825#Comment_124167825

I certainly am. Got my props mixed up. Apologies.

johnh6767 · 21-01-2026 04:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167812#Comment_124167812

I assume it is due to the Ireland XV which will require a series of pre game group training camps which in truth adds more to next in line

Clegg · 21-01-2026 04:13PM

One of Izuchukwu or Ahern being unavailable for Irish selection is very typical.

TRC10 · 21-01-2026 04:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167813#Comment_124167813

Hardly surprising though. Until Farrell leaves this is what we’re stuck with

Clegg · 21-01-2026 04:18PM

Ireland A Squad

Forwards (16):

Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen/Munster)

Billy Bohan (Corinthians/Connacht)

Paul Boyle (Buccaneers/Connacht)(1)

Sam Crean (Ulster)

Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(4)(captain)

Brian Gleeson (Garryowen/Munster)

Sam Illo (Buccaneers/Connacht)

Charlie Irvine (Queen’s University/Ulster)

Oli Jager (Munster)(1)

Sean Jansen (Connacht)

Diarmuid Mangan (UCD/Leinster)

Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(7)

Darragh Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht)(2)

Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley/Leinster)

Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch/Ulster)

Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)

Backs (11):

Shane Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster)(2)

Matthew Devine (Corinthians/Connacht)

Cathal Forde (Corinthians/Connacht)

Fintan Gunne (Terenure College/Leinster)

James Hume (Banbridge/Ulster)(3)

Dan Kelly (Munster)

Joshua Kenny (Wicklow/Leinster)

Ben Murphy (Clontarf/Connacht)(2)

Jack Murphy (Queen’s University/Ulster)

Jude Postlethwaite (City of Armagh/Ulster)

Zac Ward (Ballynahinch/Ulster).

sydthebeat · 21-01-2026 04:25PM

37 players named.

campared to 42 for france, 38 wales and 33 for italy

i cant understand the lack of consitency across the board for these squads.

KaneToad · 21-01-2026 04:26PM

As expected really.

I think Doak may leapfrog Casey before the tournament ends.

Am, slightly, surprised that Tom Farrell is there.

I hope Ahern gets an opportunity to kick on. I feel like he is so close to being a next level player.

Paddy_Mag · 21-01-2026 04:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167846#Comment_124167846

Realistically who is in the A squad who absolutely should be in the senior squad?

Ward and JJK have put together a run of performances in the last 6 weeks, and if Ward in particular had been included then i dont think anyone would complain, but beyond that I don't see who has missed out where it would be contentious. There is a long injury list also.

One of Hume or Postlewaite for Aki maybe. Beyond that?

antfin · 21-01-2026 04:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167846#Comment_124167846

I would probably prefer younger lads to get some game time with Ireland XV rather than sitting in an extended squad and getting no game time.

awec · 21-01-2026 04:33PM

I really hope Zac Ward gets a call up to the senior panel after this A game is over. I'd be disappointed for him otherwise, not sure what else he can do for inclusion at this stage.

ionadnapóca · 21-01-2026 04:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167818#Comment_124167818

Bundee should be gone. However, no Henshaw and I presume big question marks over Osborne and Keenan

Larbre34 · 21-01-2026 04:37PM

Joshua Kenny should be in the senior squad, end of.

If Porter and Henshaw are omitted from the senior squad due to injury, so too should Frawley, Keenan, Lowe, Osborne and anyone else not going to be available for their provinces this weekend.

Paddy_Mag · 21-01-2026 04:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167934#Comment_124167934

TOB and Furlong went off with Hamstring and Calf issues at weekend so has to be doubts over them too. Especially Furlong given his history

typhoony · 21-01-2026 04:40PM

Niall Smyth needs exposure at a higher level so surprised he's not in the A Squad, same with Usanov.

ionadnapóca · 21-01-2026 04:41PM

Surely Frawley, Osborne , Lowe and Keenan are all in v Conn

TRC10 · 21-01-2026 04:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167902#Comment_124167902

I’d have Wilson there over Bealham. I’d have a Gleeson or Ward there over Conan. Postlethwaite there over Aki. And Kenny and Ward over Stockdale and Lowe.

FtD v2 · 21-01-2026 04:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167951#Comment_124167951

Nah, he's not ready yet (Smyth). Hasn't played a minute for Leinster yet, has spent a good chunk of the last 18 months injured. No need to rush him just yet.

Paddy_Mag · 21-01-2026 04:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167954#Comment_124167954

Stockdale has very much earned a call up, he has been excellent this season

Gleeson or Ward over Conan, but Conan is pretty much nailed on for the 23 v France. So are they better served actually playing in the A game, likewise Wilson?

Is it Bryn Ward going to Portugal or Zac?

lawrencesummers · 21-01-2026 04:57PM

what will be interested to watch over the next while are training pictures to see who is actually on the field.

That squad has a lot of recently and not so recently injured players in it.

theVersatile · 21-01-2026 04:58PM

Bit weird how Murphy is the only 10 in the XV squad. Surely Naughton or Gabriel or someone might be worth a look as well?

TRC10 · 21-01-2026 04:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124168014#Comment_124168014

Bit weird how Murphy is the only 10 in the XV squad.

Forde will cover presumably

eagle eye · 21-01-2026 05:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167954#Comment_124167954

Cathal Forde is better than Postlethwaite.

Conan is a class act, you can't drop him until he starts to show a bit of regression. Gleeson and Ward aren't near his standard.

Bealham is at a similar level to Furlong. Until either shows they are falling backwards you can't drop them either.

theVersatile · 21-01-2026 05:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124168022#Comment_124168022

Ah yeah good call actually

TRC10 · 21-01-2026 05:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167973#Comment_124167973

Stockdale has very much earned a call up, he has been excellent this season

Stockdale’s form has been at 15. If you look at the makeup of the squad, he’s clearly there as a winger. Ward and Kenny have been the form wingers in Ireland this season and should be ahead of him in the pecking order. Judging by the number of centres we’ve named, it looks like we’ll be subjected to Osborne at 15 again.

Gleeson or Ward over Conan, but Conan is pretty much nailed on for the 23 v France.

Yeah and I’d argue he shouldn’t be.

lawrencesummers · 21-01-2026 05:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124168027#Comment_124168027

The entire team shows regression last year. Does that count?

TRC10 · 21-01-2026 05:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124168027#Comment_124168027

”Can’t drop him” “Can’t drop him”

Yeah you can actually.

FtD v2 · 21-01-2026 05:10PM

I think it's a relatively uncontroversial squad (when paired with the A squad).

By comparison to the squad for November and the A squad from then:

In November squad, not in this squad:

Ryan Baird (injured) - replaced by Edwin Edogbo
Henderson (dropped) - replaced by Joe McCarthy
Gus McCarthy (dropped to A squad) - replaced by Tom Stewart
Paddy Carthy (injured) - replaced by Michael Milne
Andrew Porter (injured) - replaced by Jeremy Loughman
Caolin Blade (dropped) - replaced by Nathan Doak
Mack Hansen (injured) - replaced by Robert Baloucoune
Robbie Henshaw (injured) - replaced by Harry Byrne
and then Tom O'Toole and Hugo Keenan have been added to the wider squad

On the A squad:

Lee Barron (dropped) - replaced by Diarmuid Barron
James Culhane (dropped) - replaced by Max Deegan
John McKee (dropped) - replaced by Gus McCarthy (dropped from main squad)
Michael Milne (promoted) - replaced by Billy Bohan
Evan O'Connell (dropped) - replaced by Charlie Irvine
Ruadhan Quinn (dropped) - replaced by Brian Gleeson
Alex Soroka (dropped / injured?) - replaced by Bryn Ward
Tom Stewart (promoted) - replaced by Stephen Smyth
Alex Usanov (dropped) - replaced by Sam Crean
Robert Baloucoune (promoted) - replaced by Shane Daly
Shayne Bolton (injured) - replaced by JJ Kenny
Nathan Doak (promoted) - replaced by Matt Devine
Mike Lowry (injured / dropped) - replaced by James Hume

That's plenty of change whatever way you want to dress it up, and we're generally seeing guys get promoted from the A side as you'd hope to see.

Players like Tom Stewart have rightly been moved ahead of Gus McCarthy, Nathan Doak has outperformed Caolin Blade and taken his place, Joe McCarthy has come back in for Iain Henderson.

Most of the guys who were dropped from the A side are guys who haven't been playing enough for one reason or another to justify continued inclusion.

I fully expect some guys from the A squad to be capped during the course of this tournament.

Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

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