If Osborne is fit I’d say he’ll almost certainly be 15. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Crowley or Prendergast at 22 and Frawley 23.
Worth noting Crowley came off the bench twice in the last 6N at 15. Worth noting we don’t see what’s happening at training, Crowley is doing what the coaches want better than Frawley than there is every chance they’ll back him.
Could the back row be
6. Beirne
7 Doris
8 Conan
????
VDF is one of the few players who has actually been in pretty good form. And he’s one player who might help us punch over the gain line. I wouldn’t be starting Conan over him. If there’s one player who might be at risk of being left out for Conan, it’s Tadhg Beirne.
Tadhg Beirne is not being left out of bet the ranch on that one he’s arguably our best forward given autumn internationals
Would not write that off at all, but it certainly would tick the box of “fascinating”.
If you go with that selection you lose the impact of a N8 off the bench that Farrell tends to like. I suspect it’ll be Doris & Beirne for sure at 6/8 and then either VDF or someone left field at 7.
True, but it would be great to have that impact in the 2nd half off the bench. If I’m a betting man I would still expect VDF to start at 7 though.
If VdF doesn’t start, I’m not sure he makes the bench unless it’s a 6/2 split tho.
As it's an Thursday game, is the team announced tomorrow?
Tuesday i think
I’d say Joe McCarthy and Dan Sheehan would be ahead of him.
Tuesday at 8am Irish time
This is what I'm thinking could happen. Aki is out, usually a favourite for the 23 jersey. Keenan is out. If Farrell doesn't go 6/2 I could see both Bryne and Crowley benching. Just leaves wing uncovered in case of injury. If he picks a wing in the 23 jersey then Crowley will be 22 to cover centre / fullback.
He may also pick Edogbo, Conan and Cian Prendergast on the bench in which case Byrne will lose out.
Lineout would be an issue if we have Edogbo and McCarthy as the locks. Neither are the most mobile in the air. Ryan is a banker as LH lock for this game. Similarly I feel Beirne is a banker at 6.
Maybe Doris at 7 and Conan at 8? Cian Prendergast, VdF and Edogbo on the bench in a 6/2 split? It wouldn't be a bad choice. That's 3 impact players to draw from after 50/60 mins.
Frawley, Bryn Ward and Bohan released to the XV sauad
I think Osborne>Stockdale>Frawley>Crowley is the most likely progression - but I would say that Crowley is faster than Frawley, which is something the latter really gets exposed for at times. Also a lot of Crowley's better moments the last year in the Ireland jersey have actually come from the fullback position. It would be a massive risk, but so would picking Frawley tbh.
I think Frawley’s slowness gets massively exaggerated at times. I don’t see Osborne as being much faster to be honest.
It is possible his slowness is exaggerated by his poor positioning.
Anyway, Frawley, Ward and Bohan going to the Ireland XV team so definitely not happening.
And no SH replacement?
If it’s a 6/2 split it’ll be 22. Casey and 23 depends weather Crowley ends up starting at 15 or not.
If so than possibly Osborne will slot in, if not then it’ll be Crowley or Byrne.
Was Bryn Ward in the main squad?
Development player iirc
No, but he was training with them in Portugal. Oddly so was Murray who is staying in Portugal it seems.
He was there as a development player, although so was Darragh Murray, so I wonder why he wouldn't have been released? He was very impressive in that game against Spain in November.
Edit - Podge already pointed this out, still an interesting development, unless he is injured.
Murray is the best SR in the URC for stealing opposition ball in the lineout, probably there to distrupt the Irish lineout in training.
No, this was always the plan, train with Ireland then drop back down to Ireland XV.
I wonder if Frawley is dropping down to start at ten for Ireland XV.
Osborne hasn't played at all this season. I don't think Frawley has the pace for FB, but he's done well there this season for Leinster.
Thats the other Murray for the lineouts.
it’s interesting that Frawley was sent down but Postlethwaite was kept in the senior squad.
My reading of this is that a) Osborne is fit and will play at FB and b) they like what they see in Postlethwaite
Something completely out of left field would be ryan and edogbo in the 2nd row then with Beirne, McCarthy and Doris in the backrow.
McCarthy was a backrower in his U20 days
