Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

No easy fixes. How many missed tackles, probably 20+, not sure we won any ball in the air. Our fielders seemed a yard off every time, France were getting higher and just seems far more comfortable and prepared for that aspect of the game. Fairly sclerotic on the leadership stakes, JGP kicking ball away after 3 phases is one reason we had no ball all night. Losing in the physical stakes perhaps meant it was necessary but he seemed to do it eve when we had some momentum. Ringrose's line break at the end summed up his deficiencies in recent years, he passed inside when JPG was screaming up the wing on his outside with a realistic shot at scoring or at least getting deep into their territory. Garry seems incapable of making a decent pass off his left. France turned that one over easily.

Hard to say whether any of the forwards had good games but Beirne, McCarthy, and VDF were anonymous on the ball. VDF's knock-on from Prendergast was poor. SP was fine, made plenty of tackles and missed a couple like everyone. His stature is an issue as he wraps upright and gets carried easily. He needs to tackle lower and take his man down, but he made some lovely passes and his delay on the line is incomparable. Some poor decisions too, mind, and it wasn't a game to suit his talents but he can't be blamed for the first half fiasco.

Ref didn't help, obvious knnockon for the second French try was a scandal. Doris looked cowed though, captaincy doesn't suit him.

And the type's of those missed tackle are not at all similar.

I'd also wager Prendergast conceded way more ground post-contact on his tackles made.

That's all part of the context that you're overlooking.

Surely speculation on Sean playing 10 can be kept to the Connacht tread? Not really something anyone can entertain at this stage.

It's absolutely allowed, but you'd still be harded pushed to say Prendergast's tackling was a positive. That's the point.

I can post the Crowley screenshot again if you still think his missed tackles were comparable to Prendergast's.

Of course they should, but you 'earn your shot' (the words used here) when you prove you're at least on a par with the incumbent. One 30-minute cameo against a half-arsed French side doesn't prove that.

It's not about dropping VdF, I agree he's been one of our go-to guys with the last 5 years. It's about rewarding the guy who put in a good performance last night and has also been going well with his club. Generating a bit of competition for the 7 jersey going forward. Getting a reaction from VdF. We did this with POM post the Wales elbow in the face fiasco and his associated poor form and he responded by having a couple of great seasons after that.

As for stats, I don't recall Cian Prendergast knocking on 2 balls in the first half last night. One of which cost us a try scoring opportunity with the scoreline at 0-0 and the other directly leading to the 3rd French try.

If we don't start Timoney in a home 6N game against Italy why bother having him in the squad at all? Would we rather wait for an injury to VdF in the lead-up to a game against the likes of France, SA, NZ etc. before we start him? Or is it not better to give him the start at home against a somewhat weaker side to see if he can handle it first?

Based on this, it’s hard to complain about the quality of Sam P’s tackling, probably on par with everyone else

The amount of yards gained post tackle by the French was shocking from an Irish perspective. Time and time again Irish tacklers forced backwards.

I agree. There was a total system failure/over powering last night. No one player was responsible (similarly for that NZ match)

this match was as aimless and lacking in urgency and accuracy as the Chicago match in Nov. And we know NZ were’t great. This French team look the business, but as ever when Dupont and Jalibert teams thrive, it’s often unstructured and where defences give them a yard. DuPont had a lot if time on the ball yesterday, far too much honestly. It’ll be interesting to see how they go against a defence that gives him less space. I think he was caught in possession behind a ruck only once yesterday.

I’ve been worried about our lack of gameplan, strategy, whatever you want to call it, since the WC. It’s become glaringly obvious now that we play the most basic form of rugby imaginable, and one that can only succeed if our pack can dominate open play, which ours seemingly can’t.

he clearly isn’t past it, this is pure and utter drivel. If he was past it he wouldn’t have been leading the number 1 attack in the URC. He has been beating defenders for fun for Ulster this season and creating a lot for Ward/kok, Baloucoune.

Ireland need Mark sexton to sort out the attack. Last nights tactics ball in hand was a complete and utter **** show. Blaming the wingers for not collecting box kicks is a complete and utter kop out. It’s a stupid tactic overused and leads to nothing more than a lottery most of the time.

if I was Andrew Goodman I’d be worried about my future roll with the IRFU post six nations.

It's obvious that some of our better players ,Sheehan, Doris, JVDF, Beirne are not performing to their own high standards. But is it a case of coach fatigue. Schmitt was our greatest ever coach until he suddenly ( very suddenly ) wasn't. Farrell may be heading down the same road. Conor Murray in the IT says that Farrell gets the players up at half time by asking them to remember why they do this...to think of their families. An emotional message for sure but when you have heard it 20 times before maybe it's just not enough.

I'll keep it very straightforward.

Another poster brought tackle success into this. Posted about one. Ignored the other.

Are we going to go on this merry-go-round of you saying the same thing over and over while ignoring the fact that I was not the one who mentioned tackle success rate in the first place.

If you want to talk about nuances or whatever shite, bring it up with the OP who was the one who posted selective data to make the case for one out half over the other.

I've dealt with your questions on this. Clearly you're not getting the answer you want and no repetition of what you're saying is going to get you the answer you want.