Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

almostover · 11-02-2026 04:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226308#Comment_124226308

I posted on this a few days ago, Doak is the most reliable kicker of those in the current squad. The difference isn't huge but 8% better means making 1 more kick out of every 12 attempts. Maybe adds up to 2-3 over the course of a 6N.

Below is combined URC / European Cup data for this season.

Doak: 79%, 30/38 kicks.

Byrne: 75%, 33/44 kicks.

Crowley: 72%, 36/50 kicks.

Prendergast: 71%, 24/34 kicks.

For context here are the tackle completion percentages for the no.10s.

Jack Crowley: 91%, 93/102

Harry Byrne: 74%, 32/43

Sam Prendergast: 64%, 37/58

And for balance, the number of try assists:

Sam Prendergast: 17 in 478 mins played

Jack Crowley: 12 in 661 mins played

Harry Byrne: 3 in 392 mins played

Based on statistics alone, there is zero reason to select Harry Byrne anyway.

eagle eye · 11-02-2026 04:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226849#Comment_124226849

Byrne is above both in kicks and ahead of Prendergast in tackles.

My contention is he's better on offense than Crowley and better on defense than Prendergast. Your numbers prove that.

Knowall1 · 11-02-2026 04:32PM

Maybe, just maybe, the coaching team is not very good. Sexton and o Connell were brilliant players but they have no coaching experience. Farrell's message may be getting stale. Throwing the players under the bus last week was not a good look. If Leinster go to the Prem leaders next week they start 10 point favourites. These players are better than they have looked in the last few internationals. Look at Man. Utd in the last few weeks. Same players but they look entirely different with a new coach.

aloooof · 11-02-2026 04:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226849#Comment_124226849

Crowley's tackle completion % paired with his volume of tackles is kinda nuts for a 10.

Scythica · 11-02-2026 04:54PM

Seeing Bryn Ward doing media this week is interesting. Wonder if theres a chance of a debut, not sure ive seen someone to media who isn't involved in a long while

irelandrover · 11-02-2026 05:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226864#Comment_124226864

The numbers don't prove that. The try assists do not in any way prov he is better offensively.

They show he is the worst offensively but has a slightly better kicking percentage.

almostover · 11-02-2026 05:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226864#Comment_124226864

Yes but his try assists per mins played are very low. Approx 1 every 130mins i.e. less than 1 per game. How does that translate to better offence?

Byrne is worse in defence than Crowley.

Worse in attack than both.

Marginally better than both at place kicking.

If you want a good defender you pick Crowley.

An attacker to unlock defences it's Prendergast. With Crowley in 2nd place.

And if you want to kick goals Byrne will score approx. 1 more kick for every 25 taken than the other 2. Hardly a reason to pick him.

All statistically speaking of course.

almostover · 11-02-2026 05:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226907#Comment_124226907

Maybe he is the solution long term at 12? He's certainly is defensively capable of doing so. Playing both Sam and Crowley may be the solution.

Volume of tackles is symptomatic of how shite we've been in Munster this season unfortunately.

FtD v2 · 11-02-2026 05:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226943#Comment_124226943

The try assists are a relatively simplistic stat in fairness - a player could throw the pass that leads to a linebreak, and a team mate then draws and passes on the final man and the guy who creates the original linebreak gets no assist stat from that.

Opta's analyst hub has a stat on try involvements per 80 mins -

on that stat Harry Byrne is on 0.9, the same mark as Jack Crowley. Sam Prendergast is on 1.1.

irelandrover · 11-02-2026 05:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226972#Comment_124226972

I was only responding to eagle eye that the stats prove Harry Byrne is the best offensively. The only offensive stay in that list is try assists. On which Harry Byrne was last.

realhorrorshow · 11-02-2026 05:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226770#Comment_124226770

Prendergast had a more positive impact on the game in my opinion. He was very good at the lineout, particularly the defensive maul, was decent in contact, and seemed to be unlucky to be penalised for what looked to be a good jackal (would need to see that again though).

I don't think Josh is done or anything but he was very poor at the weekend.

MangleBadger · 11-02-2026 05:30PM

The opta stats for 6 nations also have a stat now for line breaks created which I think is a metric that Sam will do well in. It is a key part of his game. He had 2 on the weekend. The most across the competition was 3.

Time will tell how this metric plays out over the course of the tournament.

sydthebeat · 11-02-2026 05:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124227025#Comment_124227025

and youll STILL have people trying to argue that he doesnt "take it to the line" (hugh cahill and others, im looking at you)

ionadnapóca · 11-02-2026 05:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226934#Comment_124226934

Bench. I would hope. Only every played 9 senior games but he's ready (physically).

Thought it was weak by Farrell/IRFU to put him up for media.

Rest of them are ducking for cover after Paris.

Unfair on Bryn Ward.

I have a horrible feeling Ireland will stick with this unsuitable kicking game and stick with the same unsuitable wingers and full back.

Paul Smeenus · 11-02-2026 05:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124227109#Comment_124227109

Think this is on the money re: Ward being out in front of cameras.

sydthebeat · 11-02-2026 06:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124227109#Comment_124227109

what a completely miserable, one eyed, biased way to look at the situation.

No one from the irish team "ducked for cover" after the paris game. Andy Farrell and Caelan Doris were both up in front of the media and took on those tough questions. Even had to deal with french whinging about being hit hard. If you didnt see it here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFVhVs8ulEQ

as far as Bryn ward taking some media duty, isnt it a great news story??

The only player to shine from the A game, an ulster academy player with 6 pro starts to his name, now training with the senior squad, playing with his older brother etc

i dont know about others but id much prefer to hear about how hes finding the step up, what his goals are etc…. but i guess some people only like wallowing in misery.

again, if you missed it, heres the interview. maybe watch it and have a little smile to yourself. Doesnt look like Bryn took it as any kind of 'unfairness' to him.

https://youtu.be/gfXWXBm-HgE

Ardillaun · 11-02-2026 06:09PM

Does anybody think we would have the best team in the 6N with a different selection from the players we have?

ionadnapóca · 11-02-2026 06:11PM

All I can say to that post is good luck to you. Enjoy your interview.

I've already seen it. I've read it and to tell you straight - Its not what Irish rugby supporters deserve after Paris.

sprucemoose · 11-02-2026 06:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124225953#Comment_124225953

dunno if its the same one, but there's a youtube account that i'm not even going to bother naming that about half of their videos are just mistakes from O'Gara. Always thought it was bizarre and just a bit vindictive for no reason. Think the youtuber might be welsh rather than irish though

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124225879#Comment_124225879

agree that its more to do with it just being more of a thing now than previously. and to be honest i remember o gara getting alot of abuse in 2009 after he 'lost' the lions series (he didnt at all), i could only imagine how bad it would be if it had been today

sydthebeat · 11-02-2026 06:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124227169#Comment_124227169

yeah this sense of entitlement is exactly the problem with some irish "fans" that i have been harping on about for a while now. You are entitled to nothing. Theres a social contract between a team and its fans. As a team the players are accountable after a bad loss, and the coach and captain took that accountability after the France game.

now if you are the kind of person who finds glee in wallowing in misery then you may not have accepted that accountability and you look for further flagalations of the team while they are trying to prepare for the next game out. Professional teams dont do that. As Bryn says in his interview, there was a monday morning review than bam, all the focus is on italy because theres nothing you can do about the past. If 'fans' want to live in it, off with them, but that misery and mistrust should be and will be called out.

phog · 11-02-2026 06:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124227161#Comment_124227161

That's an odd way of looking at it. One or two might make an improvement without making us the best team. We were probably the best when England and France were poor but both are coming gunning for us this year.

lawrencesummers · 11-02-2026 06:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226259#Comment_124226259

There are more differences between the 10’s to consider. JGP does far more of the decision making and directing play than Casey does and the partnership between 9&10 that carries over from their respective clubs stands to them while wearing green.

bringing in a new SH just for place kicking might improve some kicking stats but also negatively effect other aspects of familiarity between the respective partnerships

I think if AF had his way against France the 9&10 changes would have been made at the same time but injury changed that.

ionadnapóca · 11-02-2026 06:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124227227#Comment_124227227

Stop with the name calling. This is the second time. If you cant take another persons view stop responding.

The senior coaches and senior players should be out in front of the media this week.

Primarily for 1 reason.

What the Head coach said after the game.

Its nothing to do with 'entitlement' whatsoever.

Hard questions should be asked.

Why did Farrell say what he said? What are you doing to address it? Are you going to make changes?

etc etc etc

You are 'entitled' to your opinion. Just like everyone else. But dont accuse me of 'finds glee in wallowing in misery'. You cant take the hard questions, then get a grip and go listen to your nice "fan" interviews.

sydthebeat · 11-02-2026 07:09PM

No name calling from me, I'm calling out your posts as miserable, biased and one eyed, which is exactly what they are

What's your issue with what farrell said? Why are you verging on conspiracy theory with your refusal to actually vocalize your problem?

All I see is yet another mealy attempt to attack farrell / irfu with a claim of weak, and accusing players of being cowards.

That will always be called out, without any need to name call.

aloooof · 11-02-2026 07:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124227359#Comment_124227359

No name calling from me, I'm calling out your posts as miserable

I like you, syd. You're generally very reasonable, even when we've had out disagreements. But to be fair to ionad here, I think you're wrong here. This is what you said…

now if you are the kind of person who finds glee in wallowing in misery…

And I think this is symptomatic of what we're seeing across the rugby forum right now. We seem to be on a downward trend. It's our poorest run of results in a long time. So there's going to be criticism and people with dissenting and different views.

But, imo, too much of it is getting personal. e.g. Irish "fans", desperately wanting Prendergast to fail, suggestions that people wanted Lowe to have a poor Autumn etc.

Even if you think some of the criticism is over the top, it's too much of an over-correction the other way and getting pretty personal, imo.

Rayray98 · 11-02-2026 07:35PM

If the players don’t like what Farrell had to say on Thursday they are have two options

1 - go out there on Saturday and set the record straight

2 - down their tools, take offence, and do nothing.

If it’s the later then they can f**k off back to their province and don’t come back quite frankly.

Farrell might have been harsh in what he said but it was 100% true and valid, that first half was one of the most gutless displays I’ve seen from an Irish side for at least 6 years and probably even longer than that.

sydthebeat · 11-02-2026 07:37PM

Saying "if you are the kind of person" is absolutely not the same as saying "poster y is a bollock"

The second is name calling, the first is a generalization.

However saying farrell / irfu is weak and accusing players of "ducking for cover" is not a generalization and very must specific accusations. The poster needs to own that, and be able for the riposte.

Your second point is also a generalization, and one that I haven't engaged with. Yes the general feeling of the forum is one of misery, but again, some can choose to wallow in it and reinforce it (by saying that coaches and players should still be called out on the result 6 days after the game and 3 days before the next one) or others can look forward to the next game. Personally I've already said that I think it will be a tough game and any win will be a good result.

sydthebeat · 11-02-2026 07:41PM

https://www.the42.ie/izuchukwu-ireland-italy-6953975-Feb2026/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky

Well this would be very interesting

phog · 11-02-2026 07:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124227303#Comment_124227303

💯

Fair play to you for calling this out. A number of posters seem to want group think here and another seems to want a post cap on post that relate to mentioning errors in players games.

ersatz · 11-02-2026 07:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124227232#Comment_124227232

There is also the enduring debate around dropping players who are out of form and whether that actually improves performance. I come down on the give the other guy a shot side o that debate. Lowe is not playing great, give Stockade a shot. Stockade maybe didn't do enough to prove the wisdom of it in hindsight but Lowe knows he needs to up his game to get back in. And more broadly, there is always a hangover in form after the Lions, and that was predictably going to impact Ireland more than anyone this year, we had 8+ starters in those tests. I don't understand how Farrell expected guys off that tour to hit the ground running, and not use their inevitable form issues to rotate. I guess injuries were the biggest influence on selection for France though. Still, I'd like to see Timmony get a start.

Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

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