When would Aki go TO CAS
Postlethwaite is the other centre in squad and has played plenty of 13, and would have familiarity with McCloskey
Another thing I will say is if we see another scrummaging performance as embarrassingly bad as the weekend, combined with the shambles versus SA, the Fogarty needs to find a new job next Monday.
I genuinely don’t know how’s it’s possible to have 4 lions in you’re tight 5 and scrum as badly as what we saw against Italy.
if I was Fogarty is would be ashamed looking at that.
Also for the weekend, I know the Irish players love going to a nice little jog around the field and walk into contact just before they get smashed into next week, but on Saturday just for once could they actually do their job and run onto the ball and bring some energy just for a nice change!
Ringrose I believe played the final 10 mins of the game with an injury. So there is a distinct possibility that Farrell or Postlethwaithe may have to start v England.
So where do Ireland go from here. Firstly, Italy were excellent and realistically unlucky not to leave with a victory, we should be calling that out more. Ireland though were very poor and have been for some time, I'm not going to get into the 10 debate, I am more concerned with our poor scrum, how little our "frontline" players seem to be able to play, whens the last time Dan Sheehan made it past 50 minutes, and Furlong got destroyed in the scrum when he came on. The coaching seems to be lacklustre, thats my problem, all these players havnt fallen off a cliff in the same few months in terms of performance, but I do think its all got very comfortable. One of my big bug bears is these warm weather training camps, jolly for the boys, warm weather camp to play games in Ireland, England and France in February and March, hardly needed, theres no bite, no fight …Little competition for places, Balacoune is what 26 or 28 and thats his first 6 nations game and said in an interview afterwards that it almost seemed impossible to get into the squad, TOT being played out of position, why when Milne, unless he was injured, did well v France. Whats our game plan anymore, we kicked the leather off the ball last week, not as much this week, we seem to have no identity. Compare that to France, run from everywhere, offload, no matter the opposition.
He got his leg hyperextended under a fallen player running back into the line. He went down hurt and got back up and into the line then got strapped up.
impossible to tell how bad it is, could be fine could be knee injury. He may well be fine today and he might be getting a scan.
He has 4 Ireland A caps, could be a massive opportunity for him, but that’s a very dangerous back line if they play well.
In fairness I am in the camp you would be talking about, and I am aware I am doing it. I just have huge reservations about Crowley personally. He is a very good rugby player, but managing a game and silly mistakes like kicking dead seem to happen with him more than the other 10s.
Look although I have reservations I think it is now clear to most that Prendergast isn't ready, and I say that as a Leinster fan, and a Prendergast fan because he can do magic things. But he can't be picked for Ireland again until the defense improves, it's too much of a liability. I have no idea what happened from the tee on Saturday but it seems like he completely got in his head the whole game.
I still stand by Crowley being on the bench and Byrne starting this weekend. I know it won't happen and it will be Crowley at 10 but I have a feeling we will be back here in a weeks time saying Crowley was poor at x and x so what do we do now.
On the other side of the coin, there has to be acknowledgement that there is a section of support that back Crowley, no matter what. Multiple people online jumping at criticism of that kick dead basically saying "yeah but Prendergast was dreadful so it's ok he did that". Both sides of the 10 debate need to understand that both of them have issues in their games and neither is the messiah, instead of constantly arguing that 1 is dreadful and the other is Sexton reincarnated. As I said above, I am sure Crowley will start next weekend and I hope he blows the lights out because we aren't going to win unless our Out-half has a 8/9 out of 10 performance.
I can excuse players that went on the Lions tour for looking and playing tired, but what's the story with the players that didn't go? Some (just some) of them looked as if they're in the same boat as the Lions.
And then you've got players on other teams, like Russell, who look as if they're fresh as a daisy.
Worrying.
The Lions tour excuse is rubbish at this stage. It was 6 months ago already.
He is also the only option at 13
James Hume, Jamie Osborne, Jude Postletwaithe, Hugh Gavin, Dan Kelly and Tom Farrell all play badminton apparently
Well said Andy Farrell.
'Are we Irish, do we want people to do well or not?'
"No, it’s the keyboard warriors. It’s damaging, you know? And the more we report on the keyboard warriors, we’re giving them, everyone grows a leg, and then it’s ‘let’s do a bit more of it, like’."
Great sport is badminton
him.
The decline hasn't been as sudden as some make out. That game against the worst Wales team in history last year when they were leading at half time was an indication that we were running out of steam. We did win 4 games but that one and then the collapse against France set alarms ringing in my head. It is just that all teams suffer ebbs and flows. The fall from grace for us seems worse because we have fallen from a great height. The decline in forward play has been enormous. Blaming the 10s for our ills is crass and blinkered. SP didn't play well but lots of other didn't and they seem to have escaped the opprobrium heaped on Prendergast. The team seems to have lost the blistering passing skills and thunderous forward attacks in combination that allowed us to blitz opponents.
You don’t just lose attacking skills.
Either it’s a coaching issue or the players aren’t performing…in any case something needs to change weather it’s those players or it’s the coaches.
This is one way of looking at it. But there's also the argument that Ireland needs to build depth before the world cup in 18 months.
I think there are enough people who want to play the strongest 15 every week, and enough people who want to experiment with new players and build depth, that no matter what they do, there will be a chorus of opposition.
I wouldn't mind if Farrell was explicit about the plan. If he'd said this is a funny 6N with lots of injuries so we're trying new players and building depth so the results might vary. Then we'd know what he's doing and he might get some grace from people who just want to see the strongest 15 and don't want to try new players.
I think if you look at his selections, he is experimenting and building depth and I think it's a good decision. But results will vary as a consequence
I'd agree with you, but there's a pretty strong correlation between teams that dominate the Lions, and teams in the 6 nations that struggle the year after the Lions.
It's not necessarily causation, but it's still there.
I do think we've got more than a Lions hangover though
Just so out of tune. Be surprised if it isnt Sam starting after that.
And to prove the point Farrell made….....
Exactly. If I hadnt said that Prendergast wouldn't be missing conversions and tackles and visibly devoid of confidence. Thats just the amount of mystical power I wield.
Indeed, Farrell was talking about the abuse that both players were receiving, not just Sam.
This is also after Irish rugby had to turn off comments under the post congratulating Edogbo on his first cap, due to some vile racist posts. Most people wouldn't think the same obviously, but many of those racists are also under every part about Sam and Jack too.
Word salad.
Dont doubt my powers.
I wouldnt keep Ryan and McCarthy together in row. think McCarthys consistent ability to give away stupid penalties has to be punished. Dont see how Edogbo would be found out against England. And ruin him? Unlikely.
Ringrose isnt in good form. He isnt streets ahead of any other 13 option in his current form
Would love to see Osbourne at 13 but unfortunately leaves us short at 15.
Hard to believe we only have 2 specialist 15s in the country (Keenan & Haley)
Keenan is a huge loss. When is he back?
if farrell cant work this out what does it say about him as a coach ??????
The learning is that whoever plays with JGP is always going to look better, so maybe he has figured it out and wanted to see how the pairings went when reversed from the France game.
On the racism towards Edogbo; I really doubt it's rugby fans posting this stuff. The IRFU are doing some kind of investigation and I really wonder what it could possibly show. Anonymous people on the Internet hurled racist abuse.
I'd imagine a good portion of it is bots and another good portion is not rugby fans, just racists or people trolling for the craic. I've heard nothing but enthusiasm for Edogbo in real life. His race doesn't come into the discussion in real life.
I can see the IRFU has to be seen to act, but I also think the bots and racists are getting what they want from people suspecting everyone else is a racist. I'd be fine if they just said they picked him because he's Irish and earned his place through working hard and playing well. Then move on.
