Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Pity about the week off! Any word on what the injury was with Lowe? He seemed happy enough on the sideline anyway

Amazing what a bit of competition and pressure for places can do. And pace. We actually looked to play rugby instead of just kicking the leather off the ball.

Delighted for Crowley to guide us to another huge win away from home. It wasn't a perfect performance but hugely encouraging and we looked far better in attack with him. And defence, crucially, even he he'll be annoyed with a couple of his efforts (he did make 16, same as Stu).

Funnily enough, if we're looking to rebuild Sam's confidence I'd either start or bench him against Wales. Stand by my assertion before the tournament that it should have been Crowley away from home and Sam against Wales and Italy. Then choose the better of the two for Scotland. Wouldn't be surprised if they pivoted away from SP towards Frawley or HB though.

Balacoune was immense - down for 4 dominant tackles. Ringrose stood up defensively too, made some crucial cover tackles.

Hopefully see a couple of changes for Wales, Edogbo et al to come back in maybe

A good few posters here this week must be choking on their cornflakes.

Farrell must go.

He picks his old guard

Coaching ticket is rubbish.

Unlucky lads. There's always next year.

It's not a bitter wipe, he needs time out of the squad for his own progress.

It's posters who don't agree that this is the solution that is the problem.

What’s very clear is that the nonsense of ‘baby out with the bath water’ mentality around Farrell / management and some of the older players is now seen for what it is. Crap

Everyone of them stood up and spoke for themselves their team mates / supporters & jersey.

also very apparent that it’s not about the 10, or the 9, even JGP can have a bad day and then come out with a MOTM performance. Or the scrum. It’s about the collective and that’s what’s so fun about sport. England helped us with a poor performance but we rattled them early on. Our new blood and the shakeup in various positions is giving us a whole new level of energy

Great day for irish rugby to salvage a terribly bad start to the 6N and the triple crown is now unexpectedly in play 

He improved over his previous performances. He definitely will not want to go back and look at his missed tackle that led to the England try on 52 minutes.

Absolutely not. He was responsible for a try, missing a straight up tackle and has already showed that against better opposition, he's not great. I don't think he can be compared to the likes of Baloucoune. My previous comment was more a commentary of how Andy Farrell operates, than a commentary on his talent.

If this was a tighter game against better opposition, that missed tackle could have been costly.

Sorry for having an opposite opinion. But the narrative here that one good game in 2 years means everything is fine and everyone else is wrong is exactly the type of binary thinking that marks you as someone not worth arguing with. It's not like you'll ever change, you seem incapable. I don't like being negative after a win, but this kind of dribble demands a response.

Personally starting to think a back line of the following looks very tasty indeed:

JGP, Crowley, Hansen, McCloskey, Osborne, Baloucoune and Keenan.

Would require Hansen switching across, and Osborne getting more gametime at 13, but I really like the look of this.