Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

After Jonny Sextons comments last week about having four 10’s in the squad then surely Harry Byrne would be entitled to feel disappointed if he doesn’t at least get a bench spot for Wales.

I think people are placing far too much stock in a throwaway comment from a guy who doesn't even pick the team. I'd be very surprised if that comment was anything other than a way of cushioning the blow of Prendergast being cut from the 23.

I dont think the style of coaching or systems at the provinces makes a lot of difference. A lot of blame for the poor form of the Leinster players in the National team seems to have gone the way of Nienaber so conversely after the England game maybe we should congratulate Nienaber for his contribution.

Have we any coach in ireland at all that can sort out our scrum, we are supposed to have a lions front row and big joe pushing them but we are getting minced in most games, our pack is as heavy as any so that's not issue, to me it seems like there's no will on the coaching side to fix it, against all blacks in world cup quarter final it cost us as porter was pinged at least 4 times, can we not sit down these props and hookers in a classroom setting and show them clips etc and then the IRFU sack fogarty and employ one of the world's best scrum coaches and maybe every few weeks during the season they get together with him for a day or two for coaching sessions

we the lions front row and irish front row of furlong, porter and sheehan/kelleher not all at one province, could fogarty not step in their intermitently and work with them…if I'm honest I dont know what fogarty does in the irish set up..

As We have really the same weight or thereabouts as most international packs our coach has to be called into question…Feek had Ireland very competitive at scrum….

In recent years Ireland have started the 6N very well compared to other teams before things level out towards the final round or 2.

It was often pointed out that this was in large part because the sizable contingent from Leinster were used to playing together and the club vs country playing style weren't a million miles removed from each other.

So it's perfectly logical to "blame" (he's responsible for winning games with Leinster only) JN for our lack lustre start this year as the 2 systems are no longer interchangeable.

The return to form against England is probably due to time spent running reps of the AF system

I dunno, what teams in this highly competitive championship are going to be playing 4 different no.10s in rotation across the 5 games? That's not a realistic expectation. Jack and Sam will share the minutes and rightly so. Better to have the 2 front runners dividing the playing responsibilities between them rather than diluting it across 4 players.

That’s what I would do. Keep the ball away from Ireland’s backs, make it a scrummaging contest and hope for a card.

Ah look, we do not have an outstanding ten at the moment but we do have 2-4 very capable guys who can do a satisfactory job depending on form and the game we are playing. Crowley on Saturday did grand, a few mistakes that didn’t cost us dearly and a lot of stuff that kept us moving in right right areas and decent decisions. Competition for that spot will give us the best out of that group, maybe one of them will pull ahead but for the moment none clearly the incumbent.