Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

"Farrell needs to build depth".

Farrell makes changes to try and build depth

"No, not that depth."

The "doesn't count" argument baffles me. As though a player can only show what he can do with a prolonged spell in a full-strength team against Tier 1 opposition? And of course, if he gets a chance through another player's injury or suspension, that "doesn't count" either.

You looked bang average against England A? Don't worry, here's the starting jersey against the Springboks, just go out and enjoy yourself! What could go wrong?

The reality is that some players get a chance and seize it, others do not. That upset a few people last time I said it but it remains the case.

Tom Farrell seized his chance; I doubt Andy Farrell is blind to the fact that Tom is 32 years old but presumably he doesn't think Postlethwaite is there yet. The other names that get thrown around for centre (Gavin, Forde, Cooney) are grand players but not remotely hard done by. Maybe I don't watch enough Connacht to judge the first two but nothing I've seen of Cooney tells me this is a guy we need to fast-track into the Ireland set-up.

We have loads of depth in the centre. If people are just bored of looking at the same names on the team-sheet, that is a different issue. Shiny New Thing Syndrome is grand for internet chat but it's no basis for picking a rugby team.

It's the day of Six Nations game, our back-line replacements have a grand total of 12 caps between them when there are a lot more experienced players available. What more do we want?

Osborne has no divine right to the 12 jersey. If he's the best man for it he'll get the jersey. No doubt he will get a chance, most likely somewhere in those six Nations Championship matches, but McCloskey has waited long enough for his chance, taking the jersey off him so casually would be the sort of s**** call that thankfully Farrell isn't overly prone to.

as long as McCloskey is playing at the level he's at right now then he should be left in there and nobody else should be getting an opportunity against tier 1 opposition.

And therein lies the problem ladies and gents.

Stu is 34. He might be able to continue his form through to the World Cup. But given his age, there’s a good chance his form drops. Or he gets injured. What then? What’s our solution? 37 year old Bundee Aki?

That’s where we are right now. Praying for dear life that a 34 year old continues to be excellent and available, otherwise it’s an out of form 37 year old who can’t even start for his province.

I mean, he keeps getting selected for squads and we’re not looking at anyone else. What’s there to suggest that he won’t be in the squad?

I was just about to say that I think that the reason McCloskey is playing so we'll at his age is because he doesn't have a huge amount of hard millage on the clock. He doesn't have a huge amount of international caps (less than he deserves imo) and playing for Ulster for the last decade means he hasn't had a lot of big knock out games at the end of the season.

For a big centre who really uses his physicality, he probably hasn't taken/given the number of big hits you might expect. He is probably therefore in relatively good nic. Despite that, age will catch up with him at some stage and that could we'll be within the next 18 months. Giving someone else (there are several candidates) half a dozen caps at 12 between now and the WC would be a sensible thing to do imo.

desperate response from tom shanklin and yes, the article itself is also desperate in its own way. i can almost guarantee that the 'author', shanklin or most people on here have actually listened to it

the gist of it was that they didnt want to mollycoddle wales as they thought they deserve better than that, which is fair to be honest. one of the hosts is a comedian ffs, people shouldnt really be getting up in arms about it