Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

awec · 09-03-2026 01:41PM

Three away games in a row next year for Ireland…

typhoony · 09-03-2026 02:29PM

Scotland's 2 first choice locks ruled out of our game, kyle steyn a major doubt. The pendulum is swinging

clsmooth · 09-03-2026 03:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124297782#Comment_124297782

Consider staying in Bristol. It’s a short (maybe 40min train ride) away and a very cool little city in its own right. Lots of microbreweries etc if that’s your thing.

phog · 09-03-2026 04:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124298485#Comment_124298485

I've stayed in Bristol and Bath for previous matches in Cardiff. If I go I'll go for a few days so might do two cities at least

CatInABox · 09-03-2026 04:06PM

Jeremy Loughman ruled out, Billy Bohan called up. Brian Gleeson will train with the squad.

Ward, Postlethwaite, Izuchuwu all released back to Ulster.

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/2031022409004785804

bingobango12 · 09-03-2026 04:39PM

A pity for Loughman and probably that last time he makes a squad if all props are fit. Fair play to him this 6 nations, was pretty good when called upon.

AbusesToilets · 09-03-2026 04:57PM

Disappointing that Izuchukwu isn't getting more game time. Given Scotland might be without their starting locks, it would be a perfect opportunity to have him in.

Yeah_Right · 09-03-2026 05:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124295596#Comment_124295596

No because he didn't reach the tryline. A player can dive in the act of scoring a try but Sheehan was well short so it's a penalty for jumping over a tackler.

BoardsMember · 09-03-2026 05:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124298772#Comment_124298772

Who would you have him in ahead of? I'm not sure he makes our best available 23.

FtD v2 · 09-03-2026 05:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124298786#Comment_124298786

He doesn't - it's plain and simple. Even still, I'd have Edogbo higher than him, and it's clear the coaches rate Cian Prendergast more highly right now.

We'll have one of a few different configurations this weekend:

-we'll either go with Beirne & Ryan at 4 & 5 again, with McCarthy on the bench, and another back rower (likely Timoney or VDF)

or

-we'll go with Ryan & McCarthy at 4 & 5, with Beirne at 6, in which case he'll probably go for Conan and one of Timoney or VDF on the bench.

Izuchukwu was okay against Italy, but hasn't done enough to show he deserves to feature this coming weekend.

awec · 09-03-2026 05:12PM

With the unexpected Scotland result last weekend we will simply throw all notions of development out the window this weekend and go fully loaded. Which is absolutely the right thing to do.

It makes sense to have those lads go back and play for Ulster rather than hold tackle bags for Ireland this week.

bilston · 09-03-2026 05:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124298803#Comment_124298803

I thought he was better than just OK, he played well in the lineout and in the loose. I don't think he makes the 1st choice 23 currently but I wouldn't downplay his efforts against Italy.

FtD v2 · 09-03-2026 05:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124298837#Comment_124298837

Yeah, I thought he was pretty good all in, I just didn't think he quite did enough to force his way into the first 23.

FWIW - I rate him more highly than Cian Prendergast, but I'd have more confidence in Prendergast delivering a performance on the weekend than I would Izuchukwu.

Izuchukwu has just barely played this season due to injuries - 6 games total for just 363 mins. He certainly hasn't done himself any harm this championship, but don't think he shot the lights out against Italy either.

lawrencesummers · 09-03-2026 05:30PM

I think doak did very well in the time he got and should keep his place.

ionadnapóca · 09-03-2026 05:59PM

Irish Predicted Changes:
11. Tommy O’Brien
4. Joe McCarthy
6. Tadgh Beirne
Replacements:
16.Dan Sheehan, 19.Jack Conan, 20. Cian Prendergast (or Nick Timoney)

Scottish Predicted Changes:
11. Kyle Rowe (If Kyle Steyn not fit)
4. Jonny Gray
5. Grant Gilchrist
Replacements:
19.Max Williamson

Ireland 27 - 21 Scotland and the Triple crown

ersatz · 09-03-2026 06:00PM

Don't think Stockade should start over TOB and I don't see how anyone thinks he performed well enough at the weekend to have him selected. TOB and Balacoune played exceptionally well together in twickenham and TOB dominated in the air relative to Stockdale's performance on Saturday. There is probably not much in it but the manner in which TOB covered ground and showed up on the other wing was something that was very obviously missing on Saturday. Maybe it was a lack of game management or directed tactics but Ireland played a narrow game against Wales which allowed their defence to determine how the game went, we actually need some width and speed outside to deal with that, something TOB and Balacoune had done really successfully against England.

ionadnapóca · 09-03-2026 06:17PM

Its a pity Dougie Van der Merwe isnt playing.

Baloucoune just looks electric at the moment. Feed 'The ~~Yak~~Cat' and he will score.

letsbefair · 09-03-2026 07:01PM

Think we will batter their pack given missing both starting second rows. We will go big and bench will finish them off.

AbusesToilets · 09-03-2026 07:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124298786#Comment_124298786

Personally, I'd give him a start at 6. I think he's good enough, and in the absence of Baird, our best option there. I thinking starting Conan and having Doris on the bench wouldn't be the worst call either.

standardg60 · 09-03-2026 07:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124298874#Comment_124298874

Wasn't released back to Ulster so fingers crossed he stays in.

BoardsMember · 09-03-2026 07:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124299106#Comment_124299106

That sounds very much like starting Izu ahead of Doris? Cant be right, surely?

AbusesToilets · 09-03-2026 07:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124299173#Comment_124299173

No, moreso starting Conan ahead of Doris.

lawrencesummers · 09-03-2026 09:50PM

Darcy Grahem is a player you really have to target in the kicking exchanges, if your kick chase if good he won’t win a ball all day.

mcCloskey needs to spend most of the day running at Russell, Tuipolotu is a player that can be wound up and rattled.

Scotland are going to try and do a number on the scrum, if we can negate some of that it will go a long way to winning.

losing Steyn would be a massive loss to them.

An interesting game awaits

Paddy_Mag · 09-03-2026 10:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124299502#Comment_124299502

They have lost a few players after saturday. Both starting 2nd rows are out and Steyn is touch and go with his knee issue.

Watching the highlights on ATH and the speed of ball they had to ridiculous. Think that's where we can go after them to slow them down and force them into kicking a lot more.

Paddy_Mag · 09-03-2026 10:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124295591#Comment_124295591

It is an unlikely scenario but who would have thought scotland would put 50 on france. Sport can be strange at times.

At that stage of the Italy game, kicking to the corner to go for the TBP was important as every point does matter. It should never have been kicked dead from the position it was taken from. There is no guarantees we score but we lost the oppportunity.

phog · 09-03-2026 10:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124299651#Comment_124299651

Oh definitely we lost the opportunity to score, just as much as we lost the opportunity to score in the very same game when Dan jumped the tackle. Both players will be annoyed with themselves but I doubt they're haunted by it.

El_Duderino 09 · 10-03-2026 09:47AM

After all the selection discussions about who should and shouldn't have been picked or dropped, it's worth looking at what has actually happened.

By hook or by crook, Ireland has given decent gametime to more players than usual. If the starting team hit the ground running in France, there would mainly have been injury enforced changes from then on. But the need to look at other players has built depth and sifted some of the 'maybe good enough' players into being in serious contention for more game time or shuffled them back in the pack.

We need to think about the world cup but it's still 18 months away. This is still in the ideal window to refresh the team and they've done a good chunk of refreshing

phog · 10-03-2026 09:58AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124300207#Comment_124300207

I think that's fair and I also think, we've wasted some opportunities during previous Summer and Autumn games to do this on a broader basis but at least now the management team seem intent of moving outside their comfort zone in regards to selections, which can only be good for squad development.

Felexicon · 10-03-2026 10:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124299684#Comment_124299684

No thread drags the arse out of conversations about meaningless crap quite like this one

Felexicon · 10-03-2026 10:32AM

It's Scotland with a chance to build some momentum off the back of a big performance…………………….they will bottle it.

Ireland by 15+

Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

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