Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I highly disagree with your assessment of Keenan's physicality and it just goes to show that some have very short memories. He's an excellent athlete as well as a superb footballer. He can run those lines you speak of as well as act as another playmaker, beit as first or second receiver. It's no surprise that Ireland's attack isn't the same when he isn't in the team.

There's this crazy thing with Irish sports fans (not just confined to rugby). A shiny new toy shows he's capable of stepping up to the plate when needed and suddenly the incumbant, despite being a superior player in almost every metric, doesn't come back when he's available.

It used to happen with Sexton all the time. There was a clamouring for another 10 to play, be it Carbery, Jackson or whoever. They'd come in, play well, and the narrative was 'ThE jErSeY iSn'T sExToN's AnYmOrE'. It's the very definition of biting off your nose to spite your face, and it stems from this attitude in Ireland that people can't be getting above their station and have to be kept honest.

You wouldn't have this conversation about one of the best players in the world anywhere else. Could you imagine French fans saying this about Dupont when he was injured?

Physicality isn't a word that springs to mind when I think of Keenan. Elusive, IQ, positioning, timing, running lines would be how I think of him. Tackle evader rather than tackle buster.

And that is in no way saying he shirks the tough stuff. He's a good and brave tackler. He has no issue carrying into contact but that's not a major strength of his game and it's not what he's picked for.

I also wouldn't call him a second playmaker like Lowe or Hansen but he picks great lines off those guys. And can draw a man before throwing a good pass.

Yes, I can. Especially if it's a support line off 12 that you're looking for, or are you shifting the goalposts on that one too?

Keenan has some of the best tackle technique in Ireland. Physicality is largely irrelevant to his game. I don't recall him ever being turned over on the ground and he rarely misses a tackle. Absolutely fantastic to have discovered Osbourne as an able backup. Hansen and Frawley also makes a decent fist at 15 so its one area we've gone from being very weak depth wise to a position where we are well covered to a. very high level.

Anyone who recalls Keenan's line against France in attack and his tackle on DVDM in defence for just two examples would not be placing Osborne anywhere near his level.

Pundits pushing for otoole to play loose head for ulster, where does leave him for TH cover for Ireland if ulster move him across?

yes well said the ‘shiny new toy’ syndrome applies now to 9 also , Casey still well ahead of alternatives although still a big fall off in capability from JGP but no surprise there given he is currently Ireland’s most important player

because he’s one of the top 15’s in the world

He better do what you say tommybojangles. I'm of the belief that he must and I believe that he believes he must. So let's see. First he needs to start playing team rugby at Connacht, and when I say team I mean playing as a team member.

James Hume has been the outstanding Irish 13 this season, no question and only 27

There's no "Yes, probably" about it, Keenan is by some margin the best 15 in Ireland.

My suggestion earlier re him being tried at 13 was based on the potential that he might be our next best 13 after Ringrose, so if we were very short there (i.e. nobody else we had tried had worked out), and we have good cover at 15 (Osborne, Hansen), then it might be no harm to see him play a half game or two at 13.

I'm not suggesting we don't play Keenan at 15 when he's fit & everyone else is fit, or that we play Keenan at 13 if Osborne has shown himself capable to play at 13 and both Keenan and Osborne are fit.

If Osborne turns out to be pants at 13 and is fit and trusted at 15, I'd like to see Keenan get a run at 13 if Ringrose is unavailable.

The alternative is to try Hansen at 13 maybe. The point being, if nobody is emerges as the obvious Ringrose back up then it would be good to try out some other options.

Why would we play Keenan at 13 when he’s never in his professional life played there and there are plenty of good centres at the provinces doing the business regularly?