Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Scrum was really only an issue in the first two games, was pretty even after. Also worth noting that I think Italy Scotland was the only wet game?

Every other game was decided through fast attacking play and good handling. Weather played a large part in it being such a memorable 6N.

Nice team but JVDF sneaks in for me. Possibly with O Brien to 6 and ferris dropping out. Hard argue with anything else

Murray also, like Cian Healy, returned to have a significant international career after an awful injury and subsequent loss of form, which wins you a lot of points in my book.

Jesus I didn't see Luke Fitz getting a pick; I don't think his mother would attempt to put him in this team.

He had all the talent to be in this company, but (largely due to injuries), I don't think he came close to delivering on it. His peak season in 2009, as a 21-year-old - really showed how good he could have been. He won a European Cup, a Grand Slam and was a test starting winger for the Lions that year, but I still can't overlook the next 7 years or so when assessing him.

I'd have Tommy Bowe as pretty locked in for this team. He's very underrated IMO for how good he was and what he delivered.

JGP v Murray is definitely a discussion but let's not disrespect either by saying it's "by miles". Murray imo was neck and neck with Smith for best 9 in the world and JGP is second only to Dupont who is once in a generation player, not to mind scrum half. Both incredible players we are lucky to ahve and lets not let recencey bias creep in. I'd have Murray by 1%.

I think outside of O Driscoll (beside he was Godly, not a dig at ringrose) the gap between Tommy Bowe and the next best in the 14 shirt may be the biggest on the entire team, he walks in surely. PProbably Furlong to Hayes/ Ross as well

Surely Simon Geoghgan is in with a shout for the wing.

I think I mentioned from the outset I was doing it on pro era, and he earned his last cap in 1996.

I've seen the highlights of him and his exceptional pace etc, but didn't see enough of him to really have a view.

Yeah, back row is really tough to pick.

12 is a tough one too - think you could make an argument for any one of Bundee, Robbie Henshaw or Gordon d'Arcy. All three had peaks where they were excellent. If McCloskey had another couple of seasons like the Championship he just had, he'd be right in there too.

I found second row tough enough - I settled very quickly on POC and Beirne, but then debated for a while for the bench option. James Ryan is worth it for me - he was invaluable in 2 Grand Slam campaigns (played every minute in 2023 and should have been nominated for player of the tournament IMO), Players' Player of the Year in 2019, etc. He hasn't been as consistent as POC or Beirne but I still think he deserves to be in here.

After him? Donncha O'Callaghan and Devin Toner had great careers, but struggle to see them ousting Ryan. Iain Henderson, despite going on two Lions' tours never really had a firm grip on the shirt for me. I'd have Donnacha Ryan ahead of Henderson, and would probably also have Malcolm O'Kelly - also a two time Lion a better shout (92 Ireland caps), but I'd still have both behind James Ryan.