Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

One from the Leinster thread but I thought more pertinent here.

[Crowley] is bang average and the only other 6 nations side he'd start for is Wales.

I've seen this mentioned a few times tbh, and I don't think it really stacks up, or is quite the put-down it looks on the surface.

He'd defintely start for Wales. Personally, I'd have him ahead of Garbisi who is a player I rate very highly. He had a better 6 Nations this year than any of the English 10's. Finn Russell was the Lions starting 10 so that's hardly damning, and Jalibert has been one of the best players in Europe this season.

Personally, I think if the Lions was taking place this Summer, he'd be in pole position for the 22 shirt.

Yeah, I broadly agree with all of this, especially this part:

Also, the things he was previously criticised for - not putting shape on the attack, being that linking 10 - are things we certainly saw from him this 6 Nations.

At times I see him play for Munster and would be critical of him for occasionally trying to do too much, but he pared back some of those instincts in the 6 Nations and he and the whole backline flourished as a result IMO.

Incidentally - I think Harry Byrne in recent weeks and Sam Prendergast against Ulster have done the same and looked better doing that in recent weeks - simplifying what they're trying to do, not trying to do too much or force things, and the team has looked better for it.

There are lots of intangibles I love about Jack Crowley as a player. He didn't have a good day against Exeter in Europe, especially in the first half, but the fight he showed and the individual flair and strength for the two tries he scored as part of the fightback speaks volumes to his character.

I hadn't really considered the prospect of what a squad would look like if there was a Lions tour this summer, but think it's probably a fair comment that he'd be a really strong contender for the 22 shirt right now.

An alternative - altogether more positive - way of framing the exact same argument is to say if he improves his consistency, as you would expect from a player who turned 26 in January, then we have a very good 10 on our hands for the foreseeable number of years.

I think Farrell has an interesting selection decision to make coming up, especially in the Japan game

For the NZ and Australia games, I don’t think he does to be honest. Crowley is the clear choice at 10, and it’s not particularly close. The Japan game he’ll probably rotate a bit for. I personally think Harry Byrne has earned a start in that game.

No, well of course you wouldn’t have thought so, but you’re hardly a neutral in that debate?

The whole conversation is facile - the initial comment was essentially: “I don’t think this player is better at passing than my favourite player from my favourite team”.

Nothing to support it, no insight, that was essentially it.

A delightful riposte. Is Harry Byrne THAT renowned for his passing was all I had the temerity to wonder? I'd actually have Sam (without pressure - key point) as a better passer than both Crowley and Byrne.

It's not that long ago on here that ago that many blue Magoo's on here were happy to see him go off on loan.

I keep challenging you on this. Did you see how Byrne went yesterday against quality opposition? He's not the answer for Ireland. For Leinster, maybe, but I'd wager they wish they had better options than what they have. Byrne for Ireland, not a chance. It will be interesting to see how Frawley goes for Connacht next season. He could become a critical player to Ireland for RWC 2027 as a utility 10/12/15.

Crowley is significantly ahead of the the other options at this point in time.

Season statistics to date for combined URC and European games for the 4 main options at 10 for Ireland.

Jack Crowley: 72% goal kick success, 91% tackle completion, 8 try assists, 20 defenders beaten, 833 mins played.

Harry Byrne: 75% goal kick success. 78% tackle success, 6 try assists, 13 defenders beaten, 369 mins played.

Sam Prendergast: 71% goal kick success, 64% tackle success, 5 try assists, 15 defenders beaten, 534 mins played.

Jack Murphy: 80% goal kick success, 71% tackle success, 2 try assists, 7 defenders beaten, 987 mins played.

There's one no.10 who is well out in front. Yes he's not as good as we'd like him to be but he is significantly better than the alternatives.

The major question to be solved is who is the best option as his backup?

Porter was phenomenal for Leinster yesterday. Was dominant in the scrum as well as in the carry. The Six Nations showed Ireland can survive in the absence of Porter, but we struggled in phase play. There isn't another loosehead around that can match his physicality in attack or defence. Hope he has an injury free run up to the World Cup.

He's a wrecking ball in the loose, that's his major asset for the national side. He had a great day in the scrum yesterday, but some referees judge his technique to be illegal. That is his only issue, referee interpretation of his scrumagging technique.

Ok so to summarise, your stats demonstrate absolutely nothing. They certainly don't demonstrate that Jack Crowley is well out in front, there is absolutely no way to interpret them that way, and you've decided to shift the goalposts around now. Glad we have that cleared up.