Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I don't know how you could know that. I don't know what kind of abuse Prendergast received.

Thanks for answering the question.

I've no idea what to say about that. It doesn't sound illegal and doesn't sound pleasant either. Where does sledging stop and abuse begin? I could see how it might affect someone personally. Makes me appreciate my anonymity

OK. Thanks for the info.

Definitely nothing illegal. Just some people being arseholes really.

Instagram and obviously Twitter are beyond horrific on this topic. So much so that the Prendergast abuse was the final straw in me, a man from Connacht in his 30s, stopping using both. Not because it was hurting me or anything but when you click into an Ireland squad announcement and half the comments are something along the lines of "Prendergast should be playing AIL" or "Scotland will be licking their lips looking at that clown Prendergast" or you look at the score from a Munster game where they ahve won and Crowley has been perfectly adequate and its flooded with "Are you watching Andy f****** joke how Crowley gets treated". I don't think enought is made of the fact that both Farrell and Sexton and Cian Prendergast have felt the need to address it in public- that is not in any way normal.

For a fan like me you just realise these people are idiots and stop reading but for a 22/23 year old, from a generation who spends a lot more time on these mediums than previous, it must be hard to just stop looking. and if you look at anything rugby related on those mediums you won't avoid it for long.

I would be totally in agreement that sports people, unless they ahve a very specific personality and fele they use it as fuel, should not be lookign at social media for their own good, and also that some criticism is par for the course, and even that it might sometimes corss a line and that's part of the job. But what has been said about Prendergast is unlike anythign I've seen before in rugby and I have no doubt it has affected him

I'm not in the camp of fully writing him off or anything like that, but I completely disagree around wanting him on the bench for the final, and I say that as someone who is no particular fan of Frawley as a 10.

On a day where if our backs can defend very well in space - against the most elusive back line in world rugby - we likely win the game, for me it would be suicidal to risk having to put a player on the field who is the literal worst open field tackler I have ever seen in pro rugby.

I'm not trying to be sensationalist in those comments, I just think his confidence as a defender is utterly gone, and a European Cup Final potentially opposite Mathieu Jalibert (the best 10 in world rugby in 2026), or potentially being asked to make a last ditch tackle in wide channels against Louis Bielle-Bierrey or Salesi Rayasi is not where you're going to find it.

Frawley maybe offers less upside in attack (though debatable on each of their respective form over the last month or so), but he brings far more defensive solidity.

Don't take the risk - Frawley absolutely has to be in the #22 shirt.

No, I genuinely don't want him on the field right now with his defensive issues. Him and Frawley on the bench is a waste; there are far better options who bring more cover and more impact IMO from the bench. I'd rather have Frawley in the #22 shirt and any of Jimmy O'Brien, James Lowe or Jamie Osborne in the 23 shirt.

I don't think it's at all unfair to ask Frawley to come on at 10 - he played the last 20 mins against the Lions in Round 17 and played well there.

Who ever said it was illegal?

Who or what are you arguing against when you say its not illegal?

It can be legal and damaging & wrong at the same time.

They weren't making an argument. They were responding to me. I said it's not illegal, not pleasant either.

It came after I asked what kind of abuse he was getting. I didn't know if it death threats or something similar which is illegal.

Yeah, he’s not a perfect rugby player, neither is Lowe. But he’s fast, powerful and has 15 tries in 18 starts this season. When you have a winger in that kind of form, you harness it.

There’s a lot of nostalgia going on when it comes to the discourse around Lowe. His form has been in decline since the World Cup. One decent game v Italy doesn’t change that. He’s never been on a CC, which means Leinster are paying him a hefty wage and are probably willing to let him go unless he takes a pay cut.