Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

The Crowley injury, coupled with the 10 situation at Leinster, does not bode well for Ireland coming into the Summer fixtures.

With Crowley putting some daylight behind him and the others during the 6 Nations, I really hope he is fit for the upcoming games so he can build on those performances.

If he's not, Farrell has a big decision on his hands. Does he go back to Sam? Or give Frawley a go, who he hasn't seemed to favour since the NZ cameo? Or Harry Byrne who he's never seemed to favour?

It might come down to form, and how they fare over the next few weeks. Personally, I'm hoping Sam starts this weekend, tho you could probably make a case for any of them to start.

Coming into next season, Carbery comes into the picture. The usual big questions marks over his ability to remain fit, and coming back from his current injury, but I think come the AI's, if he's back and fit, he could be an option for the 22 jersey.

Or Harry Byrne who he's never seemed to favour?

This isn’t really true actually. IIRC, he had him in as a development player in his first ever Ireland squad in 2020. He then capped him twice in 2021 vs USA and Argentina when was very much behind his brother at Leinster. He then brought him to NZ in 2022, again ahead of Ross, who was ahead of him at Leinster. So there was a time when Farrell rated him very highly.

I think what Farrell will do this summer is start Frawley at 10 v Aus and NZ. I don’t think he’ll threaten Crowley as our starting 10, but he’ll likely be our no.22 at the World Cup, and getting him minutes at 10 against decent opposition could be very important. Then against Japan, he might see it as a nice game to rebuild Prendergast’s confidence. Maybe Harry goes as 3rd choice, but you could also take a punt in a Jack Murphy or Sean Naughton.

When you frame it like that, no, obviously not.

But come on, from 2020-2022, he consistently went against the Leinster coaches and regularly included him in squads and picked him ahead of guys who were playing far more regularly like Burns, R.Byrne and Carty. And I remember at the time how it annoyed a lot of people how Farrell kept picking him ahead of guys deemed more deserving. He took him on the NZ tour with the intention of starting the 2 Māori games, only for him to get injured and Frawley start both. He quite clearly rated him very highly at that stage and kept trying to get him involved despite him being very injury prone. Recently not so much, after Crowley and Prendergast have come through.

I think Farrell saw Harry Byrne the way so many of us did at the time - he saw the potential and skillset, but ultimately his performances haven't delivered, and there is nothing to suggest he has faith in him over the past while.

He came into the 6Ns after a good run of form, and didn't feature then in the tournament - it's very difficult to think his performances since then (especially against Toulon and Bordeaux) will have changed that outlook, though he may well still tour if Crowley is out.

Harry Byrne was 22 years old, 3rd choice (at best) at his province, yet was consistently getting selected for Ireland squads ahead of older, more experienced players, despite playing very little rugby and being injured regularly.

If that doesn’t say that Farrell, at least for a period, rated him, I honestly don’t know what does. Doesn’t mean he thought he was the next Sexton. But he obviously saw something he liked. I’ll leave it there

I’m not pushing for Harry Byrne to get picked

I'd be fine with playing Postlethwaite ahead of Osborne at 12. Aki is on the decline. He's good for a few carries for connacht and he still makes ground, but he'll probably be too old for international rugby in a year from now. Henshaw is similarly good for a few carries.

But just carrying and making meters a few times in game isn't enough. The real value comes from players doing unexpected things on top of their core job. Winning the breaking ball, running good support lines, winning tackle/contact that they shouldn't win. Those players are very experienced at their core roles but they don't add the unexpected value any more.

I'd be fine with investing in the likes of Postlethwaite

The Connacht lads are promising and Postlethwaite is in the mix with Irleand A at least. He's 24 and a unit, not sure what his ultimate standard is, also Tector at Leinster has played 13 afaik, he is very skilled. West is exciting at Connacht, he's impressed a lot of people over th last couple months. Anyway, about time some of these lads are given a run.

We actually look ok at centre if some of the lads above are thrown in and given a few chances. McCloskey is clear first choice and Ringrose is still probably first choice 13 but I would definitely be looking to at least have Postlethwaite, Hume, Tector in a training squad to have a look. Gavin is a unit but is poor defensively, very young so this is not a huge issue imo at this stage of his development. A pity he picked up that injury last weekend. I haven't seen a huge amount of West so can't comment. Dan Kelly looks a good player also. Hugh Cooney is a good young physical player. Has been injured a bit this season and wouldn't be ready quite yet but at 22 has lots of potential.

Frawley and Osbourne will be around also who can play centre so I would hope both Henshaw and Aki are left at home for the summer to recuperate after the season.