Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Of course it is. He averaged 50 minutes in his 3 starts. Timoney was better than him in some of the games he came on in. On the evidence of this 6 Nations "still performs at a much higher level than any other 7 in Ireland" isn't accurate.

So "not within an arses roar"? Na….

Generally central contracts and Ireland starters will correlate strongly. I think Henshaw is the weakest link it that argument though. He hasn't been very good for a while now, but keeps getting guaranteed place in Ireland squads. There are options this year.

If henshaw get in ahead of the options, then it would be hard to argue central contracts don't lead to selection.

He's Been written off but has he had a run of great form in the last couple of years? He's had a few good games here and there.

Henshaw Going to the world cup without gaving a proper tryout to the younger contenders, would add to the argument that central contracts can lead to gametime rather than the other way around.

Not entirely. If they are in the squad and keep the players behind them out of the squad and out of centention for a decent tryout, that doesn't suit your argument.

Can anyone serious argue that Postlethwaite isn't as good as henshaw these days? Inexperienced, sure. But but worth a proper tryout. (It's the internet so you can get people to argue almost anything. But nobody would seriously believe, Postlethwaite isn't worth a proper try)

Not entirely. If they are in the squad and keep the players behind them out of the squad and out of centention for a decent tryout, that doesn't suit your argument.

Postlethwaite was in the 6N squad this year. He got a decent tryout. Henshaw didn’t play at all, but when game minutes became available (and they always do) they went to Tom Farrell.

Whatever was holding Postlethwaite back, it wasn’t Henshaw’s contract

Way to disprove your argument mentioning Joe Mac and CCs.

The assertion was that a CC guarantees selection. McCarthy displacing Ryan is evidence that it does not. Murray/JGP and Stockdale/everyone confirm this.

If you want to flip this to a Leinster bias/Andy's favourites argument, you'll get plenty of people to indulge you but I'm not one of them.

I had forgotten about Henderson. So Joe McCarthy overtook not one but two centrally-contracted players.

FFS lads.