Ireland Team Talk XI: Team of nervoUS MOD warning Post 1

kingofthekong · 20-10-2019 2:19pm

As disappointing as this world cup has been, On a positive note this is the most talented group of youngsters that I have ever seen in the provinces most of which will be 22-25 by the time the next word cup rolls round.

Its an extremely positive sign and hopefully Farrell and Catt can develop these guys into internationals for 4 years time.

Props:
Milne
Whycherley
Clarkson
Abdeladze
E.O'sullivan
T.o'toole
Aungier

Hooker:
Ronan Kelleher
Dan Sheehan
Dylan Tierney-Martin
Mcburney
Baron

Secondrow:
Jack Dunne
Baird
Charlie Ryan
Ahern
Soroka
Whycherley

Backrow:
Caelan Doris
Scott Penny
Deegan
Jack o'sullivan
Hodnett
Moloney
A. Allison
P. Boyle
Mccann
W. Connors
C. Galllagher
S'obrien

Scrumhalf
Craig Casey
Blade
Patterson
O'sullivan
Kerins
Stafford

outhalf
B. Johnston
H.Byrne
Ben Healy
B. Houston
Lowry
Frawley

Centres
S.arnold
S.french
S.Moore
J.Kelly
C.o'brien
Hume
Hawkshaw
Jimmy O'brien
H.Hyde
Turner

Wingers/Fullback
Keenan
J.Flannery
Lyttle
Kernohan
Wren
A.Sexton
Tommy O'brien

Add some of these guys in with players who we will still have come the next world cup like:

Porter
Furlong
Ringrose
Carbery
Mcgrath
Henshaw
Stockdale
J. Ryan
Dan Leavy
J. Conan
Tadhg Beirne
Bundee Aki
Larmour
Ruddock

etc

I'm gutted about Saturday but this takes some of the sting away as it looks like the team is in good hands gong forward into the next cycle

kingofthekong · 20-10-2019 2:32pm

Following up with the first post if you lok at englands squad now, these are the ages of those players at the begining of the WC cycle just past:

Sam Underhill
Curry 17yrs
Watson
Cowan Dickie 22yrs
E genge 20yrs
Itoje 20yrs
Ludlam 19yrs
Kyle Sinkler 22yrs
s. uNDERHILL 19yrs
B. Vunipola 22yrs
J. cokanasiga 17yrs
George Ford 22yrs
Farrell . 22yrs
Elliot Daley . 23yrs
Henry Slade 22yrs
J Nowels 22yrs
Anthony Watson . 21yrs

England managed to convert their hugely succesfull u20s teams into what could be world cup success in a few weeks,
But guys around this age group in ireland will hopefully be brought into the team and given more opportunity

One of my biggest critiques of Joe Schmidt was because the team were so structured and regimented it took an extremely long time to integrate new players into the ireland squad

Whereas Eddie brough teenagers onthe argentina tour and backed them and it payed off this world cup

mr_edge_to_you · 20-10-2019 2:33pm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Which young player has not been capped in the last 4 years?

Who was outside the 31 squad who was a shock omission? toner and Marmion, hardly spring chickens

We can cap players but it's not developing them. Someonee else referred to the lack of game time given to other young players. Ignoring Carberrys injuries over the last 12 months, we should be rotating players on an ongoing basis as part of the WC cycle. We went into the World Cup with very little cover in certain positions. Ross Byrne and Jack Carty have very limited exposure at international level.

Easiest to explain the issue using Full Back. During the 6N Schmidt acknowledged FB being an issue, so he tried to plug that gap with Henshaw. That was an unmitigated disaster. 12 months ago he should have identified Larmour as the best candidate to cover RK, but they didn't. Come the NZ match, the tone of the discussion about the choice of FB was RK has the experience and has done this before. They chose experience over youth and ambition.

Hooker is another example. We all know Rory Best was going to be pushing it to reach a WC. In fairness to him he did, and did well. 2 years ago we should have been rotating other players in that position. Cronin was always going be the impact sub but instead of giving Scannell experience it was playing Rory Best at all costs.

At this point in time, if the IRFU want to reach a WC semi-final, they need to identify a squad of 45 top quality players now, who will be 33 and under in 2023. They should then put a plan in place with the provinces on how to maximise the development of the 45 players. There should then be a plan at the highest level to ensure that these players all get the right opportunities to play at the highest level. I don't mean that we give less experienced players chances against Italy or whatever tier 2 team we play in Belfast or Limerick in a November series. These guys need to get experience playing against southern hemisphere countries and England/Wales in the 6 Nations.

No player should be untouchable. This week Kearney, Henshaw, Murray, Sexton, Stockdale were all in untouchable territory. As long as they weren't injured they were always going to start ahead of Larmour, Farrell, McGrath, Carberry/Carry and Conway respectively.

Shefwedfan · 20-10-2019 2:38pm

Faugheen wrote: »

He’s clearly taking the piss there but you just know he’s desperate to be exception to the rule.

If he was so desperate he would still be playing in Ireland

It’s not like they only created the rule for him, he was 100% aware of the rule when he signed for Racing

TeddyTedhead · 20-10-2019 2:38pm

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

We never added a fully fledged attacking plan to our solid defensive structure.

It's far more complicated than that, we do score plenty of tries actually there is not MUCH wrong with our attack

But I think you hit the nail on the head though, unwittingly..
An attacking PLAN is something we need to NOT have, i.e throw the shackles off, play instinctive heads up and FAR more spontaneously - just like England and NZ do

England will trouble NZ at the weekend without winning, but they are miles ahead of us at the moment
Wales are a strange outfit who have got into a habit of scraping through win after win after win without scoring hardly any tries

Next weekend will be fascinating even without Ireland in there

blinding · 20-10-2019 2:39pm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

If he was so desperate he would still be playing in Ireland

It’s not like they only created the rule for him, he was 100% aware of the rule when he signed for Racing

Larmour is better than him now anyway .

Shefwedfan · 20-10-2019 2:43pm

blinding wrote: »

Farrell had a disastrous world cup with England and a very bad world cup with Ireland . Is he the answer . Will be under pressure to start well , as he should be .

Does it occur to Ireland that World rugby is going to favour attacking Rugby at their show piece tournament and that having an attacking side to the game may well be helpful at world cups .

The World Cup comes every 4 years, the main competition for irfu and Farrell record is impressive in that with England and Ireland

Until the season is changed the SH team will have an advantage to the NH team in the World Cup.....

Shefwedfan · 20-10-2019 2:45pm

blinding wrote: »

Larmour is better than him now anyway .

Of course he is, so people should move on, so should he to be honest, he made the decision so stick to it.....

Shefwedfan · 20-10-2019 2:50pm

People are going on about position, number 15 and the issues. I don’t know but how many players have been tried at 15 since last WC?

If someone is not good enough, playing them 10 times won’t change that fact. The only one that has stepped up and looked at option at 15 is Kearney, Larmour and Addison

Kearney had a decent WC before the NZ game so he was picked. Yes I would have liked to see Larmour but it’s not like Kearney was playing sh*t.

Addison was flying and again had an injury which ruled him out. So who else was available that people wanted to play?

Carbery is the only other I can think of but because of PJ situation he was back up 10....

Shefwedfan · 20-10-2019 2:59pm

realhorrorshow wrote: »

I would argue that there's plenty we could change, particularly in regards to our attacking structure. Not saying it should happen but just by picking Craig Casey we could completely change the way we attack.

I'd have to wonder about our S & C regime. We had the ability to manage our players' workloads for the last 4 years and yet we didn't seem to be in particularly great shape relative to other teams.

Craig Casey is the future but currently isn’t even in the Munster squad, the irfu should step in....if they don’t want to promote him and give him a chance then move him to another province....

Same can be said for all provinces, young players need to play, we have too small a pool to have young talent wasting away

Happy4all · 20-10-2019 3:25pm

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

Yep. The last two world cups should tell us that fortune favours the brave. And I feel like we have players that can play that type of heads up rugby. Carbery, Larmour, Ringrose, Henderson, Ryan, Furlong, VDF, Aki, Conan (maybe even Lowe coming in) all have that ability. Be class if Stander could add it. He commits so many players and keeping them guessing would be such an added element to his game.

Agree. Zebo is that type of player and even if playing on home soil I think he wouldn't have made Joe's squad

bilston · 20-10-2019 3:43pm

I just hope people give Andy Farrell a chance. I have a feeling that 2020 might prove to be a difficult Six Nations, I also get the sense that some are already quite down on Farrell. England and France away will be tough and Wales at home won't be easy either.

But he needs time and patience. I'd hope it's March 2021 before people start drawing their conclusions on him.

bilston · 20-10-2019 3:45pm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Craig Casey is the future but currently isn’t even in the Munster squad, the irfu should step in....if they don’t want to promote him and give him a chance then move him to another province....

Same can be said for all provinces, young players need to play, we have too small a pool to have young talent wasting away

I was wondering about Casey. He has the best pass of any scrum half in Ireland, possibly the best I've ever seen. Crazy to say that about a 19/20 year old, but it is like a bullet. Yeah he's not big, but nor is Faf Dr Clerk and he is a half decent player!

awec · 20-10-2019 4:25pm

bilston wrote: »

I just hope people give Andy Farrell a chance. I have a feeling that 2020 might prove to be a difficult Six Nations, I also get the sense that some are already quite down on Farrell. England and France away will be tough and Wales at home won't be easy either.

But he needs time and patience. I'd hope it's March 2021 before people start drawing their conclusions on him.

Farrell is the first head coach since Ashton with no career history at a particular province by my reckoning (ignoring his consulting at Munster).

Be interesting to see how that affects the public and media's perception if/when things go south.

Shefwedfan · 20-10-2019 4:28pm

bilston wrote: »

I was wondering about Casey. He has the best pass of any scrum half in Ireland, possibly the best I've ever seen. Crazy to say that about a 19/20 year old, but it is like a bullet. Yeah he's not big, but nor is Faf Dr Clerk and he is a half decent player!

He doesn’t need to be big, just need a big back row around him....as you say Faf DC is probably the best or second best scrum half and small, very small

Is he even getting a game with Munster A’s?

Shefwedfan · 20-10-2019 4:32pm

awec wrote: »

Farrell is the first head coach since Ashton with no career history at a particular province by my reckoning (ignoring his consulting at Munster).

Be interesting to see how that affects the public and media's perception if/when things go south.

Some people have it in for Joe because he was Leinster boss, they seem to have carried that on to Farrell for the simple reason he worked with Joe

Ask them for alternative and you get a blank look....

Farrell should be given a chance and see how he goes, some people are already calling for his head which is hight of stupid in my opinion.....

What do you think will be classified as going South? Does Farrell need to win a 6 nations or what?

Faugheen · 20-10-2019 4:43pm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

If he was so desperate he would still be playing in Ireland

It’s not like they only created the rule for him, he was 100% aware of the rule when he signed for Racing

Hence why I said he was desperate to be the exception to the rule...

ClanofLams · 20-10-2019 4:45pm

Hasty appointment of someone who has never been head coach at any level, has echoes of 2007 decision to give O’Sullvan long term contract. If the shortlist was being made up today, he wouldn’t be close to the top of it.

He has gotten the job so good luck to him but I don’t see it working out.

Faugheen · 20-10-2019 4:46pm

ClanofLams wrote: »

Hasty appointment of someone who has never been head coach at any level, has echoes of 2007 decision to give O’Sullvan long term contract. If the shortlist was being made up today, he wouldn’t be close to the top of it.

He has gotten the job so good luck to him but I don’t see it working out.

Who should be ahead of him?

ClanofLams · 20-10-2019 4:51pm

Faugheen wrote: »

Who should be ahead of him?

If you were appointing now? Cullen and Lancaster (as a duo)from Ireland. Outside Ireland would require some consideration and study obviously, off the top of my head maybe Vern Cotter?

Has any country bar England and Martin Johnson appointed someone in the last twenty years who hasn’t been head coach somewhere?

Professor Moriarty · 20-10-2019 4:53pm

ClanofLams wrote: »

If you were appointing now? Cullen and Lancaster (as a duo)from Ireland. Outside Ireland would require some consideration and study obviously, off the top of my head maybe Vern Cotter?

Has any country bar England and Martin Johnson appointed someone in the last twenty years who hasn’t been head coach somewhere?

Mark McCall.

Annabella1 · 20-10-2019 4:54pm

Pretty facile win for the Boks today
Simple beat em up rugby
Teams have been doing it to Japan for years
We should have strangled them especially after going two tries up

20-10-2019 5:14pm

Annabella1 wrote: »

Pretty facile win for the Boks today
Simple beat em up rugby
Teams have been doing it to Japan for years
We should have strangled them especially after going two tries up

Yes they were (well) able to absorb the Japanes burst in the first 30 mins then turn the screw, having beaten them up, and got their reward.

On the day we just weren't able to play at the same pace as Japan over the course of the game, especially when they had the ball.

typhoony · 20-10-2019 5:35pm

bilston wrote: »

I just hope people give Andy Farrell a chance. I have a feeling that 2020 might prove to be a difficult Six Nations, I also get the sense that some are already quite down on Farrell. England and France away will be tough and Wales at home won't be easy either.

But he needs time and patience. I'd hope it's March 2021 before people start drawing their conclusions on him.

Although sticking with Farrell is very Cleary the IRFU commiting to the Schmidt type of play. On the plus side he doesn't have stick with the senior players

Squidgy Black · 20-10-2019 5:37pm

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Mark McCall.

Signed a 4 year contract extension in 2018 with Saracens, would've been a hell of a lot of money to buy out and he didn't leave on good terms with the IRFU. Likely wouldn't have wanted the job too.

Clegg · 20-10-2019 5:38pm

ClanofLams wrote: »

If you were appointing now? Cullen and Lancaster (as a duo)from Ireland. Outside Ireland would require some consideration and study obviously, off the top of my head maybe Vern Cotter?

Has any country bar England and Martin Johnson appointed someone in the last twenty years who hasn’t been head coach somewhere?

I don't think Lancaster wants a job at test level. He's quoted as saying he much prefers the day to day coaching job and helping players develop their skill sets. With England he said 80% of his job was admin and public relations and he didn't enjoy it.

I know he'd get more access to players under the IRFU's policies. But ai really don't think he'd take the job if it were offered to him.

lord quackinton · 20-10-2019 5:39pm

Kimmage on heaslip today is brutal and reads badly for heaslip

Kimmage is One tough and intelligent mother and he has set his sights on rugby

I pray the game is clean in Ireland.

typhoony · 20-10-2019 5:40pm

I've thinking if you were to pick a World XV from the last 5 years would any Irishman get into team, you'd like to think we'd get one in but none spring to mind, possibly Tadgh Furlong.

bilston · 20-10-2019 5:41pm

ClanofLams wrote: »

Hasty appointment of someone who has never been head coach at any level, has echoes of 2007 decision to give O’Sullvan long term contract. If the shortlist was being made up today, he wouldn’t be close to the top of it.

He has gotten the job so good luck to him but I don’t see it working out.

Just give the man a chance. He might surprise you.

Danthemanhere · 20-10-2019 5:41pm

The continuation of Joeball is the last thing we need. We have to give Farrell his chance but he must show signs of changing things up early.

salmocab · 20-10-2019 5:42pm

lord quackinton wrote: »

Kimmage on heaslip today is brutal and reads badly for heaslip

Kimmage is One tough and intelligent mother and he has set his sights on rugby

I pray the game is clean in Ireland.

Well We know for a fact at least one of Heaslip and Kimmage took performance enhancing drugs. The same one with a massive chip on his shoulder.

Faugheen · 20-10-2019 5:46pm

ClanofLams wrote: »

If you were appointing now? Cullen and Lancaster (as a duo)from Ireland. Outside Ireland would require some consideration and study obviously, off the top of my head maybe Vern Cotter?

Has any country bar England and Martin Johnson appointed someone in the last twenty years who hasn’t been head coach somewhere?

Lancaster doesn’t want a job at test level.

Vern Cotter wasn’t all that fantastic at Scotland.

Next?

AbusesToilets · 20-10-2019 5:49pm

Ruthlessness is needed to reinvigorate the team. I'd drop anyone with a negative age profile. The IRFU should look to get out from some of the contracts they've given out. Sexton should not be featuring going forward, even if he remains the best outhalf for a period of time.

Pick players who can do more than fall at defenders feet. We're a decade past that being an acceptable level of skill. Watching the other teams in the 1/4s, it's embarrassing how deficient our general level of skill is.

Central contracts should be reworked. Should be something closer to an annual bonus for selection to the national team. It would still give an incentive to stay in Ireland. It would reward players doing well, but wouldn't put a coach in a position where someone expensive contract weighs on his selection.

sydthebeat · 20-10-2019 5:51pm

Oh I see we're playing 'pin the tail on the coach' now....

Great.....

Danthemanhere · 20-10-2019 5:54pm

sydthebeat wrote: »

Oh I see we're playing 'pin the tail on the coach' now....

Great.....

It seems to be more like 'defend the failed coach' to me!

salmocab · 20-10-2019 5:57pm

Danthemanhere wrote: »

It seems to be more like 'defend the failed coach' to me!

Really? I’ve seen sod all people defend his recent record but page after page of the same people saying the same things.

Danthemanhere · 20-10-2019 6:01pm

salmocab wrote: »

Really? I’ve seen sod all people defend his recent record but page after page of the same people saying the same things.

I can't help you with your poor reading comprehension, sorry.

jacothelad · 20-10-2019 6:04pm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

When you look at the s**t just played by Wales and they are in semi you have to wonder is ireland never going to get to a semi....we never get run of green

This is exactly the reason that I couldn't care much about the RWC. It's a lottery up to the last rounds. Get a favourable draw and you are set. If Wales had been playing the ABs today they'd have been annihilated yet they get a semi v. SA while France bow out. I much prefer the rugby played in season, even the much maligned Pro 14.

Japan had their team together for 265+ days, SA and Abs just played their championship. I suspect that Ireland et al would be more competitive if the RWC was a few weeks after the 6Ns.

Faugheen · 20-10-2019 6:06pm

Danthemanhere wrote: »

I can't help you with your poor reading comprehension, sorry.

You deserve mediocrity and failure.

ClanofLams · 20-10-2019 6:07pm

Faugheen wrote: »

Lancaster doesn’t want a job at test level.

Vern Cotter wasn’t all that fantastic at Scotland.

Next?

Do you speak for Lancaster you do?

Vern Cotter dome very well with Scotland if you look at the context. If you want other candidates, Scott Robertson, Jamie Joseph, Mark McCall as someone else mentioned. The teams needs an overhaul and change in style, not sure someone involved the last three years is best placed to do
that.

You didn’t answer my question if any other country had appointed a head coach with no experience in that role bar Martin Johnson.

salmocab · 20-10-2019 6:07pm

Danthemanhere wrote: »

I can't help you with your poor reading comprehension, sorry.

And that’s your reply what you presumably consider witty?

FellasFellas · 20-10-2019 6:08pm

The oddest thing I've heard is the anti Welsh brigade from Irish fans. Those clowns on OTB saying before the RWC to Quinlan, 'Who would you rather have win, England or Wales?' and he's humming and hawing and they say, 'Wales would be unbearable if they won it!'.

Wales have shown time and time again, they do not need a thriving club scene to push hard in the international games when it matters. It's all well and good when Leinster can beat Cardiff 60-0 or something, but Wales have shown us how it's done tbh. Gatland is one of the best coaches in the world and there's this anti-Gatland feeling as well because of 2013, but I'd give him the job over Farrell anyday. They've got less players, a smaller population and far worse clubs, yet they out performed us in the RWC when it matters. Credit where credits due.

You'd also have to say that we need to take a leaf from their book in terms of getting players into the system earlier. We can't keep waiting and waiting until we're desperate for players and hoping to unearth a James Ryan or Sexton. Craig Casey, Ronan Kelleher, these kinds of guys need to be brought into the Irish setup early and rewarded for their form. Why should we give Niall Scannell and Sean Cronin the rest of the caps for the next few years, and similarly at 9, the fact that Marmion and McGrath are our 2 & 3 scrum halves is laughable. We cannot compete at the top if this is where we are player wise.

AbusesToilets · 20-10-2019 6:08pm

ClanofLams wrote: »

Do you speak for Lancaster you do?

Vern Cotter dome very well with Scotland if you look at the context. If you want other candidates, Scott Robertson, Jamie Joseph, Mark McCall as someone else mentioned. The teams needs an overhaul and change in style, not sure someone involved the last three years is best placed to do
that.

You didn’t answer my question if any other country had appointed a head coach with no experience in that role bar Martin Johnson.

There's plenty of quality coaches in NZ who'd be worth taking a shot at.

Danthemanhere · 20-10-2019 6:11pm

Faugheen wrote: »

You deserve mediocrity and failure.

Don't think so but Schmidt sure served us mediocrity and failure this year.

thomond2006 · 20-10-2019 6:11pm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

He doesn’t need to be big, just need a big back row around him....as you say Faf DC is probably the best or second best scrum half and small, very small

Is he even getting a game with Munster A’s?

Starting for the As.
If he's good enough he'll play.

Danthemanhere · 20-10-2019 6:12pm

salmocab wrote: »

And that’s your reply what you presumably consider witty?

No, I'm just pointing out your poor comprehension skills. You might need to re-read the past few pages.

Faugheen · 20-10-2019 6:16pm

ClanofLams wrote: »

Do you speak for Lancaster you do?

Vern Cotter dome very well with Scotland if you look at the context. If you want other candidates, Scott Robertson, Jamie Joseph, Mark McCall as someone else mentioned. The teams needs an overhaul and change in style, not sure someone involved the last three years is best placed to do
that.

You didn’t answer my question if any other country had appointed a head coach with no experience in that role bar Martin Johnson.

I know people who are connected to him. He does not want a job at test level because the last one he got put a big strain on him and his family. Sorry I don’t have text messages or anything to hand but you can keep banging the drum and the case will still be that he doesn’t want a job at test level.

Jamie Joseph did well with a team who was on home soil and spent the vast majority of the year together. Mark McCall isn’t available. Scott Robertson wants the All Blacks job and I would be very surprised if he left NZ for that to happen.

Your question is irrelevant. I couldn’t care less about the times teams appointed first time head coaches.

You’re ****ting on Farrell before we’ve even played a game and coming up with pipe dream scenarios for coaches. Give him a chance.

ClanofLams · 20-10-2019 6:23pm

Faugheen wrote: »

I know people who are connected to him. He does not want a job at test level because the last one he got put a big strain on him and his family. Sorry I don’t have text messages or anything to hand but you can keep banging the drum and the case will still be that he doesn’t want a job at test level.

Jamie Joseph did well with a team who was on home soil and spent the vast majority of the year together. Mark McCall isn’t available. Scott Robertson wants the All Blacks job and I would be very surprised if he left NZ for that to happen.

Your question is irrelevant. I couldn’t care less about the times teams appointed first time head coaches.

You’re ****ting on Farrell before we’ve even played a game and coming up with pipe dream scenarios for coaches. Give him a chance.

Pipe dream scenarios?? As opposed to yourself who seems to be suggesting no one else in the world would be interested in the job?

If NZ win the World Cup Scott Robertson will have the choice between joining Ian Fosters backroom team or staying at the crusaders another four plus years.

Making a guy head coach for the first time at international level is highly unusual, just because it is something you ‘couldn’t care less about’ doesn’t mean it’s not a serious risk.

lord quackinton · 20-10-2019 6:26pm

I have posted else where

Farrell needs paying off and I think he will be
Pat lam would be my choice.
The irfu need to spend big on the best coaching ticket they can get
Give thAt coach complete power and told last 4 World Cup 2023 is the only goal
remove ban on foreign based players

Niallof9 · 20-10-2019 6:26pm

ClanofLams wrote: »

Pipe dream scenarios?? As opposed to yourself who seems to be suggesting no one else in the world would be interested in the job?

If NZ win the World Cup Scott Robertson will have the choice between joining Ian Fosters backroom team or staying at the crusaders another four plus years.

Making a guy head coach for the first time at international level is highly unusual, just because it is something you ‘couldn’t care less about’ doesn’t mean it’s not a serious risk.

yeah totally agree. And its not just that he's been given the gig with no head coach history...he's been given four years.

I have heard he's a totally different story to Schmidt so look maybe i'm being too quick.

anybody who keeps up to date with the squad and reads, or knows people and hears all the snippets knows that Joe behind closed doors is a terror and the players are **** scared of him. Farrell seems to be more in the Van Graan mould where the players love him.

They loved Joe because of detail and things like that but he's completely different to what you see in the media. Trimble's keycard story, Mike Ross talks of the four page plan u cannot deviate from, trimble mentioning an unpleasant atmopsphere ,shouting at the pr guys in Australia (as per brendan fanning) pre match warm ups where u can see with your own eyes him screaming, Zebo stopping his Z, and i'm sure theres a few others. It seems like it became just too much. I reckon the players were tired. If you didn't know moves backwards you were goosed and torn apart. we all know the reviews etc. I mean i'm sure Hansen is as ruthless. It's part of why we were so successful his detail focused dictating style.

Farrell does seem like a guy you'd want to die for. A players player, a man's man...warm and engaging but also a beast of a man. 16 year old international etc

maybe we will all have a man crush in 12months...he has to hit the ground running tho...in style and selection imo.

Ireland Team Talk XI: Team of nervoUS MOD warning Post 1

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