Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

bilston

If we are building a side for 2023 then 29 is plenty young enough. Farrell definitely doesn't have the luxury to be worrying about post 2023 WC, never mind the 2027 WC. Age wise the only forward that worries me for 2023 is Healy, I think he will be 35 come the WC (will actually turn 36 mid tournament), but then in prop years that is hardly the end of the world, I'd more concerned about his mileage to be honest. Maybe he needs managed (more so than he already is) over the next 30 months.

TomsOnTheRoof

ujjjjjjjjj wrote: »

Think the problem is Beirne has kinda fallen between two stools.........he's not quite the full article for an international 2nd row but has been playing most of rugby there - always felt he was best suited to 6 but perhaps the log jam in the Ireland and Munster backrow at 6.

He may not have had the best start but he's been the best Irish second row this season. I don't agree with playing him at 6 purely because it's a waste of an opportunity to see what Coombes has to offer but he's been excellent in the second row.

typhoony

TomsOnTheRoof wrote: »

He may not have had the best start but he's been the best Irish second row this season. I don't agree with playing him at 6 purely because it's a waste of an opportunity to see what Coombes has to offer but he's been excellent in the second row.

i'd often have the opinion that the young munster players are over-hyped but in the case of Coombes I definitely think he can offer us something extra in the Backrow.

dublin49

I cant wait to see if Coombes can deliver internationally but the "next big thing" is nearly never as good as the build up,Baird seems to move unlike any Lock forward I have ever seen ,cant vouch for the nuts and bolts of his game but theres reason to believe he brings a new type of mobility to the role.Thomas Aherne is another that might be deemed special so plenty to look forward too ,Any others it the next big thing worth mentioning?

bilston

dublin49 wrote: »

I cant wait to see if Coombes can deliver internationally but the "next big thing" is nearly never as good as the build up,Baird seems to move unlike any Lock forward I have ever seen ,cant vouch for the nuts and bolts of his game but theres reason to believe he brings a new type of mobility to the role.Thomas Aherne is another that might be deemed special so plenty to look forward too ,Any others it the next big thing worth mentioning?

Not sure if you specifically mean second rows, but in general there are a few players I'd like to see capped over the next year, hopefully our summer tour happens, or some test rugby is played. I'd like to see Tom O'Toole, Ryan Baird, Gavin Coombes, Craig Casey, Harry Byrne, Michael Lowry and Robert Baloucoune get chances. Obviously two of them should get capped this weekend. They are all young guys who are making a real impact for their province at Pro 14 and crucially at European level.

CowboyTed

Must love hardship wrote: »

With Murray out will John Cooney miss the ospreys game to travel to Italy as emergency back up cover at 9 like the France game?

Connacht are playing down the road.... Blade & Marmion would be available...

So no Cooney will not be asked to travel because McGrath can get to Dublin Airport and if can't make it Jack Conan can just jump in...

stephen_n

UAEguy2020 wrote: »

France + England combined = 4 6N titles
Ireland = 3 6N titles

In the last decade



In which world is that domination?

Ah see you are picking up your bat and leaving as you can’t back up any of your arguments.

I forgot rugby only started in the last 10 years. It’s fairly obvious to anyone who watches rugby that France have been in disarray for the last decade. Not in anyway due to a lack of available talent. Maybe we should just narrow the view further and look at the last 6 years, since you like using selective samples. Three for England, 1 for France. 66% is fairly dominant I would say. The same percentage I mentioned earlier when you expand it over 20 years oddly enough.

UAEguy2020

stephen_n wrote: »

I forgot rugby only started in the last 10 years. It’s fairly obvious to anyone who watches rugby that France have been in disarray for the last decade. Not in anyway due to a lack of available talent. Maybe we should just narrow the view further and look at the last 6 years, since you like using selective samples. Three for England, 1 for France. 66% is fairly dominant I would say. The same percentage I mentioned earlier when you expand it over 20 years oddly enough.

If they were dominant they wouldn’t be in disarray

France have won 0 championships in the last decade

They are 0% dominant, pipe down you just take the fun out of these teams winning and make people want to see them lose. They won a 6N because they were better than their opponent on the day more times than their opponents over 5 matches, that’s all and trying to claim otherwise is just hogwash.

If anything Ireland’s 2018 6N win was the only one that showed real dominance, None of England’s show this and the minute someone put the game up to France in 2020 (Scotland) they cracked and were outclassed, not the sign of a dominant team.

ersatz

No surprise that Farrell is bringing all his finest equipment into battle, there is no room for ambiguity this weekend. I just hope we see something promising in attack. The way the forwards are managing set piece play and the tidy work at the breakdown give us an enviable amount of clean possession and territory but they need to start looking like they know what to do with it. Nowhere to hide against Italy.

UAEguy2020

It’s a Leinster backline vs a Zebre/Benetton backline, if Italy look better and more organized in the backs then the problems are even worse than I could have imagined...

Dubinusa

UAEguy2020 wrote: »

It’s a Leinster backline vs a Zebre/Benetton backline, if Italy look better and more organized in the backs then the problems are even worse than I could have imagined...

Well then we'll know the problem is with the coaching. If we don't beat Italy comfortably, I believe Farrell won't last. I think we'll wallop the snot out of them. If not, we are still mired in the bog of shyte we were stuck in circa 2019.
We have only lost twice by a combined 10 points, though. A runaway tanking of Italy will settle us nicely for a cannibalistic sodomization of bonny Scotland.

aloooof

stephen_n wrote: »

I forgot rugby only started in the last 10 years. It’s fairly obvious to anyone who watches rugby that France have been in disarray for the last decade. Not in anyway due to a lack of available talent. Maybe we should just narrow the view further and look at the last 6 years, since you like using selective samples. Three for England, 1 for France. 66% is fairly dominant I would say. The same percentage I mentioned earlier when you expand it over 20 years oddly enough.

There's little point discussing it with said poster, tbh. He asked why haven't they ever been dominant, and cited the last decade. I pointed out in the previous 11 years England and France won 8 of the titles on offer. This was dismissed as "it's not 2011".

Imo, the reality is that France seem to be going in the right direction, much improved on their massive under-performance of the last decade. That's good for rugby, and good for the 6 Nations, but I'm not so sure it's good for Ireland.

Add in that Ireland and Wales have parted ways with probably both their best ever respective coaches. It remains to be seen, and a couple of years is a short time in rugby, but it's possible we could be heading back towards the England / France dominance we saw in the 00's.

bayern

UAEguy2020 wrote: »

It’s a Leinster backline vs a Zebre/Benetton backline, if Italy look better and more organized in the backs then the problems are even worse than I could have imagined...

the leinster backline is coached better than the irish one.

CMcsporty

ujjjjjjjjj wrote: »

Think the problem is Beirne has kinda fallen between two stools.........he's not quite the full article for an international 2nd row but has been playing most of rugby there - always felt he was best suited to 6 but perhaps the log jam in the Ireland and Munster backrow at 6.

I'm happy with Beirne on the pitch.
He's a freak and i dont mind if he plays second row or back row.

Also happy that Kelleher starts. And Baird and Conan on the bench.
Although Coombes would have been nice for Italy.
Ireland need as many athletes as they can get.

joficeduns1

CMcsporty wrote: »

I'm happy with Beirne on the pitch.
He's a freak and i dont mind if he plays second row or back row.

Agree with this, I was thinking of my ideal pack yesterday and I think I'd prefer to have him and Ryan as locks and open up the back three for choices.

Must love hardship

CMcsporty wrote: »

I'm happy with Beirne on the pitch.
He's a freak and i dont mind if he plays second row or back row.

Also happy that Kelleher starts. And Baird and Conan on the bench.
Although Coombes would have been nice for Italy.
Ireland need as many athletes as they can get.

4 second rows in the 23 and about 5 lads who can play 6. 2 to cover 8. But no real cover at 7.

Strange make up of the second row/ back row in the 23.

thegreycity

Dubinusa wrote: »

A runaway tanking of Italy will settle us nicely for a cannibalistic sodomization of bonny Scotland.

wtf

CMcsporty

Must love hardship wrote: »

4 second rows in the 23 and about 5 lads who can play 6. 2 to cover 8. But no real cover at 7.

Strange make up of the second row/ back row in the 23.

I dont think it makes any difference for Italy really

Beirne can play anywhere in the BR

If it came to a choice of having Connors/vdF or Beirne id play Beirne.

Dependent on the opposition of course

JoeyDoh

Is there any substance about a rumoured bust up between Aki and the management team?

aloooof

Must love hardship wrote: »

4 second rows in the 23 and about 5 lads who can play 6. 2 to cover 8. But no real cover at 7.

Strange make up of the second row/ back row in the 23.

I think normally in most 23's with a 5/3 split, you never have real cover for 1 of the back-row positions anyways, no? For example, against Wales with Connors on the bench, there was no real 8 cover.

CJ has filled in at 7 in the past, so I suspect that's what would happen this weekend if needs be.

bayern

JoeyDoh wrote: »

Is there any substance about a rumoured bust up between Aki and the management team?

what rumour?

JoeyDoh

bayern wrote: »

what rumour?

Some talk on the OTB chat earlier about a bust up involving Catt and Aki. Could be trolling was wondering did anyone know more.

CMcsporty

I heard it was between Farrell and Aki.
Fight over who had the better beard!

.....That would be a good fight!

bayern

JoeyDoh wrote: »

Some talk on the OTB chat earlier about a bust up involving Catt and Aki. Could be trolling was wondering did anyone know more.

link?

ebbsy

Does Ireland need a big name in charge ?

Somebody to get the best out of the new guys.

ec18

CowboyTed wrote: »

Connacht are playing down the road.... Blade & Marmion would be available...

So no Cooney will not be asked to travel because McGrath can get to Dublin Airport and if can't make it Jack Conan can just jump in...

Conan would be a better 9 than cooney

Paul Smeenus

Dubinusa wrote: »

Well then we'll know the problem is with the coaching. If we don't beat Italy comfortably, I believe Farrell won't last. I think we'll wallop the snot out of them. If not, we are still mired in the bog of shyte we were stuck in circa 2019.
We have only lost twice by a combined 10 points, though. A runaway tanking of Italy will settle us nicely for a cannibalistic sodomization of bonny Scotland.

Dub, do you have someone you can talk to?

Eod100

Ireland v Europe 2, Bourdeaux at RWC 23

NabyLadistheman

Whose going to score the tries? Larmour obviously but hard to see any inspiration besides

bayern

current irish player of the year garry ringrose scores plenty of tries.