Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Bazzo

Yeah I've seen quite a few games Peyper has reffed and he always gives way too much leeway on high shots etc, with the WR crackdown I have no idea how he's still reffing at this level.

stephen_n

Doesn’t affect us directly but Italy have the same restrictions on unvaccinated players as France does. So Scotland and England will lose out players going there. Probably academic for England but it might affect Scotland.

RichieRich_89

Think I'd go for:

LH props: Andrew Porter, Cian Healy, David Kilcoyne

Hookers: Ronan Kelleher, Dan Sheehan, Rob Herring, Dave Heffernan

TH props: Tadhg Furlong, Finlay Bealham, Tom O'Toole, Martin Moore

Second rows: Iain Henderson, Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Kieran Treadwell

Blindsides: Caelan Doris, Jack O'Donoghue

Opensides: Josh van der Flier, Peter O'Mahony, Nick Timoney

No. 8s: Jack Conan, Gavin Coombes

Scrumhalves: Jamison Gibson-Park, Conor Murray, Craig Casey

Outhalves: Jonathan Sexton, Jack Carty, Harry Byrne

Left wings: James Lowe, Simon Zebo, Mack Hansen

Inside centres: Fua Leiofi Bundellu Aki, Stuart McCloskey, Ciarán Frawley

Outside centres: Robbie Henshaw, James Hume

Right wings: Robert Baloucoune, Andrew Conway

Fullbacks: Hugo Keenan, Mike Haley

Development players: Josh Wycherley, Thomas Ahern, Nathan Doak

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118492452#Comment_118492452

It won't be that big. There's no need for 4 Hookers and 4 Tightheads. 6N squads are usually roughly 3 Looseheads, 3 tightheads, 3 hookers, 5 locks, 6 backrows, 3 SHs, 3, FHs, 5 centres and 6 Back Threes, give or take a few in the backs maybe.

You forgot Ringrose.

Not sure what Zebo has done to be there, Larmour and McIlory are actually playing rugby and in form. Likewise H.Byrne, just hasn't played enough.

I like Casey a lot but on current form really shouldn't be there. Murray I understand because he's a good foil for JGP, experienced and he's handy for closing out games. But I'd have Doak, Cooney or Marmion there ahead of Casey. And I don't think that would do Casey any harm either, keeping him on his toes. I feel for him a bit in that Munster's style of play really couldn't suit him less.

Lowry is in. He's been pure class in all 3 of Ulster European games. I reckon Sexton will be rested v Italy and they'll look at Lowry off the bench in that game.

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118492508#Comment_118492508

I figured four tightheads because of the doubts around Furlong's fitness. You're probably right about four hookers being too many.

Zebo because of his left foot. Maybe they only use it a lot because Stockdale and Lowe have been the two frontline 11s and they both have that up their sleeve, but suddenly not having that big left boot there would be noticeable.

I like him a lot, but Cooney isn't going to be picked while Sexton's around.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118492551#Comment_118492551

Zebo, who's played 1 and 1/4 games in 4 months, being left footed shouldn't trump Larmour and McIlory actually playing rugby and being in form.

It's nice luxury to have a big left boot there to take pressure off your 10 if he's right footed, but it's not as important as you make out. Lowe is already there anyway.

Unless Zebo plays next week and has an absolute blinder, it's very hard to justify his inclusion. And I'm a big Zebo fan, but he just hasn't played anywhere near enough.

aloooof

Earls is another obvious option who’d get picked ahead of Zebo (and indeed Hansen), and is emergency centre cover also. Same goes for Larmour.

With regards Casey’s form, he was very good against Ulster so I don’t think his form is an issue, but Doak and Marmion are quality options also.

AbusesToilets

Surely it's time to jettison Murray? There's too many better options playing now. JGP, Marmion/Blade and Doak would be my picks at the moment.

ersatz

Good to see Carty back in the frame (at least among those with nothing to do with selecting the team) given that the has been solidly playing well for a long time while most of the other tens competing for the #2 spot have been injured or banal. I heard BOD on OTB bring up the Japan game as a mark against him with regard to his selection possibilities now which was interesting because he was one of the better performers that night, at least early on. I thought he did OK relative to the poor game that some of the senior players had. He made a couple of mistakes and ran out of ideas but we were losing pretty much every battle on the filed by half time. Anyhow, it was very much a team failure on the night and it's odd that BOD singles out Carty as someone who it might still count against.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118492703#Comment_118492703

“Good to see Carty back in the frame (at least among those with nothing to do with selecting the team)”

I don’t really understand why this sentiment is getting repeated on here. The latest selection from Farrell we have to go on, just 2 months ago, has Carty ahead of Ross Byrne and Billy Burns.

Since then, Carbery’s gotten injured and it looks like he won’t be back in time for the 6 Nations, so Carty has essentially moved up a spot. (Or rather, I suppose Carbery has taken Johnny’s injured spot that led to Carty’s call up).

I expect it to be Sexton, Harry Byrne and Carty.

Former Former Former

I think Japan still gets mentioned in relation to Carty because it's still pretty much his only big game in green. There just isn't a huge amount else to judge his test career on, I don't think he's being singled out at all.

For me, he always shows plenty of reasons why he should be in the side but always gives plenty of reasons why he shouldn't too. I don't think he's been harshly treated up to now.

Anyway, I expect him to be named in the squad next week, then after that it's up to him.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118492844#Comment_118492844

I’d agree with this tbh. It’s similar to the way England gets mentioned for Ross Byrne.

ionadnapokot

Its not that Carty has been treated unfairly. Its just more of the case of who was picked instead of him. Unfortunately it culminated in last years 6N v Wales and France.

The wrong selection call was made in that pointless Autumn Cup in 2020 (along with a few others) and again in last years 6N. And it's evidently the wrong call now.

--------------

Timeline since WC 2019:

Carty played the last 23 minutes of the opening win over Scotland and started the game against Japan. He set up Ireland’s two tries but as the tide turned, and after falling off a couple of tackles, he was replaced immediately after Japan took the lead on the hour by Joey Carbery.

Save for the second half against Russia, that was his World Cup.

Lost his place to Fitzgerald back at Connacht

Bench v Toulouse

Start v Gloucester

Played FB v Gloucester

Bench home to Munster, he came on for the last quarter and, scored a try

The told to take 2 wk break after 123 min at WC (last player that needed a break)

He then started to get back into his stride after returning

Then pandemic

23rd August 2020 orchestrating their wide-wide, high tempo win over Ulster on the resumption in August whereupon he didn’t have another game for five weeks.

New Season, 3rd Oct v Glasgow, 10th Oct v Cardiff

24th Oct 2020

Called into the Irish squad for the rescheduled Six Nations games against Italy and France he wasn’t picked in the 23 for either and was then replaced in the wider squad for the Autumn Cup

Interested Observer

Squad named tomorrow apparently.

molloyjh

The squad last year was 36 strong. So for me that would probably be:

LH: Porter, Healy, Kilcoyne/EOS

HK: Kelleher, Sheehan, Herring

TH: Furlong, Bealham, O’Toole

LK: Ryan, Henderson, Beirne, Baird

BS: Doris, POM

OS: VDF, Timoney

N8: Conan, Coombes

SH: JGP, Murray, Casey

OH: Sexton, Carty, H Byrne

IC: Aki, Henshaw

OC: Ringrose, Hume

WG: Lowe, Conway, Balacoune, Earls, Larmour

FB: Keenan, Lowry

I can see Doak, McIlroy and Prendergast being included as development players too.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118493515#Comment_118493515

Yep, hard to see many surprises beyond that squad. Doak might displace Casey and Zebo might still be in the frame, but having brought in so many new guys in the summer and November, we probably won't see (m)any new faces.

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118493515#Comment_118493515

Yeah id go along with most of that. Although I think They might carry Frawley in the centre also.

Hopefully Furlong is fit or could see Porter having to swap back to TH and maybe Jack mcgrath getting a look in for a squad spot at LH although he came off with a niggle himself 2 weeks ago and didn't tog last weekend.

Jimmy o brien could be a bolter. Covers a lot of positions and also has a decent left food kicking option.

Also with the French game they might need to carry 1 or 2 additional players to cover vaccine sceptics(idiots).

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118493658#Comment_118493658

Just to note that the current French laws will allow unvaccinated players who've had Covid in the last six months to enter the country, so we may not have to omit anyone.

It will be a travesty if Marmion doesn't make the squad. He's playing his best rugby in years

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118493810#Comment_118493810

Would be logical to have him in there if Carty is there too. Casey wouldn’t deserve a spot based on form

nerd69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118492634#Comment_118492634

I dunno every professional coach that has had a chance to pick him is a fan of his so there has to be something to it

Larbre34

It would be some strange turn of events to have a Lions Captain (vice/stand-in) omitted from an Ireland squad the following 6N, but, he has been poor lately and so he should be.

JGP, Marmion, Doak.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118493903#Comment_118493903

He barely featured before the AI window and Munster have barely played after it.

He was excellent against Castres, for example.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118493903#Comment_118493903

Considering he only signed a new central contract in recent weeks, Farrell must obviously have him in his plans up to and including the 2023 RWC.

It'll be JGP, Murray and one of Casey/Doak or potentially even Casey with Doak named as a development player.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118493956#Comment_118493956

It'll be JGP, Murray and..... Casey with Doak named as a development player.

thats how i see it too

Poorside

Murray has just signed a 2 year Central contract, he's going to be in the squad.

ionadnapokot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118493984#Comment_118493984

I agree. Farrell has embraced all things Leinster and it makes less sense than ever to have him around. Unfortunately Casey has also suffered under the malaise at Munster.

JGP, Marmion & Doak should be in.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118493515#Comment_118493515

Ethan McIlroy is an interesting one. There is some chat that Farrell is interested in him and McFarland has supposedly discussed him with Farrell (although I imagine that happens qith all sorts of players) Not sure who he would replace at this stage. Zebo possibly, but he is worth a look as a development player.

ionadnapokot

Biggar capt of Wales!

All out: Ken Owens, Taulupe Faletau, Dan Lydiate, Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric, George North and Leigh Halfpenny.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/60024912

Ireland should win this comfortably

Paul Smeenus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118494201#Comment_118494201

I think Schmidt would have loved McIlroy. Strong, very good under a high ball, excellent defensive positioning (has saved Ulster's blushes a few times), bounces back from mistakes quickly.

Doesn't have the X factor of some other options (or flat-out pace), but a good skill-set and smart reader of the game.