Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

sydthebeat

?? what a weird post

you mean the same Joe Mccarty who spend 4 months out of the game after surgery at the start of the year, and whos first start after that injury was the sharks game the week before coming off the bench in the munster game? that one yeah?

no idea why any "blazer" would need to manage his minutes.

Cateym

I was at that match when Geordan broke his leg. Awful.

Ardillaun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926646#Comment_120926646

Yes, we are better placed this time. I’m more hopeful than usual.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120935246#Comment_120935246

I dread these games every time

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120935268#Comment_120935268

I mean....I'm not really. I still think there is a huge chance we go out in the QF but I don't think it will be cause we fucked up.

Dubinusa

Not too enthused about Kilcoyne. He's not a starter! Delighted for Nash, Frawley and Stewart.

VayNiice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120935745#Comment_120935745

Agree re Kilcoyne. Apparently he's a great presence in the squad.

I think we'd have been better off for the present and future to pick Loughman.

What ever happened to Eric o'sullivan? He seemed a good prospect a few years ago.

ionadnapokot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120934516#Comment_120934516

Just wondering is Frawley there to cover 15/10 - in that order.

A. Frawley for JOB 60' - Crowley stays at 10

and/or

B. Crowley injured 20' - Frawley in at 10

and/or

C. Henshaw injured 20' - Frawley in at 15, JOB to 13

OR.....

D. Frawley for JOB 60' - Frawley in at 10 and Crowley moves to 15 and he will be the one covering 15 in the first 23?

Former Former Former

I think it's pretty apparent that, rightly or wrongly, Frawley is there primarily, if not exclusively, as a 10.

Must love hardship

Yep 4th choice 10 who can fill a gap 12,13,15.

Realistically sexton will get injured at some stage if ireland go deep in the tournament and frawley may end up getting a call up

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120935786#Comment_120935786

O'Sullivan didn't kick on. It's disappointing. Loughman I believe, will be heavily involved after the world cup.

fitz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120935527#Comment_120935527

I'm still angry about that tackle into touch in the last warm up game against England that ruled David Wallace out of the 2011 World Cup and ultimately ended up forcing him into retirement.

I don't really care what happens in these games as long as we get through them injury free.

typhoony

I see the Coombes media bandwagon has started to try to justify why he should be going to the WC. I can see a player from one of the other provinces being hard done by in a Toneresque move

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120936754#Comment_120936754

I'd be outraged if I was you

Interesting team, very powerful and dynamic back 5.

Hard to know what to make of that starting front row. Herring has been terrific for Ireland, keen to see how he goes. O'Toole had a good six nations and has developed a nice carrying game so him and Kilcoyne will have plenty of opportunities to play to their strengths with that pack around them. I think Kilcoyne is coming off at half time so Healy gets a decent run out, probably similar for Furlong.

Backs also interesting. We've a good few big athletic forwards and then you add in Stockdale, Henshaw and McCloskey and all of a sudden you've quite a few fairly abrasive characters out there.

Casey is going to have some platform, should have a field day and Crowley getting the nod suggests the coaches have liked what they've seen of late both in camp and in the concluding season.

Earls will get the century yet!

Neil3030

Nothing builds cohesion like empathy.

Baird will be a better lock, having played in the back row.

Doris will be a better 8, understanding what the 7 goes through.

And so on.

Downlinz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120936754#Comment_120936754

I would say given how quickly Toner hit expiration after 2019 and how Kleyn has been one of the most consistent second rows in Europe season after season that is now being recognised by the Springboks that this isn't a take that has aged well.

Joe was ruthless but correct in choosing Kleyn as the superior player and the only media bandwagon was from Luke Fitzgerald and others sticking up for their buddy claiming it as some kind of injustice.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120937219#Comment_120937219

Kleyn did absolutely nothing that WC, and Toner was still in good enough form. It was a **** decision

leakyboots

It really wasn't

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120936754#Comment_120936754

I'd say the most frustrating thing for them, is the fact that it's a Connacht player getting picked ahead of him. So they can't blame it on Leinster bias.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120935890#Comment_120935890

I'd be fairly certain Frawley is primarily covering 10 on Saturday. Of course, if injuries force it, he could go to 15, but I'd say they'd put Stockdale at 15 before Frawley.

Downlinz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120937253#Comment_120937253

He wasn't selected outside of the tier 2 games to Russia and Samoa which we won comfortably. Once we lost to Japan the entire nerve and ambition from the Irish coaching staff went out the window.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120936754#Comment_120936754

I hadn't heard a peep about him, but in the same way people are always banging on about the Dublin meeeeja, it doesn't make an iota of difference to selection. No one is being picked or dropped based on what is said on a podcast.

Coombes and Prendergast are likely fighting over one jersey. I don't think either of them can feel hard done by if they lose out to the other one.

ersatz

I

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120937387#Comment_120937387

Putting stocktake at 15 seems like a mad idea to me, but who knows. A big part of Farrell’s success has been the flexibility he has brought to selection and to positions. But With stockdale I’d be more cautious, his form tanked for years after his breakout and maybe he needs a solid day out on the wing. But a successful cameo at full back…these are the calls that will define Farrell’s legacy over the next few months.

Frawley at ten is another of those. He could end up at ten in a World Cup knock out which is insane considering he’s not locked in by any measure at Leinster. The coaches are defo making the most of this Italy match.

Podge_irl

Toner v Kleyn was a completely irrelevant decision ultimately, though Toner wasn't hard done by. The idea that some media narrative will get Coombes into the squad is silly.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120937627#Comment_120937627

Stockdale played at 15 in the 2020 6N, in that weird period between Kearney and Keenan. I don't recall it being a roaring success, though he wasn't in great form at the time.

Brief_Lives

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120936754#Comment_120936754

I wouldn't call it a bandwagon. I think he is definitely going. I would rather see him play in the later warm-ups than the earlier one.

Any players that don't make the plane and are still "within a shout" for the later warm up games, is a waste of time by the irish selectors.

Ireland need someone with his ridiculous power anyway.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120937710#Comment_120937710

We are not short of power in the backrow and whoever goes as the 6th backrow is never going to see any proper gametime absent injuries anyway so we hardly "need" him.

Former Former Former

Coombes' potential issue is that he's an eight who can cover six, which is exactly what Doris and Conan are.

Similarly, the ability of Baird and Beirne to switch between lock and 6 might count against Prendergast.

If Farrell wants more options elsewhere, we might well see only five back-rows travel, i.e. POM, VDF, Conan, Doris and AN Other - I'd have Baird in pole position for that as of now.

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120937520#Comment_120937520

Really? Coombes is far superior offensive player, noticably his carrying in the tight, try scoring and passing are way ahead. If you are looking at where Pendergast has the edge it's marginal; he's quicker so a bit more effective in the loose, he has a better eye for poaching and is probably a slightly better tackler. However Farrell isn't a huge fan of Coombes, I suspect because he has a tendency to drift out of less important games, something that is tolerated at Munster because he is their talisman and the moments that he is switched on more than make up for it but it's not a trait Farrell wants in a rotational back row. However that said, given the season Coombes had I think he absolutely would have the right to feel aggrieved if he isn't selected, he is by some distance the more talented player and if you are looking for someone to come off the bench against South Africa or in a quarter final, Coombes offers a lot more than Prendergast.