Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120981291#Comment_120981291

No issue with that - When fit, he has been ahead of Kilcoyne for Munster and Ireland for a while now.

If that change was permanent it wouldn't weaken the group at all in my view.

Dubinusa

Thank the God's! Loughman should have been in from the get go.

AbusesToilets

That would be a welcome development. Genuinely baffling that Kilcoyne was called up

theVersatile

Bealham, Earls and Van Der Flier on media duty. Read into that what you will.

Ribs1234

Will that be 100 caps for Earls? He could run under Farrell’s shoulder too

TheNeckofChat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120981833#Comment_120981833

Now I get what Sexton and Keane were laughing at

lbj666

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120980298#Comment_120980298

I think all feelings about their prospects are valid which you focus on is all about own mindset.

The draw is appalling, the advantage Ireland have in welfare is nulled come WC ..they've never been even close to winning a WC quarter except for '91

On the flipside this is an Ireland team with unprecedented achievements and shouldn't be pissed on cause of their WC history.

I have said before if they need anymore motivation.. it can be got from those who have dismissed their achievements in the past 18 months.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120977595#Comment_120977595

Ah lads, let's not become England football fans. Of course we want Ireland to win but above all else, it's s just a game and the craic of the tournament is the main thing. If other teams show up and play better than Ireland, then that's just how it goes. The team has been really well run over the last few years at provincial and international level and they've given us great tournaments and test series. They don't win everything, but that's sport.

If we have peaked too soon and don't win the tournament, then the question is whether we'd rather a great few years and not win the WC, or be more like Wales with a terrible team who can peak out of nowhere and potentially win a tournament. I'd prefer it the way it is, being well run and consistently very good and then take our chances at the world cup.

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982327#Comment_120982327

The draw is appalling but Ireland are still the best team in the draw so if anyone should be worried its our opposition.

inbloom427

Glad if Earls gets the 100th cap, but really hope this isn’t a sign they are giving him a run of games to try and play him into form. He’s done and shouldn’t be on the plane.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982383#Comment_120982383

Exactly this. France and NZ would be delighted to avoid playing us, which is saying something.

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982396#Comment_120982396

I'd imagine the thought process might be to give him 100 caps at home in the Aviva. As opposed to away in France v samoa.

Problem with that is that either Lowe or Hansen have to sit out the England game as a result.

I think the team will be:

Porter, Sheehan, Bedhlam

Bierne, Ryan

Pom, Coombes, VDF

JgP, Byrne

Aki, Ringrose

Hansen, Keenan, Earls

Kelleher, Healy, Furlong, Baird, Doris, Murray, crowley, Osborne.

lbj666

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982383#Comment_120982383

There are more opportunities to slip up that's why the draw is appalling . More bigger hurdles the more chance of falling over one....rwcs are fickle beasts.

sxt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120977595#Comment_120977595

Agree with this. I think Ireland will be found out again on the big stage, and all the mental frailties will rise to the surface again. The Leinster final collapse( The core of the Irish team) against Rochelle is case in point

Winning games against NZ 12 Months ago is great , but if we Meet them in a World cup QF. You'll see who the real number 1 team is, and that's NZ

Likewise I don't see an injury prone, back from major injury, unmatch fit 39 year old Johnny sexton going through 1, let alone multiple hard games in a row without abruptly breaking down., Then you have a replacement who the coach doesn't trust to start a game ,1 start in 22 games.. starting a QF

salmocab

It’s hardly worth their while going to France

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982863#Comment_120982863

Do you all notice posters like this only talk about previous Irish teams and Leinster but you see them post nothing about the current Irish side, don't you think if they believe this Irish side had a serious flaw they would mention it? That should tell you that even then acknowledge how good this Irish side is.

The real number 1 is Ireland which is reflected in the world rankings ;) again funny how beating NZL doesn't seem to count for much to you but Leinster losing matters a whole lot. You're grasping and I would recommend against it in order to save yourself from further embarrassment.

zetor 4911

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120981814#Comment_120981814

Is Loughnane just temperory injury cover or will he be in the mix for the 33 selected to travel to France

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982628#Comment_120982628

Yeah but then that counts for SA for example and France & NZL. Ireland being number 1 means we of all teams should be backing ourselves to get through this.

sxt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982919#Comment_120982919

Who do you believe would win if Ireland and NZ meet in QF?

Which team would you favour ,the number 1 team Ireland or New Zealand..

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982863#Comment_120982863

You can't see Sexton getting through multiple, high intensity games...as he did in NZ and the 6Ns.

Makes sense

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982958#Comment_120982958

any other world cup NZ probably

given where both teams have been over the last year or so - if it were tomorrow id pick ireland

given how much nz look to be improving at the moment it might be an even call by the time this likely comes around

it cant be underestimated how much confidence winning a series in NZ gives a team. whats more, coming back from losing the first test to then win the series is about as hard an achievement as possible apart from a whitewash.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982998#Comment_120982998

in fairness, sexton shouldnt have played in the second and probably third test last summer but the HIA protocols are a joke

and didnt he get injured against france in the 6N this year?

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983008#Comment_120983008

Can't remember off the top of my head re: France, but I thought he played the majority of the match

Looked it up there, he went off around the 48min mark

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983008#Comment_120983008

And he went off in the first half of the first Test in NZ.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983030#Comment_120983030

indeed, forgot it was early in that game

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983016#Comment_120983016

yeah i cant remember specifically what happened but id presume he was injured if he went that early, when he wasnt involved against italy either id say it was more down to injury rather than giving the other OHs time

as a fan of the player, i want him playing as hes still the best option. as a fan of the man, i think he should have retired years ago. the injuries and more importantly, head knocks (not to sound like george hook but he definitely has had way too many) are surely going to have a negative effect at some stage, much as i hope im wrong

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983030#Comment_120983030

And missed some of the Autumn Internationals and wasn't available to play for Leinster since the 1st of January.

Honestly i believe it's foolish to be expecting Sexton to not get injured between now and the world cup knock out stages.

Saying that I am fully behind the Jack Crowley band wagon. I think Ireland will win a 1/4 final V France with or without Sexton.

Morgans

in any future world cup, Ireland will be at best at 50/50 to beat an All Blacks side or France playing at home. If they fail to do this year, so be it. It is not the mental frailties of World Cup time. Ireland could play above themselves and still see themselves kicked out of the group/lose at QF.

Also the idea that winning a QF is some form of achievement that unburdened future generations of Irish world cups is also nonsense. It would be nice for them to show what they can do.

Are there many French fans worried about France's inability to win a World Cup in 36 years?

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982958#Comment_120982958

The better side at the moment which is Ireland, it'll be close but based on form you'd have to say Ireland.

noc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983069#Comment_120983069

Getting past a QF would absolutely make it easier for future teams to go well in world cups without the mental baggage we bring with us. We couldn't buy a win against NZ but when we finally did we've had an excellent record against them since. Belief is everything. Irish players go in to every European cup believing they can win it, Welsh players don't. That flips in world cups, even bang average Welsh teams know they can make the Semi Final. "Been there, done that" as they say.

You're right that we could play well and still go out due to the draw but our record tells us we crash out without firing a shot. We've been the easiest quarter final opponents in the tournament's history. Only once have we made a game of a quarter final, when we were massive underdogs 'giving it a lash' - at home. Scotland came closer to a semi final 8 years ago than we have in over 30 years.

We keep hearing about our record over Scotland to downplay fears we might not make it out of the pool but we're told our own horrible record in this tournament doesn't matter. If we're going to talk about Scotland's 1 win in 12 or whatever it is against us then it's fair to mention our record of zero knockout wins ever.

Many of us are fed up seeing the likes of Wales and Argentina in Semi Finals while we're packing our bags with a thousand excuses. They need to perform at this world cup and live up to expectations for once, no crying about the draw or injuries and hard luck stories. It's not accepted elsewhere so it shouldn't be accepted in the home of world's #1 side.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983069#Comment_120983069

Also the idea that winning a QF is some form of achievement that unburdened future generations of Irish world cups is also nonsense. It would be nice for them to show what they can do.

I’d disagree with this tbh. I think, psychologically, it’s definitely an issue for us at this stage.

But I’d liken it to our record vs the All Blacks. Once we got the monkey off our back, we’ve a good record vs them. I’d hope similar will happen once we eventually get passed a QF.