Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

ScissorPaperRock

Bundee nominated for World Player of the Year. Won't win it, as the winner will likely come from the RWC winning team, but nice to have that recognition nonetheless.

Really played with his heart and soul for Ireland this year, he was up there with the players I was most gutted for at the end of that NZ match.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121285332#Comment_121285332

If we progressed he'd certainly have been in the running for the World Player of the Year, he was phenomenal for us in all our games.

Clegg

Andy Farrell is nominated for coach of the year and Hugo Keenan for try of the year (Vs France) as well.

phog

Of the 3 Irish nominations I can only see Keenan still in the running - our lack of progress in the RWC would be a black mark v Farrell, though I can't see Foster in the running, even if NZ win the RWC

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121285332#Comment_121285332

He's been brilliant and I don't understand the rush by some to move him on after the WC because of his age.

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121286044#Comment_121286044

The talk of moving him on post world cup may come from his contract situation. He is on a central contract due for renewal at the end of this current season where he just had a 1 year extension.

Will he get a new central contact?

If he doesn't can connacht match what he could get in France or Japan??

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121286282#Comment_121286282

Yeah, I suspect it's more a case of he will move himself on.

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121286313#Comment_121286313

I wouldn’t dismiss the idea of the lions tour as a last hurrah for Bundee.

There were a couple of issues internally with Connacht last season and if these have been repaired with the new coaching staff, I would think Ireland would offer him another year

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121286282#Comment_121286282

Well that- a perfectly legitimate line of thinking, but I think in a lot of cases some wanted to move on from just because they wanted a shiny new toy in the team.

Anyway, hopefully he gives it another season as this one, but if not I'd still keep him around for the 6Ns.

AbusesToilets

Out of the 4 players, he was the best in his position by some distance. Only Savea has matched him in terms of performance imo.

Downlinz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121286282#Comment_121286282

Of course he'll be offered a central contract extension. He's Ireland's best player and one of the best in the world at present form, imagine the optics for the IRFU if he wasn't rewarded for it. Especially considering Connacht don't see too many central contracts their way.

We all know the IRFU don't think in 4 year cycles anyway and they'll see Aki as an asset to have for the next couple of Six Nations.

eire4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121288307#Comment_121288307

Hope your right. He certainly would be well deserving of a central contract extension.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121286282#Comment_121286282

He should be but Im sure plenty of French clubs will be after him, ROG was signing his praises the other day and having him as a backup to Danty would be some squad addition for La Rochelle. Not just his play, his ability to motivate the team, deal with ref etc. ROB seemed really impressed

At least for the next 2 years he will be prime to play 12 for Ireland and we usually break this up into 2 year and then look at World Cup after that, would be great for some of the young 12 to learn for Aki as well

Wegians89

Bundee signed on to end of 24/25 season

Must love hardship

That shuts down that conversation.

Podge_irl

Well that's good news.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121289680#Comment_121289680

Great news for Ireland and Connacht

ScissorPaperRock

Excellent news.

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121289568#Comment_121289568

ROG praising Aki for dealing with the ref... Not sure what expression best covers that.

Mr Tickle

Probably no harm keeping Aki in place, assuming his form stays up, to help settle in the new 10s. For this season anyway. After that assess again based on whether his performance outweighs the benefits of developing new partnerships.

EDIT: Accidentally quoted someone rather than just adding a new post

OldRio

Brilliant for Ireland and Connacht. I was amazed by the number of posters wanting to get rid of him after the World Cup.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121289680#Comment_121289680

Excellent news for all parties

TRC10

Absolutely ridiculous that a 33 year old who'll be 37 at the next World Cup is getting a 2 year extension at the start of a World Cup cycle. We need to be ruthless.

Brilliant player, fantastic servant to Irish rugby, but time to move on the old guard. No other serious rugby nation would be doing this.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121290358#Comment_121290358

hes not been given the extension to get him to the next RWC (obviously) so any mention of that as a reason NOT to give him an extension is a complete waste of breath.

He has just put in his best season so far, and (again obviously) the finances are working to keep him staying on, so it is overwhelmingly positive that he is.

New Zealand are showing that (again, obviously) you do not need 4 years to plan for a RWC. South Africa in 2019 planned from 16 months out. it can be argued that NZ this year have planned from less than 12 months out.

Rugby does not stop for 3 years between every RWC competition so making decisions now on what may happen in 4 years is not good business sense.

But hey, way to go for trying to turn a (very obvious) positive story into a miserable one. You do you boo.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121290415#Comment_121290415

hes not been given the extension to get him to the next RWC (obviously) so any mention of that as a reason NOT to give him an extension is a complete waste of breath.

It's 2 years of development for other centres thrown away. It shows once again that the IRFU's priority is to try to squeeze out every possible win at the expense of building towards a World Cup. It's such a small time mentality.

SA and NZ have lost plenty of matches over the last few years, while Ireland have been on an unbelievable winning run (think we only lost 2 games since February 2021). Yet, SA and NZ are in a World Cup final. I know who's position I'd rather be in.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121290468#Comment_121290468

It's 2 years of development for other centres thrown away.

prove it?

your argument is based on this simple opinion... so.. prove it?

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121290479#Comment_121290479

The proof is that he's just been given a 2 year central contract, which means he's going to be starting basically every game, except maybe one test a year against a tier 2 nation.

That's at least twenty games that could be going to say Frawley, Osborne or Forde, who will actually be available at the next World Cup.

Clegg

Andy Farrell has repeatedly demonstrated that if he thinks a player is good enough to break into the Ireland squad then he'll select him. Happened with Doris, Kelleher, Sheehan, Baird, Lowe, Keenan, Hansen, JGP, Crowley and even Harry Byrne and Ciaran Frawley. The latter didn't pan out, but he's not afraid of giving opportunities.

He doesn't care about contractual status or pecking orders. I don't see how you can look at the last three years of his tenure and think he'll select a player that he thinks isn't the best available.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121290511#Comment_121290511

hummm... i wonder why all those games given to Joey Carbery, Jack Carty, Billy Burns and Ross Byrne didnt actually make them better test rugby players... seeing as your clear factor for making a test rugby player is minutes playing at test level. strange one that, its almost as if it disproves your opinion.

or maybe, just maybe, someone like forde might actually become a better rugby player by training and playing alongside Bundee for the next 2 years? could that be possible? Could it actually be possible that someone like Osbourne might actually benefit from training and playing outside of a player like bundee for a couple of season should the situation arise?

your opinion that older players should be cut would have had sexton in the trash heap in 2020.

AdamD

I'd say the IRFU get a lot of ROI on any contract given to Bundee, he's a big draw in Galway.