Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

We're 2 years out from a RWC. At which, POM will be 34 years of age.

I love POM but IMO he would have to be miles better than the other backrowers and in pretty spectacular form to justify his inclusion at this stage in the cycle over

Coombes (24)

Doris (23)

VDF (28)

Conan (29)

Beirne (29)

And unfortunately I don't think he's clearly better than any of those guys

Same goes for Earls. Love the guy but he'll be 36 at the RWC and we have some seriously good alternatives who are arguably as good now and will be in their prime in 2 years

There's a big difference between 34 and 36.

I dont think POM is a better option to start over any of the other options at 6 7 or 8.

6. Bierne, Coombes, doris

7 vdf ,timoney, connors(inj)

8. Conan, doris coombes

But I think he is am excellent squad and Bench option as he covers all positions adequately.

A jack of all trades. Master of none

There may be all sorts of reason as to why not to pick O'Mahony, but being 32 or 34 in 2 years time isn't one of them.

Quite often it is the most experienced teams that do well at WCs. England in 2003 and NZ in 2015 are two examples.

No I agree completely.

My point was more that his age compounds the fact that he probably isn't the best in any position anymore, and the likes of Doris and Coombes are likely to improve further while POM, at this stage in his career, is unlikely to improve.

When NZ won the WC with McCaw, Nonu, Smith and Carter, those guys were all undisputed 1st choice. As much as I love and respect POM, I'd be amazed if he's in the squad that goes to France.

He captained the Ireland Under 20s from 8 back in 2009. Not sure he started many games for ireland at 8 but has finished a few for munster there.

He played a bit of 8 when he first broke through, if I recall correctly.

What tropes? It's demonstrable that he puts in worse performances in green than other players. He recorded 0 tackles in 6Ns game, against Wales iirc. He's frequently at the bottom for stats like tackles, carries, meters gained etc.

Folks saying that there are multiple players they'd start ahead of him, yet also wanting him on the bench makes 0 sense.

The age profile of some of the wings in the squad maybe isn't the best with the World Cup in mind. You've got Lowe (29), Earls (34), Conway (30) and Zebo (31). They'll all be two years older in 2023. Baloucoune, Larmour and Hansen are there too, but it might have been no harm to have a look at someone who'll be coming into their prime in two years time instead of one of the older quartet. Tommy O'Brien instead of Earls or Lowe, maybe.

But equally, he only played at second-row when either Ryan or Henderson were unavailable...

Like, there are two questions here;

1. Is Beirne a better second-row than either Ryan or Henderson?
2. Is the team better with all three of these lads in it, and Beirne playing at 6?

If the answer to the second question is yes, then it doesn't matter what the answer to the first is.

Wildly dubious statement for one. He has consistently been poor. This isn't just one game, it's the pattern of his game. The NZ game the most overly inflated performance. He stole a lineout, won a penalty, and happened to be in the right spot to catch a bouncing ball. You'd swear he was putting in a performance like Pocock's in the 2nd Aus test.

Fact is he there are multiple players who are playing better, younger and who contribute more than him.

Peter O'Mahony is a good rugby player, but its his bad luck that he plays in the most competitive division on the field in Ireland. And the fact is, he isn't better than the five or six guys who make up a starting 6,7,8 and potential two or three subs options within the Ireland squad, at this moment.