Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I'd say it's his predictability that might be an obstacle if there were other top class options available to a coach, there aren't. But I'm not sure that top end pace is such an issue, and Im not sure what athleticism means (maybe his step, feint, dummies?). On pace, is Sexton 2021 faster than RB, or Burns or Carty? Carty's try the other day suggested to me that his top end pace is not very fast, relative to fast rugby players.

Anyway, I guess I'm just riffing on the fact that I see a lot of assumptions about how awesome Harry is, without any evidence that people can point to in actual matches (particularly against top opposition), and by the same token, lots of assumptions about how limited RB is by reference to intangibles like athleticism, top end pace, etc that I haven't seen a great deal of evidence is in greater abundance among his rivals. Yeah he sits deep, but he can and does fix defenders and create outside space, he has a good grubber, is a solid kicker out of hand, but is predictable and not very creative. On those limitations he has company in the group that lines up behind Sexton.

I'll never argue about Harry's potential because how long is a piece of string. As for evidence, I've asked here and people pointed to potential. I agree with you, I've no idea why Harry is in the conversation about Irish #10, I'd love to see him push his brother and Sexton out of his way and take the ten shirt at Leinster but it didn't happen this year, for all his potential. He's a long way off Irish ten for the 6N. Harry has shown some flashes of brilliance against ordinary opposition and has shown he's ok against more difficult opposition, he's also made his share of mistakes but simply has not had enough games for people to bang their fists on the table pointing to 'evidence of potential', as if that's evidence of anything but potential. I coach a high school team here and a couple of them have insane potential but if there was one who hadn't been able to play but a few minutes here and there for the last year I wouldn't be taking much time to argue that he'll be great once he plays some rugby. It's a Long way back.

It’s not top end pace, he’s not a winger. It’s the pace to find a gap himself and exploit it. Sexton is still quick enough to do this as he showed a couple of times in the AI’s. Both Burns and Carty are also consistently good at finding gaps themselves.

The fact defenders know Ross can’t do this, is what makes him predictable. That they just have to pick out the runners playing off him. He’s a controller who orchestrates what others do.

For what it’s worth, from what I have seen so far. Harry is the exact opposite, a great baller, with a huge gain line threat but lacks the ability to control games. That’s not just the last few games where he might have been forcing it a little. That’s my overall perception. Though he did a good job against Connacht. If you could put the two of them together, you’d probably have the perfect out half.

Would they compliment each other in a 10/12 or 10/13 combo with plenty of switching in and out to keep the opposition guessing?

It would take a lot of planning to set it up though, I've not seen that type of strategy in action before, but maybe it has been used somewhere?

Well he stays with Munster anyway what does it matter where his paycheque comes from? This stuff about central contracts is really overblown.

Sure we've no idea what he's earning but it's almost certain he's taken a hefty cut, given his age.

We have no idea what he's earning but at 32 he's well beyond peak earnings at this stage.

Is the central contract system starting to look a bit flawed? Whats the point in having them for players who are not absolute nailed on starters?

I doubt Murray makes the world cup. Casey is probably going as is JGP. Murray may go and hold tackle bags.

and opened again for the 6 nations, but then closed again.

Someone has a chip on their shoulder!