Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

We've made a lot of progress in the last 18 months. Looking back at the performances against France in the Autumn Nations Cup and the 2021 6N it's clear that we're a much better side. Unfortunately so are they.

In previous games against France, they bent our defensive line out of shape and cut us apart with their handling skills. This time, other than in the first minute, I didn't feel there was the same danger of them playing through us or around us.

They hammered us at the breakdown because they were so afraid of what we'd do with quick ruck ball. This is down to the development of our attacking shape in the last year. For the most part the French strategy worked, but when we actually managed quick ball, we scored with JGP.

I'm disappointed we lost, but it's not the same feeling as last year or in November 20. This time we know we're building towards something and can see the improvements made. We also have areas we now know we need to improve upon.

Not sure. Ideally you'd like your no.8 to be a skilled footballer, who can play the wide channels, offload and link play, while also carry hard (well I would anyway).

Doris is more suited to playing in the tight IMO. He's strong, high work rate, tackles well, and is good over the ball.

There's something about the way he takes contact that I don't quite like. It's like he tries to squeeze out an extra yard but in doing so he falls the wrong way and leaves himself exposed for a jackal.

We are in a much better position than I thought we'd be in 18 months ago. We were in this til the end. That's a fit, big French side. It wasn't so long ago, when we would expect France to implode and fall apart. I think the French coaching team has really improved the fitness of the team. Factor in the bench they have and I think we didn't do too bad!

Yep

This team has been on an upward curve since March last year.

We lost by 6 points away against probably the best team in the world right now. And if one or two things went our way and we made better decisions we would have won.

We're in a good place.

We'll be back for them in 18 months....

I agree re: JC. He should get the start v Italy. I expect Henshaw and Henderson will start. I'd like to see Casey get the nod too. Our scrum halves have been mediocre at best.

Carty should also get valuable minutes. Porter needs the experience at scrum time, so I would leave him in. I would like to see Timoney get some time and I would make Henderson the capt. That's assuming Ryan is rested.

French pack were brilliant but I can’t help but feel SOB, CJ and Heaslip would have imposed themselves more. Ireland just lost the fight.

Henderson is prob the only viable option right now for games v Fra, Eng and SA. Unfortunately Conan and JGP did not perform when on the back foot.

Struggling to find positives this morning for the pack. I was expecting a big game from Kelleher but Sheehan really delivered.

We need more power in games like this. Perhaps we should be looking to tailor the approach for specific games.

e.g. back row of vdF, Baird, Beirne and/or a 6/2

i can’t see a different result if we were to play France in a QF without stacking in as much power as possible.

Gibson Park was pretty poor.

When the game was won and lost in the first 10 minutes he was terrible.

Bad decision making, Poor nothing box kicks, missed tackles and poor passes left to right.

Cost us very dearly.

I know I have been banging this drum on here for awhile but I just don't see his all round game being good enough to be our starting scrumhalf at top top international level.

Casey isn't the answer either. We badly need to get game as much game time as possible into Doak.

Enthralling match to watch apart from that. Carberry needs to start v Italy and bring Johnny on if fit. With the GS gone it should all be about building toward the WC.

Porter is still an infant in terms of his games at loose head. A tough day like yesterday could be the making of him.

Balacoune should get game time ahead of Conway too.

JGP wasn't the reason the game was won or lost in the first 10. There are multiple reasons for a poor start.

He put in a box kick which Hansen chased but as the ball went out Hansen turned his back and ran away which allowed the quick throw in. Is Hansen to blame? Or the several other players who switched off?

I've watched him play fot leinster over the last 5 years and the hurricanes and blues before that.

He has never been a starter at any of his clubs. Yet ireland pitch him in as starter and even play him for a full 80 minutes in some games when he isn't up to the standard. I can't understand that.

If his decision making is unrivalled in Ireland we are in more trouble than I thought.

He is a good club player.

That seems like very wishful thinking.

Definitely learnings to be taken from it but the outlook can’t be too negative, we lost to the best/ most in form team in the world by 6 points away from home! In terms of building for the World Cup if we won that game yesterday, I’d nearly be worried that we had peaked and we would dip yet again for the World Cup. At the same time other options have to looked at against Italy. I’m thinking Baird, Coombes, Casey, Hume and Balacoune, and Carbery has to start again.