Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

For the record I am not, and never have, claimed that Sextons absence was the only reason things went south in Eden Park. But we were 14-5 down against the run of play when he went off, not because we were being dominated. A fortunate intercept try was the difference at that stage and we were on top in play during that 30 mins.

It is a concern that most of our worst performances seem to come when we have numbers advantage. We weren’t great against Italy or England and should have made the numbers count more against NZ. I’m not sure what that’s about exactly, but we’ll need to address it.

I remember at one point in the first test off a maul there was a great camera angle of the back of the maul, JGP and Carbery outside him. Carbery was looking on and saying absolutely nothing. He wasn’t giving instructions to his 9, he wasn’t passing on info. He was just watching. My language got quite colourful at the time it annoyed me so much.

The way we are playing needs guys making decisions and communicating those decisions to those around them. I just don’t see Joey being that guy. Plus he’s a few nasty habits around positioning, body angles (angled towards the ball when he’s going to receive it) and the cutting back inside thing that he often does. His skill set overall is good and his goal kicking is great, but when you add those issues to his defensive frailties (he’s become a revolving door at this stage) I just don’t see how or where the necessary improvements are going to come from at this stage. But I don’t see any other obvious contender either.

I know you didnt but one other poster did and I presume there are other's out there that may think that but these people are clutching at straws like I said, those kind of people were who this comment was aimed at!

I know all that and yes it was against the run of play but at the end of the day the issues we had throughout that game were there even when Sexton was on the field so I wouldn't say him not being there made a massive difference in the end. For me it was just one of those games where everything just goes against you, the Sevu Reece try just summed up the game for us where everything fell for NZL and we got no breaks really, thankfully it was only one game atleast.

I completely agree with that, the period between the Doris disallowed try and the Conan try in Twickenham was probably the worst period for Ireland through the 6N, we managed it incredibly badly and the only positive to take from it was it didnt cost us the game. When NZL had the calamity when it came to cards in the 2nd quarter was ironically the only quarter of the game we failed to score and we in fact lost that quarter 7-0 which really isnt a good look and we of course scored our tries when it was level in terms of numbers. For me we simply have to be more ruthless, take our medicine and look at what exactly is the reason we arent more ruthless. We have good quality throughout the team, we should be backing ourselves to punish a team when they are down men.

And that's my biggest gripe with Carbery, he is actually a very talented player but in everything that we are crying out for from our 10 that we get from Sexton he is REALLY lacking, I completely agree about that and its moments like that make me backtrack my support for Carbery being our back up for Sexton going forward, he just isnt the kind of player that will give us what we need at 10.

I still think Harry Byrne and possibly Frawley can be potentially options going forward as these players do bring the qualities we need at 10, It just comes down to how much game time they get at 10 during the next few months. Ideally if fit one of them gets a run versus Australia.

This clamour for H. Byrne and Frawley, who've hardly had time in the 10 jersey, from some on here, above all the other potentials at 10 amuses me. Neither have amassed a body of work that warrants them being the forerunner for me. Maybe they'll get a run this season and put a string of good performances together but I don't see it happening.

(but hey, I'm not picking the team or seeing them in Ireland camp, what do I know obviously)

I think there is an assumption that there must be a replacement for Sexton out there and we just have to find him. Since Carbery isn't setting the world on fire, we need to move on and find the guy who will.

Maybe Frawley will turn out to be a test quality OH but there's no real basis to think so at this point. Doing it in time for the RWC would be astonishing

Yeah it’s almost impossible to see how guys who are 3rd choice at their province now are going to get enough game time in 1 season to prepare them for the game that we play and implementing that game against tier 1 opposition. Guys at Leinster may arguably have it easier as there are close similarities between Leinster and Ireland playing styles as well as familiarity with many of the Irish starters. But even at that, it’s a hell of a lot to ask in 1 season. You’d need the guy to be pretty exceptional to make that step up in that time. And if he were that exceptional then he wouldn’t be 3rd choice (or playing 12).

But the fact that he was 'fine' is very promising in itself, because of how little he's played 10. I think that's the point people are making. We've had Ross Byrne and Billy Burns, who both play 10 week-in week-out, put in some pretty shocking performances in green.

10 is the position where game time is the most important, and Frawley looked very competent in both games. So imagine what he could do if he got a consistent run of games there for Leinster.

Oh I agree that him being fine was good given everything. But we can’t ignore the “everything” bit there. All of that still exists and time is running out. Getting comfortable with the way Ireland are playing and the role he needs to play in that takes time. I’m not sure he has the time regardless of the Byrne brothers at this stage. And that’s even assuming he has/can address the issues he had at 10 originally. I’d be happy to be proven wrong as I do think he’s the closest in presence (if that makes sense) to Sexton.

The difference with both Sexton and Murray is that when they got a chance, they took it. All the others have had their chances at their respective levels and none have really seized it.

What put Joey on the map in the first place was his form when Sexton was injured and he absolutely tore it up, three months later he was coming off the bench in Chicago. Healy had the exact same opportunity when Carbery was injured for so long, and he didn't remotely take it. (Crowley had the same chance btw and was even worse off). As rubbish as JVG was, he had Stephen Larkham beside him who presumably knows a bit about what makes a decent out-half.

Frawley not only needs to stake a claim as an out-half, he has to first convince Leinster to play him there. Big ask.

If I was a betting man, I'd say Sexton, Carbery, Burns will go to RWC. Frawley's best chance might be that Farrell only brings two out-halves and brings Frawley as a 12 who can play 10 at a pinch.

Even the strongest boards.ie critics of Farrell must acknowledge that the guy will give chances to players when they demand it. All we need is an OH to demand it.

That wouldn't be the case if Frawley was actually playing games at 10. He showed this summer that he's a good 10, with more game time he could be an excellent 10.