Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

It's the up and coming lads that will be the future. Minus Sexton, Carberry is next up. Is he good enough? Time will tell. I don't think he is. RB is not good enough, nor is Carty.

Burns could be a placeholder. He seems to be a prototype 10. Minus the goal kicking.

The monkey on our back is HB! He's just not got the matches in his cv. His physicality is questionable and although he's still young, it's hard to see him staying fit for any period of time.

Then there's Healy, Flannery and Crowley!! I think one of these lads could do the business, eventually. Who knows, Hawkshaw may grab the bull by the nads and stake a claim! Tector and Prendergast? Both look talented and hopefully can make a run at the provincial level.

Besides oh, the cupboard is fairly bare in other areas. Loose head for one. Going into a world cup with Kilcoyne or Healy is not ideal. Hopefully Loughman or someone else can have a stormer of a season. Likewise with 9. Murray doesn't inspire confidence, Casey or someone else must step up.

A nothing tour will at least get young players into the system. A good environment and tour could benifit the youngster down the road. Frawley will have to deliver something! If he's seen as a 10, time is short.. .

I think the fact that Frawley is the only 'emerging player' allowed to play this weekend is very significant. I would bet that if he was going to be playing 12 or 22, Ireland wouldn't have released him.

Bundee aki showing today why his best days in green of ireland are behind him..

It was me yeah... I said his form badly dipped for the end of the season for connacht last year. He was very poor in the games v Leinster and looked like he had thrown in the towel for connacht after that.

I was proposing Frawley, Henshaw, Ringrose and Hume ahead of him for the world cup due to his form and lack of versatility.

He's now gotten at least 3 red cards against his name all for high hits..

he hasnt learned abd he is a liability at this stage.

He came on today and just stunk the place out. 3 penalties in 10 minutes and capped it off with a silly clean out costing his team a try and a chance in a game they in contention of winning.

He then remonstrates with the referee and linesmen. Chances are he will be banned for the November internationals anyway.

If you'd seriously rather have Frawley at 12 for a big world cup game ahead of Aki, you're mad. Frawley doesn't have the physicality or robustness to play 12 at that level. I'd have McCloskey ahead of him. Aki is Ireland's best 12 and has never let Ireland down.

The versatility argument is a weird one. Should we drop Sexton for the same reason? Or Henshaw? Or Lowe?

Nobody is denying he had a sh*t game today. But writing off one of Ireland's most reliable and consistent performers, because of one sh*t game, after outstanding performances in our historic series win a couple of months ago is just bizarre.

Mccloskey surely going to get a well deserved shot in November now, would have him as third choice centre

Not right now maybe. But that can change very quickly and the world cup is a year away. I just think leaving out one of your 3 best centres on the ground of versatility is a weird one. Remember the squad size has been increased to 33, making versatility less of a pre requisite. We have guys who can cover the back 3 like Carbery and Ringrose, but nobody I'd trust to cover centre.

If the world cup was tomorrow (assuming an 18/15 split) I'd go with

(3) JGP, Murray, Casey

(3) Sexton, Carbery, Frawley

(4) Aki, Henshaw, Ringrose, Hume

(5) Hansen, Lowe, Baloucoune, Conway, Keenan

with frawley able to cover 12, would the possibility of a Earls / Jimmy o brien type who could cover back three and 13 not be of more benefit than 4 centres?

What was the 4th red card. There was today, England, and Samoa.

The stats website misses a 4th one too.

I'll be honest and admit that I have concerns about his discipline. I'm not going to doubt his quality though. I suspect that he will be 3rd choice center going to the world cup.

Aki's distribution game for Ireland sets him apart from all other options at 12 bar Henshaw. It's a massive part of Farrells game plan. Aki will definitely travel if his form doesn't go out the window.

I went digging. He was cited for misconduct in 2017.

He also got a citing commisioner's warning (essentially an after game yellow) for mouthing off at a referree in early 2022.

You may have counted the citing as a red card mentally.

I wouldn't be comfortable with Frawley travelling as 2nd choice 12. Henshaw goes down in the warm up and all of a sudden Frawley is playing 12 v France in a 1/4 final. I think we need to bring two specialist 12s.

I'd trust Ringrose to cover wing, much more than I'd trust Earls to cover 13. I can't see Earls making the squad to be honest.

I believe that a break glass scenario, Ringrose could cover 12.

Wow, that changes the complexion. Terrible luck for Frawley. Ten is jinxed is you're not Ross Byrne.