Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

What position did he start those games in?

There's no question that players who get exposed daily to the facilities of a private rugby school have an advantage over other players, but I don't think that alone explains any bias in 50-50 calls for the national side.

There were as many privately educated players in the Leinster side that was struggling (losing a Pro12 final to Connacht) before Lancaster arrived in 2016.

So for me, if anything, it's the Lancaster exposure that tips things in the favour of Leinster players when Farrell et al face a marginal call.

inexperienced Leinster player over a more experienced Munster player

In fairness, Hodnett is only more experienced if you define experience exclusively as European minutes.

Penny has a lot more senior gametime despite being the younger man.

You can dismiss it as bitter as much as you like but that doesn't mean it isn't happening. There was an email sent in to off the ball a few weeks ago which, while acknowledging Ireland's recent success, lamented the disconnect felt by fans outside of Leinster due to the perceived favouring of Leinster squad players when it comes to selection for the national side. It's not just loonies on twitter.

There is a very real perception that playing in blue makes it far easier to be selected in green. Whether that's true or not isn't really relevant. What is important is the fact that it's possibly going to be harder to convince lads to head to other provinces to get gametime, leading to a backlog of talent. It's also alienating fans in other provinces. I can understand why that might not be a concern for Leinster supporters but it's churlish at best (and arrogant at worst) for them to condescend to their provincial neighbours with the "sure he's only there to hold tackle bags" schtick. Maybe that's all those players are doing but don't be surprised when interest wanes in the national side outside of a few spots in Leinster.

I thought you were around longer than that. For years during Munster's peak they had 1-10 basically locked up, aside from the odd exception each year, and then usually had at least one in the backs.

To say it was never 'anywhere near' where we are for first team isn't true.

Yea, but that doesn’t mean every single player is better.

Also, this isn’t ryan Baird or Joe McCarthy. This is a pretty workmanlike 7 who is kind of undersized and has one elite skill. He is exactly the kind of guy who should have to prove it all the way up, not get jumped up because of upside. He doesn’t have a ton of upside. In fact its the other way around. Hodnett has traits of an elite edge carrier. He needs to work on his passing id say but he is way more of a diamond that you’d like to polish than Penny.

Some of these guys should have to prove it. I don’t see how its good long term for irish rugby that that just isn’t a requirement unless the guy is some kind of special talent that needs to be bedded in.

I dunno who it was on here said just yesterday or the day before that they couldn't see a viable pathway to how Scott Penney gets an Ireland callup... a day is a long time in Irish rugby!