Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

No Kleyn, Haley nor Hodnett is difficult to understand but the squad is what it is now so let's hope they go one better than all previous RWCs.

It may as well be in Mars, there are rules about players joining the squad, emergency or no emergency

Haley for me is the big omission. Whos the FB cover?

Haley has been nothing but solid for Munster this year and we will need that in the WC.

Hodnett and Kleyn are great players but at least their positions are very well covered.

I hope murray is left and casey is given the nod - we need that pace, Blade brings a bit of pace also.

Something like they can't be anywhere near the squad before getting called up, and once they do get called up there's a 48 hour stand down period that must pass before they can play. So bar the player being jetlagged it doesn't matter where the world cup is, as you can travel anywhere within 48 hours regardless.

Hasn't he closed out every win we've had against the all-blacks? Or am I imagining that? We might need him for a QF

JOB is the only really credible replacement.

I’ve actually realized what is weird to me about the selections. Very little contingency selection. Like, some of the fringe guys picked are guys who just don’t seem to have the experience necessary to actually be expected to step in with injuries.

I’d agree with that but I’d say it should have cost him for the final squad. For this squad it would be useful to get him up to speed so that if something happened later he was available.

A third choice Munster player keeping out the highly rated Leinster youngster - how the tables have turned! (Killer and Milne, in case ye are confused).

Few odd selections, but Farrell's results have earned him a right not to be questioned (for now anyways, if things go pear shaped then the noise can begin!)

To be clear, I'm not advocating Carbery to be in the squad. My point was that, should Sexton get injured and one of Crowley/Byrne go down too, there are worse positions to be in than calling up an experienced player like Carbery, who knows the setup, knows the systems and has experience in big matches.

For me its:

1. Sexton
2. Crowley
3. Byrne, R
4. Carbery
5. Byrne, H

O'Brien. Fairly obvious. Hansen, Frawley, Crowley, Osborne, Stockdale being break glass options. Keenan has been pretty indestructible since his debut. Don't think he's missed any games through injury. We'll be fine at 15.