Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

The thing about Frawley was that he was brought to NZ as a centre and had to fill in for Harry Byrne when injured. Whatever he did in NZ in that role is what got him into Farrells good books, not anything we saw him do.

Harry Byrne was a big prospect and had a lot of potential. Remember Leinster we’re looking to start him in the HEC before he got his first official call-up. I’d say himself and Crowley are pretty comparable in terms of how Farrell treated them. Byrne had been in a few camps as an extra over the course of a season or so based on his potential. Again, he showed enough for Farrell to think he might have a future and given our situation at 10 we needed that. Injury and the impact that has had on his confidence have screwed all of that up.

looks like he was part of WC plans

It's literally the exact opposite of that.

I wouldnt be surprised if Crowley, Byrne, Frawley get a start each.

Byrne starting V England before the last World cup in 2019 did not work out well for him.

Essentially scuppered his chances of making the squad.

England to announce their 33 on Monday, Springboks on Tuesday.

France naming their 33 on the 21st after two warm up games.

If we are still playing with guys who don't get onto the final squad by the 3rd game, then we aren't being ruthless enough.

Jesus but I hate these warm-up matches. I'd sooner watch Ireland lose ten times to the All Blacks than go through 3 of these games looking through my fingers.

I fully understand that they are vital for tournament preparation, but I'm old enough such that Geordan Murphy and David Wallace are still vivid memories for me.

Hate them.

except for the same reasons all the other squads have been named by then, the final warm up game is just using players from the final squad.

Tbh I don't really care what these nations are doing, we should be doing what works for us and our squad. And at the end of the day we are the best team on the planet so maybe these countries should be looking at what we are doing rather than the other way round ;)

yes, Irelands record in the world cup is the bestest ever.

to be honest 99% of this squad was picked after the 6 nations. so onto the quarterfinal sh!tshow, we go.

But the fact you can only use Ireland's WC record to have a go shows just how good this squad is.

The 6N where Ireland won it in the most dominant fashion any side has won it for 20 years right, that one? I dont really see how that equals a QF **** show but each to there own.

the Japan game the whole lose seemed to be blamed on Carty

This is a myth, no one ever blamed Carty.

It was invented about two years later as a strawman for why Carty wasn't being picked for Ireland.

I don't think Byrne got the blame for the English game either, but equally he didn't give himself much chance of a call up.