Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I don’t disagree but it’s very difficult to call for me as NZ were well beaten by us a few times and knew they had to improve a lot to have a hope, while we just had to keep doing what we’d been doing. There was a feeling we were in peak mode, rather than having areas that absolutely had to be better. I have no idea whether that’s a psychological advantage or disadvantage which is why it’s NZs performance that mattered more to me than Ireland’s. In hindsight it was predictable that they’d save their best performance in a few years for us in that match. We made a few uncharacteristic errors, they made none iirc.

maybe those McCaw teams were the exception but it’s generally improving teams that win the wc, certainly both of SAs recent wins have been with teams that came in as so sos but just tightened up game on game to get it done.

Jaysus is he still at it?

If I’m picking an Irish team for Marseille Joe McCarthy would be starting with Beirne.

Another excellent performance from McCarthy. Even more impressive when you consider he wasn't even meant to start. Best player on the pitch tonight even in defeat.

Maybe won't break into the Ireland starting 15 just yet, but he's going to be hard to ignore for the 19 jersey.

He want as good as Billy Burns.

Just keeping you factually accurate.

I suppose Ulster supporters praising Burns makes a nice change. 🤔

He's played a good one this week.

Yes happy new year to all, my hopes for 2024 is that ireland can sort out our scrum and line out issues and also bed in crowley or Byrne into team seamlessly, I would like to see Farrell trust youth more like mccarthy and baird etc, not sure about POM's intentions are but I would thank him for his Immense contribution to ireland over the years and move on, maybe baird or beirne at 6 with Ryan, mccarthy and Henderson at lock. Hoping furlong finds form again and let's hope for one of the upcoming loose heads to step up and help out porter, also I hope porter sorts out his scrummaging as refs seem to ping him a lot, anyway, up ireland and roll on France in a few weeks

I've come away from those interpro's feeling a bit worried for the 6n campaign.

Very few of our front liners are hitting the heights of last season / the world cup which is understandable to an extent but they would want to find some form fast.

Props: Furlong has not played much at all and there are lingering concerns about his form over the past 12-24months. I would be tempted to start Bealham who I believe has acquitted himself really well when asked.

I don't know if I just have PTSD post the world cup but every time I watch Porter scrummage now it's through my fingers. He does seem to bore in a lot but I appreciate there are a lot of moving parts. Loosehead depth is also a concern - Healy is 54. Kilcoyne is injured. Who is the next cab off the rank?

Hookers: We're grand.

Second Row: We're grand.

Back row: POM hasn't played, and I think we should be looking to try some new combo's. Whether that's Baird at 6 who has been brilliant, or moving Beirne there to allow for a McCarthy / Ryan 2nd row combo.

JVDF doesn't seem to be at the races. Hodnett is playing v.well but there are likely concerns about his size. Potentially we'll see Will Connors return to the fold. He had an excellent outing against La Rochelle?

Scrum Half: JGP has also been sluggish, and I don't know who the obvious 2 is. We have to start moving on from Murray but no one is putting their hand up.

Fly Half: It's probably Crowley but he's hardly made it his own. The Leinster 10's are playing pass the parcel with the jersey. No one has owned it. Good individual performances are backed up by shite ones or they are rotated.

Centre: Aki, McCloskey and Ringrose would be my top3. Henshaw hasn't found form, and arguably shouldn't be in a Leinster XV. I'd love to see Osborne given a go.

Back 3: We haven't seen Lowe. Keenan and JOB haven't been shooting the lights out. Hansen has looked good. I'd like to see Nash given a crack. And dare I say it.. I think Zebo has looked good albeit with a limited body of work to go on. But how much better could he look behind a good pack with fast, clean ball?

I have a more general concern with our systems. The lineout across every province is faltering, and it was an Achilles heal during the world cup. WTF is going on? Leinster are not attacking with the fluidity we're used to, and generally some of the attacking plays from all provinces have looked quite anemic.

I think form and age should give Farrell licence to try some things this 6N. The worst possible outcome is a coming 3rd or 4th without having rolled the dice at all.

Form in the next two European rounds could be significant. I think you could forgive established Ireland Internationals dropping their levels in November and December after the WC, but now they need to get back up the hill to peak performance as the 6Ns is just 4 1/2 weeks away now (thankfully!).

Its exactly a month until start of 6 nations - I think Baird will start 6 , POM may need more time to get back up to full test match fitness. Same for Lowe. Bealham may start too. Looking forward to see Jack Crowley at 10

As with the RWC squad, there are going to be guys who are playing well that are left out and guys who aren't playing as well included. Simply going to be a matter of numbers.

The stand out spot to me right now is blindside where each province has a guy that is excelling for their team. But there's very little chance that they'll include all of them...and it's unlikely that they'll even include three of them. Baird, Ahern, Prendergast and McCann are all in the mix although McCann is likely to be out of the running with his ankle injury. Then we have someone like Doris that is looking relatively off colour right now who is guaranteed inclusion. I'd imagine Baird and Prendergast are the likely inclusions. Ahern might get in as a hybrid type guy or if they want to bring 5 locks (only included 4 for the initial squad this time last year).

We've a number of problem positions. Bealham is probably front runner for tighthead right now. Furlong should be included but really needs to prove himself quickly and TOT will also be there. Loosehead isn't as clear. Kilcoyne is injured and old. Healy is just back and old. Loughman isn't really looking anything too special these days and seems to have regressed a little from where he was last season. I wouldn't be surprised to see a left field choice at loosehead to bring someone in and work on developing a high potential player like Boyle.

Halfback is the other sh*tshow. I expect JGP to remain in situ for the opener but it's not a firm selection. A month ago, I'd have backed Casey to start but his form has dipped a bit in recent weeks. Murray has been simply poor and will be included, I expect, but fortunate to be. Blade and Cooney appear to be very much outside the plans for Farrell, on past selections with Blade being closer overall. I would be very surprised at this point if Farrell/the IRFU had not contacted Raffi Quirke about moving over to Ireland. He's eligible for selection in a year and is still only 22 (made his England debut shortly after his 20th birthday).

Outhalf is going to be Crowley plus two. Crowley and RB are comfortably the most suitable candidates but RB won't be back for France which means we're likely to have Frawley and AN Other included with Billy Burns and Harry Byrne the most likely options. Whilst Billy has played the best rugby of any provincial outhalf this season overall, he might just not be viewed as a potential test player after his prior involvements but I'd be happy for him to get another go.

Backs pick themselves at this point with the one note that Henshaw doesn't deserve a spot in the overall squad at this point in time but probably will be in the 23 jersey as it stands.

Mack Hansen was huffing on oxygen walking off the pitch yesterday, looked bad and one would have to suspect his six nations is in doubt.

11. Stockdale, 14. Jimmy O'Brien, 15. Keenan back three? - with Nash, Lowe and Daly/Zebo in the squad.