Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I dont agree with the person comments but trying to make out they are Harry is just pointless.

Playing Harry Byrne in one game might have been a bonus for Ireland as they see him as number 2 based on this championship and getting selected for the NZ tour etc, but personally I think the best decision was to play Crowley from start to finish due to the number of caps he has and the lack of playing time he has with other players

Prendergast looks at the moment to have the ingredients of a natural modern international 10 and if he can get enough game-time and bulk a bit next years 6 nations may be time to try him out. He looks to have the highest ceiling of any of them at the moment. Think we have seen enough of Crowley this year to understand he has work to do so would like Harry to get a run v the Saffers and try and play a more Sexton esq flat to the line game. At least then we know where we sit before Prendergast gets a look in. Like Ross Bryne but he'a a different proposition.

You really don't like Crowley do you?

It says alot that you think Prendergast should get a run at international 10 when his own club don't select him there for the big champion Cup games

But sure let's all ignore that & jettison him into international 10 & go against the current plan of weaning him into top level rugby. He will develop but even physically he's behind Crowley.

Have a look at the games he's started this season & it says alot & that's with Leinsters #1 out half injured for 3-4months

Just don't rate him, nothing more than that and wondering how much of the support on here for him is just provincial nonsense as it clearly had little basis in actual rugby analysis. Not expecting Prendergast to get a run until at least the 6 nations next year if he has had decent exposure at Leinster in the meantime so I don't think he should have had a run now, clearly isn't ready.

We can all pretend otherwise but post Sexton we have trouble at 10 and no amount of wishful thinking about Crowley will fix that. He might turn it around and if so fantastic.

If you think otherwise great, genuinely hope he proves me wrong as then we don't have a problem at 10. Right now with Crowley at 10 I think we have a problem.

Define "natural modern international 10"

I appreciate the clarification.

But rather than citing Crowley's recorded stats, it would be more helpful to point out moments where he should have done as you describe, but didn't.

Scotland defended like animals, and have incredibly smart and dynamic back row forwards, who make fix-pass rugby very challenging and risky, the closer you get to the gain line.

Is Crowley's passing under pressure not one of his strengths or have I been watching a different 10 the past couple of seasons?

I suppose two things here that I'd come back with.

1. His run:pass ratio was actually higher against Scotland than it was against France. 6 runs to 33 passes (v Sco), vs 4 runs to 32 (v Fra). Each are comfortably within the sweet spot that you'd see under Sexton (not to open THAT can of worms again... IYKYK). So I'm not sure "Scotland watched him time and time again step sideways and pull a pass back" is fair or accurate.

2. Identifying one solitary instance of him offloading a player into space doesn't prove that he missed others. What if that was the only moment in the game such a move was the correct decision?

By the end of the tournament, opposition had increasing intel on how we play with Crowley at 10, so it's little surprise that he saw fewer and fewer moments to exploit with his existing arsenal of tricks.

But let's perhaps not lose the run of ourselves - he turned 24 in January.

The challenge for him and for Ireland going forward is to beat the analytics. Second album/season syndrome, so to speak.

Some people have set their stall out that Crowley was poor, screaming for him to be subbed on match threads but Farrell obviously trusted & rated him as he played every minute of every game across the tournament. A tournament we won.

I think most posters would credit Crowley having a very good tournament, Matt Williams has a lot of people talking about his goal kicking but if you look back at previous Irish outhalf's first seasons in their 6Ns how many if any of them have a better kicking stat.

Unfortunately for Crowley he succeeds Sexton but he doesn't have his experience, yet.

In fairness, in Sexton's earlier days he was a flaky goal kicker.

This angle on Crowley is a bit nuts. It's his first full season as the starting 10. He played every minute of every game, sometimes at 15 due to injuries. He steered us to 4 wins and a 1 pt defeat. A defeat where we got bullied up front and he had to play with back foot ball all game. Him and JGP, for me, are far and above any other half back combo in the 6N.

Yes, Crowley is not Sexton. He may never be as good. But he has showed in his 1st 6N campaign as the starting 10 that he is at international level and can do his stuff on this stage. He just turned 24. He's doing fine. None of the other incumbents have shown anything near what Crowley has. He's currently the best option by a long way.

Same goes for Joe McC. He's good enough to warrant his place in the team and will improve. He generated a lot of hype in the France game with his performance but showed his inexperience after that. He will improve and be the cornerstone of the pack.

People need to chill out. We just won a 6N by a country mile, not playing our best rugby. We've blooded 3 new players (Nash, Crowley, Joe McC) in key positions and lost by a pt to an improving England side, away, with the last play of the game. People need to have some perspective.

My summation of where the squad is at post 6N.

1. Probably our position of least depth. Porter is a fantastic player but is still struggling with scrumaging on the loosehad side. See how POM was often positioned on the openside if Porter was scrumaging there. He was coaching him at times. Healy at 36 is our best back up. We need to find someone in the next 3 years here.

2. Well stocked at hooker. Sheehan, Kelleher, Herring & Stewart.

3. Furlong isn't what he used to be but he's still top quality. Bealham has stepped up to this level also. Would be no harm to see a third option emerge.

4&5: In good shape here too. We've 2 good tight head locks, McCarthy & Ryan. And 2 good loosehead locks, Beirne & Baird. Lineout needs sorting out, appears to be a coaching issue. Henderson also there but his injury profile has hampered him throughout his career. Aherne is also a promising prospect.

6: POM most likely finished, a great servant, I've made my opinion known on that. Hopefully Baird can make this jersey his own, has huge potential. Might be an opening for Gavin Coombes now too, but he's failed to push on in the past. Lacks the speed for an international no.8 IMO but could be very useful on the blindside. Cian Prendergast also very promising in this position too. We're well covered.

7: VdF is consistently good, not at previous world player of the year levels but plenty good enough. Timoney well able here too and would love to see John Hodnett get a go here. Maybe on the small side from an international perspective but a great player and a workhorse.

8: Doris and Conan. We're in good shape. Expect Doris to be trialled as the next captain. Let see if he has what it takes.

9: Another worrying position. JGP way ahead of the incumbents. Murray on the way out and Casey still has a lot to improve, albeit going the right way.

10: Crowley firmly in charge. Not at Sexton's level, yet. Remains to be seen if he can get there. Good 1st 6N as the starter, a 7/10. IMO Ross Byrne is the best of the rest currently, even if others have a higher ceiling.

11: A mixed bag by Lowe, some great try scoring but a few of the old defensive frailties popped up at times. Still a top player. Need to see a few more blindside wings come through. Shane Daly promising here but lacks all out pace.

12 & 13. Aki is the man, simple as. McCloskey a worthy deputy. Henshaw and Ringrose cover us well for outside centre. No major worries across those 4 guys.

14: Missed Hansen's creativity and playmaker this season. Nash however did really well, strong, pacy runner and good under the high ones. Good that we developed depth here during the 6N.

15: Problem position. Keenan is world class, no doubting that. We just don't have a natural replacement. Would like to see Mike Haley get a run in SA, think he's the best of the rest. Need to be bringing more than one 15 to tournaments in the future.

Overall we're in great shape, a few positions light on cover that need developing.

Doris has had another excellent campaign. Plays at a high level every game. One of the best players in the world.

Interesting comments on Crowley, other countries Rugby media has been overwhelmingly positive about him. Most saying how Ireland haven't missed Sexton and a couple bemoaning the fact he wasn't given the last 10 minutes of WC 1/4. He is a way better athlete than either of the Byrne brothers, he is also a better clearly a much better defender. Some of the execution of his kicks on Saturday were poor but I'm not sure many on here remember some of Sexton's early games for Ireland.