Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Agreed with the views expressed here, don’t see the logic in being so prescriptive (injury crises for example could easily occur) and announcing it publicly like this feels a bit performative.

The only way it makes sense to go public is if they are exasperated by the amount the Provinces come asking for permission to sign NIQ frontrowers. Maybe they're trying to change a mindset and make provincial coaches more positive about backing homegrown players.

I think Nash is generally alright under the high ball but he definitely struggled there last weekend. I don't think he won a single catch and 3-4 came his way including a great crossfield bomb from Crowley which Nash had a clear run at and let it go straight through his hands when unchallenged.

If it is a blanket ban then it is possibly against EU employment law.

“It’s not about putting pressure on the provinces, but they need to develop props to ensure that they are competitive, both now and as they need to replace some of the more senior players coming through.

“There’s every likelihood because of the challenge we have in the frontrow positions, that from next year onwards there won’t be frontrow forwards coming into the provinces that won’t be Irish qualified.

“Andy [Farrell] can’t go out and sign foreign players, so we have got to find ways to make sure that, yes, we have a national responsibility, but that starts with the provinces and the pressure will be on them.

“You have got to deliver those players to make you be competitive. If they do that, because of the way our system is structured and the game time and opportunities, those players will come through and develop into international players.”

That's a perfectly reasonable statement from Humphreys

The IRFU are talking direct to the provinces, why would they need to go into the public?

Now I know some discussions have been leaked to the press and fans get all up in arms because XYZ isn't getting signed but that is just going to increase if the IRFU/Humphreys think the best thing is to do everything via the media

They shouldn't have to change the coaches mindset, when they become a provincial coach the role should be very clear

Well, Nucifora certainly seemed to hold the view that the Munster coaches needed to be encouraged to view things differently. Talking about the 2022 EI tour, he said:

“What it enabled the provinces to do was to see their provincial players in a different light with different coaches. From that, it turned Munster’s season around. They started selecting players they weren’t selecting. It was a definite change; it isn’t the sole reason [they won the URC] but it was a big part of it. For the national coaches it was a way for them to be able to get a better understanding of the talent pool.”

People are influencable by the information they see and hear. If it's in the public domain that no NIQ frontrowers are allowed it's likely that coaches' thinking will change somewhat because it'll just become accepted that looking for signings isn't an option.

Harry Byrne being very publicly told that his international career is over for the foreseeable future in those comments also.

leinster players been told that before for not moving.

Which was a twitter link of Nucifora saying no NIQ signing in front row

So struggling to see how that affects Harry Byrne?

Ahh I get it now, the RTE link and these comments

"If you're happy to sit third, maybe fourth choice when you could be
playing somewhere else and potentially developing your career that's not
the sort of player that will be travelling to places like this [South
Africa] on tour."

Harry Byrne played more games last season for Leinster than the others 10 in Leinster. So how is he 3rd or 4th?

More of a pop at Deegan who Ulster wanted and Im sure pissed off Humphreys when he didn't go, also was captain of the last EI tour so that would make more sense than Harry

I updated post, it was to RTE link, as I posted the comments I would see directed at Deegan and not Harry who played more games last season for Leinster at 10 than the other players.

Deegan is 3/4th in his position and travelled on last EI tour as captain?

I think it's fair enough. On a two-game tour, a lot of players will always go home with zero game time, so if you underperform in game 1 and there's a guy who's very close in terms of ability or form, then it's only fair to give the second guy an opportunity.

I'm sure a few players will keep their spots this week despite being underwhelming last week, of course

How?

IRFU can determine who they do and don't employ. No rugby player has a right to be offered a contract by the provinces/IRFU

If Player in English Premiership, LHP Joe Smith runs down his contract with Saracens, whay case does he have against an Irish Provinces or the IRFU ?

Does a job looking for Spanish speakers for translations work break EU law for Italians, Germans, French etc people who don't speak spanish?

Everyone's favorite bicycling enthusiast. Can't view him, as I'm blocked, but presume it's a whinge about the IRFU and Leinster?

Basically he's saying that IRFU would be breaching EU law by refusing to allow EU national NIQs to play here.

I mean, it's absolute nonsense, so he's clearly not a very good lawyer.

To even get off the ground, you'd need a province to sue the IRFU.