Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Keenan was starting for club prior to 6N's, he had a good consecutive run of pro14 games including the semi & final

He then played a quarter final of CC.

It was looking v likely that he would remain a starter for Leinster post his 6nations debut.

I agree with you that Farrell doesn't see Crowley as the 1st choice 10, that's his call to make

Nonsense. Ireland have lost one game to a strong French team.

Crowley was unlikely to get a run at 10 when he was selected as a utility back in a 6/2 split.

This juvenile sniping is really tiresome. I can't believe grown adults are persisting with it.

I dunno, maybe they want to reach a world cup in two years time with 2 10s with starting experience in big matches and the only way to do that is expose them well out from the world cup with Crowley getting last year and Prendergast this year. With the clear first choice in place by next years six nations.

To quote an earlier post in the thread..occam's razor

Dead rubber? Explain that one please.

I've seen a few throw away comments like that, can only interpret that as either a defeatist mentality or not really understanding how the 6 Nations works, and what it means to the IRFU finances.

Ireland are first up this weekend, and can literally take top spot with a win. A win with a try bonus point would put Ireland 3 points clear at the top. The bigger the points difference the better as it would put Ireland ahead of England if it came down to points difference for second place.

So, a big win tomorrow would put all the pressure on England to win away in Wales with a bonus point to overtake us, and it also would mean that France would have to draw with a try bonus point or win at home against Scotland to take the Championship. There is also the possibility that England will get a win with a try bonus point and that could put even more pressure on France. If either France or England lose we would move up to second place, if both lose we would take the third Championship in a row.

Now the likelihood is that both England and France will win and possibly win well, but there is no way the match against Italy is a dead rubber. We are up first, and there are a lot of possibilities, everything to play for still. First team to win 3 in a row is still possible.

Hopium. It's a dead rubber.

Ireland are coming 3rd.

If anyone in the IRFU thought any different they'd start their best outhalf who they clearly believe to be SP.

Nope. It's a last gasp asre covering exercise.

Which literally nobody fails to see beyond.

Contract expiring: Crowley & Conan.

Are Lowe, Osborne, Kelleher and S.Prendergast contracts also expiring?

15. Hugo Keenan - CC 2025/26

14. Mack Hansen - CC 2026/27

13. Garry Ringrose - CC 2027/28

12. Robbie Henshaw - CC 2027/28

11. James Lowe - Leinster Apr 2023 / (PONI?) / EXPIRY 2025?

10. Jack Crowley - Munster Dec 2022 / EXPIRY 2024/25

9. Jamison Gibson-Park - Leinster Feb 2022 / (July 2024 CC TBC)

1. Andrew Porter - CC 2024/25

2. Dan Sheehan - CC 2025/26

3. Finlay Bealham - Connacht 2025/26 / (PONI?)

4. James Ryan - CC 2027/28

5. Tadhg Beirne - CC 2026/27

6. Jack Conan - Leinster EXPIRY 2024/25

7. Josh van der Flier - CC 2025/26

8. Caelan Doris - CC 2026/27

Replacements:

16. Gus McCarthy - Leinster Academy Yr 2

17. Jack Boyle - Leinster May 2024

18. Tadhg Furlong - CC 2026/27

19. Joe McCarthy - CC 2027/28

20. Peter O’Mahony - Expiry 2025

21. Conor Murray - Expiry 2025

22. Sam Prendergast – Leinster Aug 2023 / EXPIRY 2025?

23. Bundee Aki - CC 2025/26

Jamie Osborne - Leinster Mar 2023/ EXPIRY 2025?

Ronan Kelleher - Leinster Apr 2023 / (PONI?) / EXPIRY 2025?

It’s weird how often this is said over the last +10 years…and the Ireland manage to find ways of getting even better.

As a proud Irish rugby supporter I have to say that this thread is beyond embarrassing.

mod: warned.

then surely using that logic they would want to go the World Cup with 2 experienced players at each position, not just 10.

We absolutely would want that, yes.

And we do, in literally every position except loose-head. Now that Healy is gone, we don't have much choice but to solve that one.

So what's the problem?

to add to that, crowley was only involved v fiji because frawley was injured and was in turn, only involved v Aus because Carbery was injured. the fact that he ended up starting that game was down to a freak run of injuries where the 3 choices above him in line (CF, JC, JS) all somehow got injured in turn.

Squidge has some interesting insights but I'm not sure I'd hang my hat on that one tbh.

It is an interesting stat, but lies, damn lies and statistics

Crowley often finished at 10 having started at 12 early on, getting valuable minutes and learning to tackle and developing physically

Sam doesn't really seem like the kind of player who could be relied upon at any other position

True but one thing I can always give credit to Squidge for is he takes all the emotion out of the equation and just says it like it is.

It's clear reading online with fans/journalists that many seem to have a real chip on their shoulder with Prendergast and refuse to give him credit no matter what he does. This makes it very difficult to get objective analysis on him.