[2024 Six Nations] Ireland v Wales - 14:15, Lansdowne Road

[Smurfy]

I think that's a mental selection. Really thin for pace and back three cover. Brings Wales into it tbh.

Not sure what the thinking is to be honest, but I think Farrell has shown that he has a clear plan, so it's impossible to believe he hasn't thought it through. It looks like he wants to control the game through 80 minutes and prevent wales getting any momentum, per the Scotland game. It looks like Larmour has completely shat the bed, and I'd ld love to have seen Frisch or Osbourne getting a go, but Frisch doesnt seem to be on the radar and Osbourne is only back after injury. Even so I think even with a couple of injuries to backs we have too much for Wales. Fingers crossed.

 

[g6mcg]

Would Henshaw be the one to move to the back three if there's an injury? Seems an unnecessary risk.

 

[Smurfy]

Would Henshaw be the one to move to the back three if there's an injury? Seems an unnecessary risk.

Yeah, Henshaw to 15, and Murray can fill in at 10 in an emergency, but I think it shows that for all the progress we've made that depth is still an issue, albeit not as bad as it has been so often in the past. With starters Keenan, Ringrose and Hansen, and the next up O'Brien, out, and Larmour being a bit crap, we are running out of bodies in the backs. I also think that 6/2 is something Farrell is playing around with, as shown in the France game.

 

[munstermuffin]

Just on it.

Not shocked at Oli but well done big man. Had said it during week I felt Tom Ahern or himself would be capped.

On the team it a tricky one.

Starting 15 picks itself. No issues. And to be fair Frawley is at 15 but probably the best placed of all the options.

Bench.
Front row:
Healy is on last leg of career but still does a job. No issue as Faz rotating.
Hooker. 2 good hookers not much more to say.
Oli J. Will do a job and is another option. few years ago we no options now we have 4 decent options nad it is now the 1 position all provinces are at least providing an option.
Ryan - Is a good player just unfortunate to be behind 2 World Class players.
Baird & Conan - Both in good form and fact is we have so many top level forwards now that the 6/2 split makes sense. But says something else down further.

Murray - Said it elsewhere too. If it a 6/2 split Murray will be selected as he offers more in terms of if he had to go 10, wing or whereever. Casey vs Murray is tight and Murray will win in these circumstances.
McCloskey a strange 1. A superb player and International 12. But in a 6/2 split it have very little versatility. Yes Henshaw covers 15 but as we have seen before Henshaw not a good 15. He is built as a centre so is slower in alot of things naturally.

But leads me to further - What does this say of how Harry Byrne is viewed. Like realistically would he have made more sense than McCloskey on the basis Crowley can play 12, 15. That puzzled me.
And Ringrose is out. What is the thinking here as he supposedly covered wing last week training. Is he worst off than we think.
And I think Larmour & Stockdale are now officially just there incase of big emergencies.

 

[dirty harry]

From the snippets I've just read there was no question about Beards inclusion over Rowlands even though Howley said ask Gats. Bloody journos. They asked him why Costelow over Lloyd where Gats basically confirmed Costelow is our number 1 fly half moving forward.

Ffs...

isnt there anyone else?!?! I'd genuinely pioneer the idea of giving Robin Wilkins a shot over any of these FHs

 

[Smurfy]

Just on it.

Not shocked at Oli but well done big man. Had said it during week I felt Tom Ahern or himself would be capped.

On the team it a tricky one.

Starting 15 picks itself. No issues. And to be fair Frawley is at 15 but probably the best placed of all the options.

Bench.
Front row:
Healy is on last leg of career but still does a job. No issue as Faz rotating.
Hooker. 2 good hookers not much more to say.
Oli J. Will do a job and is another option. few years ago we no options now we have 4 decent options nad it is now the 1 position all provinces are at least providing an option.
Ryan - Is a good player just unfortunate to be behind 2 World Class players.
Baird & Conan - Both in good form and fact is we have so many top level forwards now that the 6/2 split makes sense. But says something else down further.

Murray - Said it elsewhere too. If it a 6/2 split Murray will be selected as he offers more in terms of if he had to go 10, wing or whereever. Casey vs Murray is tight and Murray will win in these circumstances.
McCloskey a strange 1. A superb player and International 12. But in a 6/2 split it have very little versatility. Yes Henshaw covers 15 but as we have seen before Henshaw not a good 15. He is built as a centre so is slower in alot of things naturally.

But leads me to further - What does this say of how Harry Byrne is viewed. Like realistically would he have made more sense than McCloskey on the basis Crowley can play 12, 15. That puzzled me.
And Ringrose is out. What is the thinking here as he supposedly covered wing last week training. Is he worst off than we think.
And I think Larmour & Stockdale are now officially just there incase of big emergencies.

Would he move Nash to 15? Hes very raw at this level but at least he's played there. Also moving Henshaw leaves us very exposed defensively at 13.

 

[munstermuffin]

Would he move Nash to 15? Hes very raw at this level but at least he's played there. Also moving Henshaw leaves us very exposed defensively at 13.

Possibly or even crazier move Crowley to 15 and Murray to 10 in the scenario Frawley goes off.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Ffs...

isnt there anyone else?!?! I'd genuinely pioneer the idea of giving Robin Wilkins a shot over any of these FHs

My 3, in order, would be Jarrod Evans, Lloyd and I'd make Costelow and Sheedy do paper scissor stone best out of 3 for the final spot.

 

[dirty harry]

Just chatting with some colleagues, we usually all do a little pot on whether Wales will win or not, winner buys the coffees on Monday...

This week after much deliberation it was decided that Wales winning wouldnt be a reality, so we've bet on whether Wales lose by less than Italy do to France.

Finally we have some interest in this game...

 

[Welsh Exile]

Just chatting with some colleagues, we usually all do a little pot on whether Wales will win or not, winner buys the coffees on Monday...

This week after much deliberation it was decided that Wales winning wouldnt be a reality, so we've bet on whether Wales lose by less than Italy do to France.

Finally we have some interest in this game...

My brother thinks we'll keep the loss within 12-15 points. I told him I'll have some of that but he's a lot richer than me so I only stumped up a whopping £5 stake.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Just on it.

Not shocked at Oli but well done big man. Had said it during week I felt Tom Ahern or himself would be capped.

On the team it a tricky one.

Starting 15 picks itself. No issues. And to be fair Frawley is at 15 but probably the best placed of all the options.

Bench.
Front row:
Healy is on last leg of career but still does a job. No issue as Faz rotating.
Hooker. 2 good hookers not much more to say.
Oli J. Will do a job and is another option. few years ago we no options now we have 4 decent options nad it is now the 1 position all provinces are at least providing an option.
Ryan - Is a good player just unfortunate to be behind 2 World Class players.
Baird & Conan - Both in good form and fact is we have so many top level forwards now that the 6/2 split makes sense. But says something else down further.

I find it incredible that Ryan is, correctly, on the bench. He is also a world class player whose injuries nearly certainly condemned Leinster and Ireland in their biggest games last year. Without either POM or VDF you'd have to start him for his offensive ticking work.

But leads me to further - What does this say of how Harry Byrne is viewed. Like realistically would he have made more sense than McCloskey on the basis Crowley can play 12, 15. That puzzled me.
And Ringrose is out. What is the thinking here as he supposedly covered wing last week training. Is he worst off than we think.
And I think Larmour & Stockdale are now officially just there incase of big emergencies.

HB doesn't suit a 6/2 as much as McCloskey doesn't. If it's HB and a wing goes down you've Crowley and the wing out of position.

I think it's dynamic selection similar to SA in the World Cup. Certain guys were only used in the 7/1, 6/2 or 5/3 splits - HB is a 5/3 guy. Or maybe he'll be replaced by big bro in two weeks but probably not based off his Benetton runout where Prendergast came on and showed him up.

Ringrose baffles me a bit but all the 12s are on top form, presume Farrell is rewarding that.

We were similarly thin in areas before the Wales game last year and Faz applauded the adversity so something similar here is hopeful on the cards!

 

[munstermuffin]

I find it incredible that Ryan is, correctly, on the bench. He is also a world class player whose injuries nearly certainly condemned Leinster and Ireland in their biggest games last year. Without either POM or VDF you'd have to start him for his offensive ticking work.


HB doesn't suit a 6/2 as much as McCloskey doesn't. If it's HB and a wing goes down you've Crowley and the wing out of position.

I think it's dynamic selection similar to SA in the World Cup. Certain guys were only used in the 7/1, 6/2 or 5/3 splits - HB is a 5/3 guy. Or maybe he'll be replaced by big bro in two weeks but probably not based off his Benetton runout where Prendergast came on and showed him up.

Ringrose baffles me a bit but all the 12s are on top form, presume Farrell is rewarding that.

We were similarly thin in areas before the Wales game last year and Faz applauded the adversity so something similar here is hopeful on the cards!

Don't get me wrong. Not criticism of Faz as all lads are in form. I think regardless if Frawley drops it could get messy regards restructuring regardless. More so McCloskey is in top form but isn't versatile I suppose in area you need with this approach

 

[IT157]

Beard to get a well deserved MOTM award.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ringer wasn't available apparently. Selection makes sense now, Stockdale and Larmour are passengers in the squad and not to be used.

 

[Reiser99]

Tbh after winning well against a good Italian side, it makes sense to experiment against a weaker side.

 

[dullonien]

Ringer wasn't available apparently. Selection makes sense now, Stockdale and Larmour are passengers in the squad and not to be used.

Stockdale was appalling vs Ospreys on the weekend!

 

[dirty harry]

Stockdale was appalling vs Ospreys on the weekend!

What the hell has happened to that guy, he broke onto the season and looked cracking, then slowly degraded in quality over the following seasons...

Is he the Alex Cuthbert of Ireland?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Stockdale was appalling vs Ospreys on the weekend!

What the hell has happened to that guy, he broke onto the season and looked cracking, then slowly degraded in quality over the following seasons...

Is he the Alex Cuthbert of Ireland?

A couple gnarly injuries and a failed conversion to fullback massively dented his pace and confidence respectively. Looked to be coming back to something like his old self just prior to the WC but was never going to get past the starters and Jimmy O'Brien.

Has been pretty awful this year and probably only in the squad due to injuries. I don't rate Larmour as much more than a serviceable club winger who's made look better finishing easy opportunities for Leinster so we're really not in great nick if another winger gets injured, the back three is already looking weak.

Fancy a few recent and current 20s to be in the mix in the next 4 years fortunately.

 

[Groundhog]

Stockdale is such a what if for us. Injury ruined him. He's also absolutely a confidence player and very little of that to be had right now.

Wouldn't be surprised if Shane Daly is next man off the block, although if you're looking for pace he is not your man.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Stockdale is such a what if for us. Injury ruined him. He's also absolutely a confidence player and very little of that to be had right now.

Wouldn't be surprised if Shane Daly is next man off the block, although if you're looking for pace he is not your man.

Not often mentioned but I have hope for Ethan McIlroy. Back from injury, a couple years in a hopefully resurgent Ulster and better defence he looks very rounded.

Otherwise hard to see past Mcerlean, O'Connor and McLaughlin as the next crop. Starting to produce big men in the country but speed is still not common. Bring back Denis Hickie.