Winners and losers from Andy Farrell's Ireland squad announcement
Andy Farrell has shown his hand ahead of this month’s resumption of the Six Nations, as Ireland go into their back matches against Italy at home on October 24 and away to France a week later knowing two bonus-point wins will secure them the title.
Having emerged from Joe Schmidt’s slipstream, the three-game-old Farrell era opened last February with home wins in Dublin over Scotland and Wales before alarm bells sounded with the comprehensive Triple Crown defeat to England in London.
A half-dozen players who featured in that sobering loss have not made the 35-strong squad chosen for the tournament’s resumption.
Most of those absences are attributed to injury but there are some feel-good developments as well with the including of a half-dozen uncapped players. Here, RugbyPass nominates three biggest winners and three biggest losers from the latest Farrell Ireland pick.
LOSERS – Devin Toner, Johny Cooney, Tadhg Furlong
Devin Toner: There was so much warmth at the start of the year when Farrell recalled the long-serving row to the Ireland set-up. Many fans felt the Leinster lock was shabbily treated by Schmidt, World Rugby’s new director of rugby and high performance, when axed for the World Cup in Japan and his return proved popular in the opening games at a jam-packed Aviva Stadium.
The 34-year-old came unstuck at Twickenham, however, and his issues against opponents such as Maro Itoje were repeated in last month’s Champions Cup loss to Saracens. Clubmate Ryan Baird, one of the uncapped six inclusions, is a very exciting nod to the future, but Toner’s current place in the pecking order is amplified by Quinn Roux’s inclusion.
John Cooney: With so many supporters feeling frustrated with Ireland’s box-kicking tactics marshalled by Conor Murray, there was quite a campaign last winter to get the Ulster scrum-half into the Ireland equation after he missed the World Cup.
It worked. Cooney earned caps off the bench in all three Ireland games so far under Farrell. However, his form has dipped post-lockdown and after finding himself benched for last month’s PRO14 final, he is now also out of the Ireland loop.
He’s not alone in that situation. Luke McGrath, Schmidt’s favoured back-up to Murray, is also excluded with the uncapped Jamison Gibson-Park, the Kiwi who qualifies under residency, and Kieran Marmion called in to challenge Murray who has recently been nursing a thigh injury.
Tadhg Furlong: The backbone of the Ireland pack was missed by Leinster last month, their scrum enduring a torrid time in the loss to Saracens. Every week there was a suggestion in his club’s injury update that he was close to a return from a back problem but that wasn’t the case and he will now see him miss Ireland’s Six Nations title bid due to what has become a calf issue.
The onus will be on clubmate Andrew Porter to fill the void and it will be a tall order given how Furlong would be in the conversation for 2021 Lions selection if fit after starring in 2017 while Porter is still coming of age at Test level. Without a match since last February, Furlong won’t like leaving it too long before getting back into the swing of things as this 2020/21 year should be culminating in a trip to South Africa for him provided he is healthy.
WINNERS – Stuart McCloskey, Shane Daly, Ed Byrne
Stuart McCloskey: The Ulster midfielder has always been a RugbyPass favourite for his ability to challenge the gain line and offer offloads to try and add tempo and create space. The 28-year-old only ever won three caps under Schmidt, whose more conservative-minded approach frowned on players not protecting the ball and offering up turnovers, but Farrell appears to be in the mood to tease out alternative approaches to Ireland’s attack.
Hopefully, he now has the confidence that his face does fit at international level and he can question the usual midfield four consisting of Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose and Chris Farrell. A big training week awaits next week.
Shane Daly: Amid so much commentary about Munster’s predictability under Johann van Graan, the emergence of the 23-year-old is a hopeful sign that the province can come up with a different threat and start better challenging opposition.
Daly, who tweaked a groin in a recent Munster A-team friendly, didn’t look out of place in the resumption of the 2019/20 PRO14 and while wing colleague Keith Earls is absent through injury, Andrew Conway will be a useful confidante in helping the youngster transition from club to country to try and put pressure on Jordan Larmour after he took over the No15 shirt from Rob Kearney.
Ed Byrne: The uncapped 27-year-old loosehead is a name few if any would have considered for an international call-up but with Munster’s Dave Kilcoyne out of the equation through injury, a door had opened for someone to step up and provide cover behind Cian Healy.
Byrne didn’t have the best of times coming off the Leinster bench in last month’s European loss, conceding some penalties that sucked the momentum from his team’s unsuccessful second-half comeback, but his section of the front row is one area where Ireland don’t have extravagant riches and it will be very interesting to see how he fits in.
6??rookies included, 5 from Leinsterhttps://t.co/wNM8oryaJT
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 8, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on the @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
2 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
2 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to comments