Youth over experience? Picking an Ireland form XV
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has had three weeks of PRO14 action to digest and dissect since rugby returned in the nation. And while Farrell won’t make any drastic decisions based on a handful of matches, the first few outings for the provinces in almost six months will have given him plenty to think about as Ireland’s autumn Test schedule inches closer.
To nobody’s surprise Leinster remain the team to beat in the competition and Leo Cullen’s side will once again provide the spine of the Ireland teams that will take to the field in October and November.
A mixed season for Connacht fizzled out as soon as it resumed, while Ulster can end their campaign on a high if they upset the odds against Leinster in this weekend’s all-Irish PRO14 final.
And as pleasing as Leinster’s swift return to form will have been for Farrell, Munster’s tame PRO14 exit will be of real concern, their only score in a 13-3 semi-final loss to Leinster coming via the boot of JJ Hanrahan with five minutes played. That rudderless display could mean veterans such as Peter O’Mahony and CJ Stander will find their places in the Ireland team come under real threat, particularly if Leinster’s young stars carry their impressive form into the Champions Cup.
If Farrell was to sit down this week and pick an Ireland team on form, some big names would have to be omitted. At the same time, some of Ireland’s most tried and tested players came back from lockdown looking firing fit and hungry for action.
Here, we take a look at what at Ireland form XV might look like after a rugby restart packed full of talking points.
15 Jordan Larmour, Leinster
Larmour is the heir apparent to Rob Kearney, whose international career came to a screeching halt as soon as Farrell took charge. At 23, Larmour still has much to learn about fullback play, but his showing in the semi-final win over Munster was far more promising than his first game back, where he looked rusty and slightly unsure of himself. Those dancing feet and his ability with ball in hand is well known by this stage, but most pleasing is the fact that his aerial game is steadily improving. It is also worth noting that while Jacob’s Stockdale recent move to 15 has looked promising, he only really grew into Ulster’s win over Edinburgh last week when switched back to the wing after a quiet first-half. Watch this space.
14 Andrew Conway, Munster
Had little influence playing on the periphery of Munster’s semi-final defeat, but that was a by-product of an overall system failure as the province were bested in every department. Two weeks previously Munster got Conway on the ball early and often as they used their width, and the former Leinster man was a constant threat, dotting down twice and making some key contributions in general play. Conway, 29, used to flit between fullback and the wing but every one of his 11 starts this season came in the 14 jersey. He has improved defensively and attacks with real purpose, scoring four tries in the three games after the restart.
WOW.@JjHanrahan with a saucy flick back and Andrew Conway powers over – @Munsterrugby are within 2 with 3 minutes left ?
?? Watch Live Now on @PremierSportsTV
?? Watch Live Now on @eirSport#GuinnessPRO14 #LEIvMUN pic.twitter.com/dzmricn8it— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) August 22, 2020
13 Garry Ringrose, Leinster
Injury has often dictated the three into two conundrum presented by Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki in the Ireland midfield battle. You could argue that it’s actually one of the easiest decisions facing Farrell, as all three are proven performers on the biggest stage. However, we’re opting for the fleet-footed Ringrose to partner Connacht’s Aki. Ringrose shone in the round 14 win over Munster, with his try coming via a sumptuous Henshaw assist, and was arguably even better last week. Ringrose even took on captaincy duties for the latter stages of the comfortable 13-3 win over Munster, a sign of the 25-year-old’s increasing maturity. An honourable mention for Chris Farrell too, who delivered a commanding man of the match performance in the first game against Leinster before a quiet outing in the rematch.
12 Bundee Aki, Connacht
Did anybody in Ireland miss rugby more than Bundee Aki? The Connacht centre was a ball of energy following the restart, bringing his usual brute physicality in the win over Ulster before a rip-roaring appearance off the bench against Munster. His team were well beaten, but Aki never gave up the fight, leading the way for Connacht both in carries (10) and metres made (52), and even filling in at Number 8 momentarily. A superstar.
11 James Lowe, Leinster
It has to be, right? Lowe becomes eligible to play for Ireland later this year and as a key component of the Leinster machine he’s widely expected to make the step up to international level as soon as possible. While he hasn’t hit his own supreme heights with ball in hand in recent weeks he’s still been a solid, reliable presence in the Leinster team. Crucially for Farrell, Lowe’s defence effort and love of hard work can’t be faulted. Stockdale will be his main rival for the shirt but with the Ulster man pushed back to fullback for his province recently, Lowe is well placed to jump straight in at the deep end with Ireland. It could be the injection of energy they badly need.
And that was that.@JamesLowe_03 summing up @leinsterrugby’s physically dominant display by bringing down the hammer to end the game ?
Fair result?#GuinnessPRO14 # LEIvMUN pic.twitter.com/Ai8jjNtkQg
— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) September 4, 2020
10 Johnny Sexton, Leinster
Sexton has made no secret of the fact he wants to follow the Tom Brady route and still be playing at the top level at 40. We’re not sure how realistic that is, but for now the 35-year-old is nailed on as Ireland’s first-choice out-half. The coronavirus lockdown doesn’t appear to have had any ill-effects either. In the two games against Munster a beefed-up Sexton was at his authoritative best, keen to get involved and running the game superbly. A handful of wonderfully timed passes provided the icing on the cake in the first meeting, before a more measured performance second time out. He remains Ireland’s main man.
9 John Cooney, Ulster
The Conor Murray debate will continue to rage. The Munster scrum-half has come under plenty of scrutiny over the last couple of years and consistency remains the problem. In the first defeat to Leinster the zip was back in Murray’s pass and his diligence was a key factor in keeping the game a contest right into the final five minutes. Yet when the teams met again in the semi-final his play looked predictable (14 box-kicks!) and slow. Cooney has grown into a game-changer for Ulster and offers a bit of spark, even if last week’s win over Edinburgh wasn’t a vintage outing as injury cut his evening short. He was flying it before the lockdown hit and after playing understudy to Murray in the Six Nations, Farrell must be tempted to bump him up again.
1 Cian Healy, Leinster
Scrummaging well but more subdued than usual in general play recently. Thing is, even if Healy looks slightly off-colour he still tends to deliver solid performances, including a try in his first game back against Munster. He’s Ireland’s premier loosehead and at 32, shows no sign of handing over his shirt anytime soon. Munster’s Dave Kilcoyne is his most live threat but is currently sidelined with an ankle problem.
2 Rob Herring, Ulster
Herring started all three of Ireland’s Six Nations fixtures before coronavirus hit and hasn’t done anything to warrant losing his place. He will, however, face stiff competition from Ronan Kelleher. At his best Kelleher is as dynamic a hooker as you could hope for – he’s on nine tries for the season – but has been subject to the odd shaky moment at the lineout. Ulster’s Herring offers more security, for now, and is no stranger to the try-line himself with two in his last two outings. Another close call for Farrell, with Connacht’s Dave Heffernan also coming off the back of an excellent season.
3 Andrew Porter, Leinster
Porter’s reliability is evident in the fact that Leinster haven’t missed Tadhg Furlong as he recovers from a back injury. The 24-year old tighthead has been rock solid since the restart, including a 100 per cent tackle rate of 12 from 12 in the two games against Munster. Furlong’s experience will probably win the day if he is fit come the Autumn Tests, but if he’s not available, Farrell won’t lose too much sleep.
4 Tadhg Beirne, Munster
Beirne has fallen victim of his own versatility with Ireland, providing a handy bench option in covering both the second and back rows. Yet his recent displays for Munster suggests he is ready for a lead role. Used at lock, Beirne has been a menace at the breakdown and a constant threat in the air. One of the few Munster players who emerged with any credit from the limp semi-final loss, although adding to his carrying game would do his international ambitions no harm.
5 Devin Toner, Leinster
The man who won’t go away. It’s a year now since Joe Schmidt left Toner out of his World Cup squad, but the Leinster lock has reacted admirably, putting his head down and deservedly returning to the international fold under Farrell. Ryan Baird may be the next big thing at Leinster, but Toner’s experience was to the fore in recent weeks, playing 177 minutes from a possible 240 in Leinster’s three PRO14 fixtures, and providing a crucial late interception in the first game back. Toner didn’t start that round 14 game against Munster but was reinstated for the semi-final. It is hardly coincidence that Leinster’s lineout success jumped from 72 per cent to 83 per cent while Munster’s fell from 100 per cent to 78 per cent. A safe, if not overly ambitions choice who would deserve a starting berth with Ireland, but of course, the return of James Ryan could change everything.
6 Caelan Doris, Leinster
This is where things get really interesting. We already know Farrell rates Doris highly, starting him against Scotland in the Six Nations only for a head injury to end his evening after just a couple of minutes. Having shown faith in him before, Farrell may well turn to the Leinster starlet again. At just 22 Doris is showing a maturity beyond his years on the pitch and is bossing players with much more experience. His decision making is excellent, and he is making a real impact on every game he plays. No player made more carries (14) or beat more defenders (3) against Munster last week, and only James Lowe made more metres (60) than Doris (52). A whirlwind of energy and ambition that stood in stark contrast to the predictability of some of the Munster veterans he was up against. That won’t go unnoticed.
7 Will Connors, Leinster
Another young gun making a real name for himself. Farrell may be wary of throwing too much youth into his team, but if he’s picking on form he can’t ignore Leinster’s emerging backrow stars and Connors was perhaps the standout performer in the semi-final win. He was the top tackler at the Aviva, missing one of his 14 tackles against Munster in a stoic defensive effort. Of course the 24-year-old has been doing it all year, leading the PRO14 tackle count with 191. He has started 11 of his 13 appearances and has probably edged out Josh van der Flier as Leinster’s first-choice openside. Expect to see him showcase those trademark chop tackles on the Test stage later this year.
8 Jack Conan, Leinster
Conan has tended to play second best to CJ Stander at Test level, and admittedly there is probably little to pick between the two at the moment. Stander’s influence waned against Leinster last week after an excellent display in their first meeting, while Conan has been consistent, if not outstanding, since returning from a long term injury absence. Stander offers more security on the ball than most, but Conan is able to mix things up more in attack. If Farrell wants to make his team a more open, attacking side, Conan is his man, and another couple of solid displays against Ulster and Saracens would seal the deal.
REPLACEMENTS:
16 – Ronan Kelleher, Leinster
Made a blistering start to his senior career but has looked slightly less assured in recent games, leaving the door open for Herring to continue as starting hooker.
17 – Jack McGrath, Ulster
Farrell’s loosehead options look a little light. Dave Kilcoyne is injured and while Jeremy Loughman has had some promising displays, he endured a night to forget against Leinster on Friday. British and Irish Lion McGrath seems the most obvious bench option, and could be pushed by Ulster team-mate Eric O’Sullivan.
18 – Tom O’Toole, Ulster
Andrew Porter owned this jersey when Tadhg Furlong was fit so who fills his boots if Porter is required to step up? Munster pair Stephen Archer and John Ryan haven’t done enough recently to convince. Finlay Bealham is a reliable option having recently returned from injury but Farrell may opt for Ulster’s O’Toole, who was part of the Six Nations squad earlier this year.
19 – Ryan Baird, Leinster
We can’t pick James Ryan in a form team as he’s yet to return from injury, so by that measure the all-action Ryan Baird would be a great bench option behind the more experienced pairing of Beirne and Toner.
20 – CJ Stander, Munster
No opponent would want to see a fresh-looking Stander entering the action with 20 minutes to play. With Leinster’s young stars the current form players, Stander could offer quality cover at six and eight, and has done more to warrant his inclusion over fellow back-rower Peter O’Mahony.
21 – Conor Murray, Munster
Still a top-quality operator, and struggles against Leinster can’t be solely laid at his door. That said, he’s not been the Conor Murray of old recently and is no longer a shoe-in with John Cooney flourishing at Ulster.
22 – Ian Madigan, Ulster
Ice in his veins to slot two crucial kicks against Edinburgh. With Joey Carbery still injured, is it time for a return to the green jersey?
The kick that sent @Ian_madigan and @UlsterRugby through to the Final to face his former side Leinster ??
The definition of clutch.#GuinnessPRO14 #EDIvULS pic.twitter.com/T9ROyYroBC
— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) September 5, 2020
23- Jacob Stockdale, Ulster
Fullback experiment still needs time, but with James Lowe entering the picture Stockdale could cover both wing and fullback from the bench.
Comments on RugbyPass
Exeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
29 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
11 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
29 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
86 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
86 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh 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 their @r$e$ one week later?
29 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?
4 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!
4 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.
13 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!
11 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.
11 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… 😉😂
11 Go to comments