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It’s going to hurt for awhile - Ireland 2024

Frisch called up by France. Could be a missed opportunity for Ireland with McCloskey rumoured to be heading overseas.
 
Think McCloskey is locked in for next season (according to a couple of tweets I saw). Jamie Osbourne already ahead of Frisch, I reckon Frawley and Jimmy O'Brien are too. Connacht have a bit of a baller in Cathal Forde too who, whilst not at Frisch's level just yet, is 5 years younger and certainly not miles away.

He'd be a nice to have at most rather than need to have.

A lot of twitter having a go at Farrell and the IRFU but it's a French guy not good enough to get into recent Ireland squads going to, potentially, play for France. Let it develop and move on from there I think.
 
To be fair at current time I think Frisch is a better 13 than all mentioned by a bit. Osborne has potential but needs to convert potential in to breaking in to squads. Jimmy O B and Frawley are ahead as centres but neither are 13s and I think the Frawley experiment may die soon.
Frisch is 27 and nice bridge too between young and old. Wheather we like it or not Aki, Henshaw and McCloskey will all be done in next 24 to 36 months.
On McCloskey he has another year but Ulster have offered an early release.
 
Objectively hilarious, but the amount of Bok fans that have latched onto this online has actually got me considering siding with S*xton
 
Reiko making fun of Johnny on instagram, less impactful when Reiko has never sniffed at the level Johnny played at rather then getting one over in him in a game that his opposite number totally outplayed him.

I agree with most of what Johnny says, think the results since (and during) the WC show we're as good as SA and the run in before was better. Didn't win it though and I think it was a choke because of what was on the line. Saying what he did was always going to get a backlash.

Johnny spoke his mind though, always has, and don't think he cares one bit what people think about him. Comfortably a legend of the game.
 
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Fine man, Sexton. I've always said it
 
Squad named tomorrow. Don't expect many surprises.

Hookers will be interesting, guessing it'll be Heffernan, Gus McCarthy and another.

BAU otherwise.
 


Very very settled squad. Props a worry in the mid to long term but obvious succession where needed elsewhere. 4 games without a complete gimme, should be fun.
 
Seems like noone can be disappointed here.
Doris rightfully is captain. This should see POM transition out and I'd say won't be in camp again.
Hopefully Kelleher fit but everyone in squad is deserved and good to see likes of Kindellen, Boyle, Clarkson and McCarthy in for experience as they have all shown good form.
All in all it is a fair squad.
Presuming Conan injured as he only player who isn't in squad who is deserving if fit but presume it is injury.
 
Seems like noone can be disappointed here.
Doris rightfully is captain. This should see POM transition out and I'd say won't be in camp again.
Hopefully Kelleher fit but everyone in squad is deserved and good to see likes of Kindellen, Boyle, Clarkson and McCarthy in for experience as they have all shown good form.
All in all it is a fair squad.
Presuming Conan injured as he only player who isn't in squad who is deserving if fit but presume it is injury.
Agreed with all of the above. Doris potentially has a very long stint as captain ahead of him, he'll be 33 at the 2031 World Cup, old for a number 8 but he's got the quality to make ot work or shift to 6 over the course of the next cycle if the dynamism goes, presumably what the plan for CJ Stander was before his surprise retirement.

A stab at the NZ 23 presuming all are fit:

Porter, Kelleher, Furlong, Beirne, Big Joe, Baird, VdF, Doris, Fetish, Crowley, Lowe, Aki, Ringrose, Hansen, Keenan

Herring, Healy, Bealham, Ryan, POM, Murray, Frawley, Henshaw

Not too many decisions to be made either. Maybe Henshaw starts, Faz seems to prefer him to Ringrose, but equally Osborne could take the 23 spot ahead of him. Baird and Ryan might swap with Beirne at 6 like in SA.
 
Agreed with all of the above. Doris potentially has a very long stint as captain ahead of him, he'll be 33 at the 2031 World Cup, old for a number 8 but he's got the quality to make ot work or shift to 6 over the course of the next cycle if the dynamism goes, presumably what the plan for CJ Stander was before his surprise retirement.

A stab at the NZ 23 presuming all are fit:

Porter, Kelleher, Furlong, Beirne, Big Joe, Baird, VdF, Doris, Fetish, Crowley, Lowe, Aki, Ringrose, Hansen, Keenan

Herring, Healy, Bealham, Ryan, POM, Murray, Frawley, Henshaw

Not too many decisions to be made either. Maybe Henshaw starts, Faz seems to prefer him to Ringrose, but equally Osborne could take the 23 spot ahead of him. Baird and Ryan might swap with Beirne at 6 like in SA.
I think Osborne becomes a serious option at 23. Big strong and can effectively cover centre and 15.
I think Tadhg Beirne is now a lock exclusively. There is too many alternatives at 6.
If fit Conan was playing well there, POM I would not use. This is the where I'd maybe be brave and go (if starting Baird) a Izuchukwu or Cian Prendergast.

10 is a big call too. Jack isn't in great form but I still think he is better than Frawley but Prendergast was heavily invested in for EI tour.
Do they go for it here?

On Doris it is a no brainer. He is young compared . He is world class, a guaranteed starter and being honest he is good at it too.
 
I think Crowley steps up with a firing pack, his form is more indicative of Munster's than the other way around. Frawley hasn't had much time at 10 this year because injuries keep requiring him to shuffle out, he looks better but still the bench guy imo.

On POM, I think he gets the NZ game off the bench where he's always done very well from, and then starts v Fiji as captain for a send off.

Agree on Osborne, would be very harsh to get dropped after SA and Leinster form but the competition in his positions is fierce.
 
I think Crowley steps up with a firing pack, his form is more indicative of Munster's than the other way around. Frawley hasn't had much time at 10 this year because injuries keep requiring him to shuffle out, he looks better but still the bench guy imo.

On POM, I think he gets the NZ game off the bench where he's always done very well from, and then starts v Fiji as captain for a send off.

Agree on Osborne, would be very harsh to get dropped after SA and Leinster form but the competition in his positions is fierce.
Frawley can be a great 10. Big thing for him is to consolidate it at Leinster now though. Yes he is being shuffled out but to be an international 10 he needs to be at 10 consistently. I think Leinster aren't too keen to really invest either as they have Prendergast eyed up as the future 10 and Frawley as the swiss knife back.
On Osborne I agree on the competition part but just think if Keenan went down he keeps that standard at 15 high that Frawley doesn't. Not a negative to Frawley as he is a 10/Centre really. Osborne can do centre, 15 and maybe wing to a high level.
The big question will be balance you'd imagine. In all selections it will be what is the right balance.
 
Frawley can be a great 10. Big thing for him is to consolidate it at Leinster now though. Yes he is being shuffled out but to be an international 10 he needs to be at 10 consistently. I think Leinster aren't too keen to really invest either as they have Prendergast eyed up as the future 10 and Frawley as the swiss knife back.
On Osborne I agree on the competition part but just think if Keenan went down he keeps that standard at 15 high that Frawley doesn't. Not a negative to Frawley as he is a 10/Centre really. Osborne can do centre, 15 and maybe wing to a high level.
The big question will be balance you'd imagine. In all selections it will be what is the right balance.
Agreed yeah, I'm trying to at it from Farrell's POV and tendencies above.
 
Agreed yeah, I'm trying to at it from Farrell's POV and tendencies above.
I wonder though how this AI period goes. Rumours on the inside is after NZ game he will be there but Simon E will be kind of the boss man per session that Faz will observe
 

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