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Why fans fear Andy Farrell's Irish evolution is moving too slowly
By Josh Raisey
A couple of injuries across the Ireland team have forced Andy Farrell to make some changes ahead of Wales’ visit to the Aviva Stadium this Saturday.
Peter O’Mahony starts at blindside in place of Caelan Doris, with CJ Stander moving to No8, while uncapped Max Deegan is on the bench. In the backs, Robbie Henshaw replaces Garry Ringrose, with Keith Earls promoted to the bench.
While the win over Scotland last weekend pleased Farrell, particularly in light of the performance that Gregor Townsend’s side put it, there will be plenty of areas he will want to improve upon.
However, one thing that has concerned many supporters is that this starting XV is similar enough to the one that started against the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final - 11 players who started in Tokyo start here (13 started the World Cup win over Scotland in Yokohama).
This would not usually be a concern, except Ireland were comprehensively humbled by the All Blacks.
(Continue reading below...)
Andy Farrell and Johnny Sexton talk following Ireland's 19-12 win over Scotland last weekend
Many expected this to be a new era under Farrell, but that has not necessarily been reflected in starting selection.
But the bench offers much more promise with rookie Deegan and one of the form players in Europe, John Cooney, who is at the centre of selection debate.
It is not solely the personnel that let Ireland down at the RWC though, rather the hackneyed approach of former coach Joe Schmidt which was no longer bringing the success it did in 2018.
A change in style from Farrell may be all that is needed rather than wholesale changes to the squad.
While there were still some remnants in the way Ireland attacked from the Schmidt era against Scotland, namely the wrap-around for Johnny Sexton’s try, there were also changes in Ireland’s attacking structure.
What’s more, many players have picked up their form since the RWC, particularly with Leinster and Ulster playing so well, and they warrant their Test team selection.
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Latest Comments
It is if he thinks he’s got hold of the ball and there is at least one other player between him and the ball carrier, which is why he has to reach around and over their heads. Not a deliberate action for me.
Go to commentsI understand, but England 30 years ago were a set piece focused kick heavy team not big on using backs.
Same as now.
South African sides from any period will have a big bunch of forwards smashing it up and a first five booting everything in their own half.
NZ until recently rarely if ever scrummed for penalties; the scrum is to attack from, broken play, not structured is what we’re after.
Same as now.
These are ways of playing very ingrained into the culture.
If you were in an English club team and were off to Fiji for a game against a club team you’d never heard of and had no footage of, how would you prepare?
For a forward dominated grind or would you assume they will throw the ball about because they are Fijian?
A Fiji way. An English way.
An Australian way depends on who you’ve scraped together that hasn’t been picked off by AFL or NRL, and that changes from generation to generation a lot of the time.
Actually, maybe that is their style. In fact, yes they have a style.
Nevermind. Fuggit I’ve typed it all out now.
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