JUST OUTSIDE THE press conference room, the staff at Ireland’s team hotel in uMhlanga were lighting the fires for the braai that Andy Farrell and his players will enjoy this evening.
It’s proper South African dining for the tourists as the dust settles on their team announcement, which included the revelation that Peter O’Mahony has been dropped to the bench as 26-year-old Caelan Doris takes over as Ireland skipper.
We’ve seen a few times now how Farrell has different views to Leinster on pecking order and positions, this just the latest example.
Garry Ringrose and James Ryan are Leinster’s co-captains, but Farrell is backing Doris as O’Mahony’s successor in the green jersey. This weekend will be Doris’ second time leading Ireland out as captain, having done it in the Six Nations against Italy a few months ago
New Year’s Day was the first time Doris ever captained a senior professional team and he admitted after Leinster’s home defeat to Ulster that he had erred in his dealings with the referee.
A couple of weeks later, Doris stated his firm belief that he wasn’t in the running to succeed Johnny Sexton as Ireland skipper and it was O’Mahony who was handed the job.
The Munster man retained the captaincy for this tour of South Africa but it was Doris who assumed the leadership when O’Mahony went off with 30 minutes of the first Test remaining. And now with the 34-year-old dropping to the bench, Doris is Farrell’s man.
Doris’ tricky dealings with Luke Pearce last weekend mean he has a bit to ponder as he gets stuck into his prawns, boerewors and steak this evening ahead of Saturday’s second Test in Durban. Farrell believes Doris is ready.
“I’m more than fully confident,” said Farrell. “I thought he was excellent at the weekend.
“I think first and foremost, he leads from the front. He’s in outstanding form. His performance last week, never mind the leadership or captaincy bit, he was outstanding. Be the best version of yourself – that’s the best form of leadership.
“He’s a calming influence, he’s bright. The questions that he’s going to the referees with are the right ones. His manner is very good as well.
“I’m sure as Caelan goes through his leadership roles, hopefully there will be many more as far as captaincy is concerned, albeit he is still in that infancy as far as trying to get some more experience, hence why he’s got this opportunity.
“He’ll continue to have respect for himself, as a captain, as a leader, but also in the eyes of the referees as well.
Farrell has also been encouraged by O’Mahony’s reaction to his decision to drop him from the starting XV as James Ryan comes into the second row and Tadhg Beirne shifts to blindside flanker.
The Ireland boss said O’Mahony’s selfless streak meant it wasn’t a difficult conversation.
“It was very easy because of how he is as a person,” said Farrell. “You don’t expect those conversations to be easy and don’t get me wrong, he’s not accepting and he’s not happy obviously but he does the right thing for the team.
“That’s at the forefront of his mind constantly and that’s proper leadership. He understands that we want to have a look in this direction to see how it goes. He’s the captain of this tour and it shows the mark of the man how you lead after a bit of disappointment, how you carry on being yourself or not.
“He’s on the bench for a reason. He makes people feel good, it’s right when he’s there with his presence and leading. That has been so evident over the last couple of days so he couldn’t have done a better job in that regard.”
Farrell confirmed that Bundee Aki was ruled out of the selection mix due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the first Test, the Ireland boss praising Aki as “brave enough to go through the last 20 minutes of the game.”
Farrell also stated that Robbie Henshaw had been cleared of concussion despite being replaced at half time of the first Test after a heavy collision when his head met Siya Kolisi’s shoulder.
“He is concussion not confirmed,” said Farrell.
“He went through protocols 2 and 3 with flying colours, no concussion confirmed, so he has not missed any training this week.”
Asked why Henshaw had been replaced at half time, Farrell indicated that Henshaw had failed the off-field HIA1 after an alert in his instrumented mouthgaurd, before the subsequent HIA examinations meant he was cleared of concussion.
“It’s the pings, the pings in the gumshield,” said Farrell.
“Therefore the ruling at this moment in time, pings on the gumshield if it’s before half time, they have to get a HIA at half time. As we know, it’s a tough old process to go through.”
Pity the SA when he comes on he is going to be so angry and cranky which we love
@Square: I think Farrell should have given POM the summer off with a view to him giving it his best in possibly his last season of pro rugby. There was obviously reasons that it didn’t happen – POM probably wanted to go and AF maybe felt there was a dearth of leadership experience in the group. It would have been good to see Cormac Izu.. on this tour.he looks a phenomenal player.
@Michael Corkery: I’d rather he had his send off now and we can focus on development going forward, can’t be sentimental in a professional sport
@Michael Corkery: but he is on squad? Fantastic player
@Michael Corkery: I don’t think POM would have accepted a summer off to be fair
While I love POM – there are a couple of young 6s in the touring panel that could really have done with the experience of test rugby at this level.
Andy should have picked the entire 23 from Leinster see where it got them and Ireland so far
Nick Timony should feck off to France. Jeremy Loughman knows exactly where he stands. Ulster have a front row well capable of playing for any international team. Sorry for the rant but it seems to more of the same Leinster BS
@Brian Gallivan: Ulster’s front row is cat except from herring and maybe Wilson
@Brian Gallivan: feel free to talk out of your RRRRR’s. Whatever the selectors do they don’t pick you because you play for Leinster. It is actually an insult to the guys from elsewhere who play for Ireland to suggest they do. Ireland are much, much better than Leinster because of the guys from elsewhere.
My guess is you aren’t even a rugby fan just a spouting troll
@jajosullivan@aol.com: Wrong on a load of fronts I am a Munster fan for over 25 years. I trust in my judgement but then who knows I watched Timoney single handily carry Ulster all year including beating Leinster single handed. We have played Tadgh Bernie into the ground for both club and country. We have gone with Cian Healy to a Summer series no disrespect what are we going to learn from this. Attempting to convert Tom O Toole to a loose head will either work or fail spectacularly. Insult me and call me a troll if you see fit to do so. I am upset to see Kelyn slip through the Irish systen. I am upset to to loose Frish. I understand Tom o Toole is injured i rate him very highly. But then on this fourm it seems that you Jaj are the only one entitled to an opinion constructive or otherwise
@Gary Galligan: I disagree they are all mobile ball carriers and good scrummagers their club had a bad year that doesn’t make them useless. I understand that Tom Stewart is injured but I rate him very highly by the easy I am a Munster fan.
@Brian Gallivan: munster fan says it all really….anyone but leinster
@Brian Gallivan: that’s a little silly
@Brian Gallivan: if timoney carried ulster singlehandedly why didn’t there fromtrow capable of playing international rugby not help out? Are you saying that frish is better than the leinster centres aki and mccloskey? That klyne is better than the leinster secondrow beirne? You seem to have an issue with converting TOT, did you feel the same when Porter was moved across and back for the good of the country. As a munster fan surely the blame for the lack of players coming through over the past 12 years is far more munsters fault than irelands. Not a single player since Murray and pom has come through until crowley and casey again that’s leinsters fault
@Brian Gallivan: How did Leinster get on in their games in SA this year, if your going by that logic, then surely AF should have selected a Munster 23
@chris mcdonnell: If we go on form, then Frisch was the best 13 across all Province’s in the last 2 years, taking into account that GR was injured a lot, Frisch deserved a shout in an ireland Jersey but was overlooked, and again on form John Hodnett has been the best 7 across all Province’s in the same time period excluding JVF so why not give him a look given that Timoney has played his best games at 8 and we are short on back up 7s
@chris mcdonnell: let’s take your logic Munster have brought through Crowley Casey Nash Berine Healy Klyen Frish all to international standard. On the Ulster side of things they do not have locks of the standard required therefore the disconnect between front row and the remaining players is too great for them to carry the team. Ulster play off 9 which I believe has stymied Doak’s career he is not that type of 9 whereas Cooney is. Ewers proved a disaster of a signing. The disconnect between backs and forwards in Ulster is there for all to see this year. It should change for the better next season under new management. If Leinster’s locks who are the Irish locks starting Saturday are all that brilliant why did they see the need to sign RG. Joe Mac has a high ceiling by the way.
@Brian Gallivan: spare me this codswollop. Farrell has no provincial bias – he’s English ffs. His selections are always on point. Just support Ireland and save your piss and vinegar for September
@Brian Gallivan: Timoney, O’Toole and Loughman are all from Leinster aren’t they?
@Brian Gallivan: I think you should go and sleep off whatever juice you’ve been drinking
Not sure why Cormac and Sam P were brought over, looks like they were the bag carriers. Could have moved Frawley to 23 and have Prendergast at 21?
@Dave Lawlor: 22 even.
@Dave Lawlor: it’s called tour experience Dave, simple concept really. They are both huge prospects but throwing them in against SA is just unfair. They need to learn and understand international rugby, same way SP is slowly getting URC and European experience
@Dave Lawlor: Sam p would be run over by South Africa !!!
They were brought for experience…
@Brian: exactly, and a vastly experienced SA side gunning for blood
It’s about picking the best team for Ireland so that they win, not what province they play for some of the critics above forget this it’s as if they don’t want Ireland to win makes no sense to me. So Ireland to win by 10 even with playing against 16
@Phillip Keohane: ill save you the disappointment on Saturday. we won’t win