AS ANDY FARRELL was still getting his head around the first Test defeat to South Africa last night, his mind would have already been working on the puzzle of his team selection for the second clash in Durban.
The injury toll during the 27-20 defeat at Loftus Versfeld appeared heavy, although Ireland will know more in the next 24 hours.
Craig Casey suffered a nasty concussion and required lengthy attention on the pitch before he was stretchered off. While coaches generally don’t reveal too much about head injuries, Farrell’s post-match update underlined the severity of this one.
The Ireland boss said that Casey was still on the stretcher when Farrell got back to the Ireland dressing room after the game. The Munster scrum-half was “wondering what’s going on” and it seems unlikely that Casey will be passed fit to play again next weekend.
If that is the case, Conor Murray looks nailed-on to start, with Connacht’s Caolin Blade coming onto the bench.
That would be a major shame for Casey, who was having an excellent game for Ireland and had just kicked a superb 50:22 before he was forced off. Farrell was clearly displeased with the circumstances of Casey’s injury, with RG Snyman arguably coming from an offside position to drive him into the ground.
Murray had a good impact off the bench, finishing a nice Ireland try, while Blade would obviously love the chance to add to his two caps, the second of which came last summer in the World Cup pre-season game against Italy.
Hooker Dan Sheehan did his best to play on after suffering a knee injury in the first half yesterday and played a key role in Jamie Osborne’s try but Ireland had to replace him half time and initial reports weren’t good. It would be a surprise if Sheehan features in the second Test.
That will presumably see Rónan Kelleher promoted into the starting XV, with Rob Herring included on the bench. There is an argument to be made that Herring would be the better starting hooker given his lineout accuracy but Kelleher is a powerful player and has generally been the second-in-line.
Centre Robbie Henshaw never seemed totally right after a massive collision with Springboks captain Siya Kolisi in the first half and was also replaced at the interval. It’s unclear whether he will be sidelined next weekend but Garry Ringrose’s assured second-half performance probably put him in pole position for the number 13 shirt anyway.
It was a shame that Osborne was forced off with a bang to the groin in the 50th minute having enjoyed a fine debut that included his well-taken try. The 22-year-old made a couple of mistakes, as would be expected on any player’s first cap, but clearly fit in.
It looks like he could be OK for the second Test and if he is fit, Ireland will surely pick him again and allow him to build his experience after the brave decision to name him at number 15 in the first Springboks clash.
Loosehead prop Andrew Porter was forced off in the second half with a nasty-looking cut on his hand but reappeared before being replaced again by Cian Healy. That cut will have to be assessed throughout the week and it nearly goes without saying that Ireland need Porter fit for the second Test.
Otherwise, it’s likely that Ireland have more than a few bumps and bruises given that it was such a physical encounter with the Boks and given that we’re now into the final week of the season.
Tadhg Furlong seems likely to go again at tighthead prop, while Farrell might consider the merits of bringing second row James Ryan into his starting XV given that the Leinster man added bite from the bench in Pretoria.
Joe McCarthy was the one to make way for Ryan on an evening where things didn’t all go his way and Tadhg Beirne did another full 80 minutes in a season packed with them. The Munster man has played a huge amount of rugby this season.
Caelan Doris was Ireland’s best player at number eight and Josh van der Flier had another good game at openside. Although captain Peter O’Mahony had plenty of involvements – nine tackles, 10 touches of the ball, and two lineout wins – he wasn’t able to have a major impact on the game before making way for Ryan, who was good in the 30 minutes he was on the pitch.
Farrell obviously has huge faith in O’Mahony’s leadership, though, and it would be a huge call to replace his captain as Ireland look to bounce back in the second Test and end their season on a high.
Out-half Jack Crowley will look to iron a few errors out of his game and will have benefited from the experience in Pretoria, doing some good things too, while Bundee Aki and Ringrose could team up in midfield.
James Lowe had a night where he mixed the sublime – two try assists and one classy finish for a score that was disallowed – with one obvious big error before the Springboks’ scrum penalty try, but he remains a key player.
It was probably a frustrating night for Calvin Nash, who had only six touches of the ball as it seemed not to flow his way, so he’ll hope for more opportunity in the second Test if Farrell goes with the same back three.
As for the bench, it will be fascinating to see if Farrell looks to involve either of the two remaining uncapped players in his squad, Cormac Izuchukwu and Sam Prendergast. Ireland seem to be excited about Prendergast’s skills and a debut off the bench against the Springboks would be another major step in accelerating his development.
So there is plenty to ponder for Farrell, who must consider whether the injury-enforced changes are enough for the second Test or if he needs to shake things up even further.
Doris played like a leader. We’ve seen games where he’s been man of the match, yesterday was the first time he looked like the teams leader.
Why wait to drop a player who contributes little ? Baird or one of the two other 6s deserve a game so we have a 6 who contributes.
A real shame for Casey, and Sheehan a huge loss.
@Andrew Hurley: he audible did s shite job talking to the ref. Great aside from that
@Andrew Hurley: Baird has some pace for such a big bloke. I’m thinking of adding his name to the list of Irish forwards that scare the hell out of me as a Springbok fan, along with Beirne, vd Flier, Doris and Sheehan.
@Ciaran Kennedy: Yes… he just needs to learn how to control his emotional responses to refereeing decisions that are made. Took Johnny a good 2 seasons (and an argument to say never completely) to learn how to do that. Stop… breathe… evaluate… speak. It’s not easy when your brain and body are tired.
@Paul Ennis: Johnny took the door of the hinge to attack a referee after the Champions cup final – Total disrespect and infantilism. Should have been stripped of captaincy for it. No benefit of the doubt given to Ireland in the RWC afterward in the fine margins. Johnny’s captaincy ended up as a liability as did the adulation surrounding him. Doris is a measured adult – he will prove to be a better captain. Johnny acted like a spoilt child more often than not. Good player for sure but over blown. Ultimately this misplaced worship capsized the Irish 2023 RWC campaign in my opinion.
Flappergasted that Alan Quinlan (on co-commentary) thought the Snynam hit on Casey was fine!!! Ball was well gone and the force he hit him to the ground with was totally unnecessary in my humble (and a million miles from expert) opinion. I only saw it once and thought it was a dirty cheap shot.
And to think how shyte Snyman was when he came on in URC semi.
@Michael Kennedy: maybe was a tad late but tackle itself was perfectly fine. Casey unfortunately landed with back of head on ground..hope he’s ok..no malice
@Michael Kennedy: If big joe emptied Faf we’d be delighted. He just about got away with it. It’s a blood sport and that’s the way it goes sometimes
@Michael Kennedy: Orders. Rassie wanted to be sure Conor Murray starts in Durban. Casey should take it as a compliment.
@Michael Kennedy: people keep saying the ball was well gone; how then did it end up on the ground and not in the hands of an Irish ball carrier?
@Michael Kennedy: The laws of rugby are based on actions, not outcomes. It is not the players fault that the ground was so hard. Yes a tackler has a duty of care to bring a player to ground safely, but Snyman could not have done anything different. The fact the Murray Kinsella thinks he was offside is also not relatively to the tackle… the only outcome could have been a penalty for offside, because the tackle was on the chest, wrapped and therefore legal.
@Stuart: Miles offside and didn’t go over to check on his own former team mate. Absolute grub to be honest, hope he gets injured again and we don’t have to see him in the URC.
Overall the lads played well – don’t forget that the saffers had the benefit of a game against the Welsh to warm up. A few tweaks and we can beat these japies especially at sea-level.
Aside from the rugby, singing zombie is so pathetic. Get your own songs. We weren’t mocking them singing it in the world cup it’s just an Irish song. Met loads of saffas in France and had great crack with them but I really thought that was petty. Id be raging if I was from there and that carry on was happening.
@James Murphy: I think everyone connected to SA rugby like to create a circus atmosphere around the game; Erasmus with his comments and videos, bands in the stands belting out music, broadcaster showing crowd taking selfies with the ball about to put into the scrum, booing the kicker etc.Playing Zombie is just another example of their puerile clowning behaviour.
@Tom Reilly: it’s a fossets extravaganza with PT Barnum erasmus at the helm. I’ll take the win (27-20) with big shoes and red nose in tact..
@Stuart: no problem with all the other antics to be fair a lot of it is entertaining but stealing a song now I’d be embarrassed.
@James Murphy: the fact that it’s even a talking point shows the psychological attempt to goad Is a big green tick..you may not like it , mission accomplished…
@James Murphy: A South African comedian (Rikus de Beer) has rewritten and rerecorded Zombie with humorous rugby lyrics (largely in Afrikaans). That’s what the crowd are singing. You still don’t have to like it but it’s not as vacuous as you thought.
@Stuart: never said it didn’t work I just find it pathetic and wouldn’t like to be part of it.
@Colin Rainier: I knew that alright, but I still think it’s cringe on they’re part but maybe we just do things differently. Not sure why you’d want everyone to hate you. Different cultures I suppose.
@James Murphy: Who cares what song/s they sing. Ireland need to silence the crowd which they just couldn’t do – Lowes errors cost 14 points and Crowley’s missed kicks 7 = 21 points it total. Lots for the SA’s to be singing about to be fair based on that alone.
@Keno: as I said aside from the rugby. Would you sing a South African song if we beat them?
@James Murphy: I had a good laugh at this, thanks. For years we’ve listened to Irish rugby fans telling us our players are boring, talentless, flat track bullies and drug cheats. Or at least saying so in a cowardly nudge nudge wink wink sort of way. We had to listen to blatant racists telling us we’d never win another world cup after ’07 because of the enforced racial transformation of the sport. So thanks but no thanks, haters will keep hating anyway, and we’ll sing whatever songs we bloody well want to. And I’ll take great joy in watching the likes of Ox, Bongi and Trevor continue the great Springbok tradition of splintering opposition scrums.
@Michael Williams: lol
@Michael Williams: This is the same imagined victimhood that the SA media has convinced you of. The entire rugby world has decried South Africa as ‘flexible’ on needles in schools and sometimes the pro game, not Ireland. I think you’ll struggle to find evidence of some historical Irish plot to slate SA as boring or talentless, and these ‘racists’ you’re talking about are from within your own rugby circles. You can sing whatever song you want, sure, but it’s pathetic that you can’t even come up with your own one AND brining the usual victim complex with it. You’re a rugby super power but can somehow be insecure about your position on the world stage??
@Michael Williams: nice story man but you could still come up with your own song.
@Lochlainn Garvey: nope, I’m just a rugby fan who has lived in Ireland for nearly 20 years. I don’t follow South African websites much, maybe News24 a bit. Everything I mentioned has come from Irish media.
@James Murphy: Is “Chelsea Dagger” an Irish song? We have plenty of our own songs, which now apparently includes a local version of Zombie. Not really my thing, but I’m old and cranky. Now run along and try to get over yourself.
@Michael Williams: For what it’s worth Michael, I have no problem with you guys singing whatever you want. And if you had followed SA rugby sites more you’d likely heard a thing or two told about the Irish as well. Plenty of bad supporters everywhere and the worse they are the more they express themselves online for some reason. But I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.
Anyway, congrats on the win and good luck on Saturday
@Petter Sellberg: thanks and same to you.
A very generous review there of James Lowe’s display. He was shocking and ultimately cost us the game. Our inability to call out poor performances and overhype good ones continues to hold back Irish rugby.
@Aidan Farrell: I agree – Lowe gave 14 points away with two blatant errors. Add to that Crowley’s missed kicks leaving 7 points out there. So, there’s 21 points given away – hopefully wont be so generous next week.
@Aidan Farrell: your knowledge of rugby has narrow limits. Lowe played excellently, made one mistake which led (not his fault) to the penalty try. When he kept it in play, it was a fantastic effort, not his fault his teammates ball-watched (unlike Kolbe). He scored a sensational solo try, wrongly disallowed, and set up two tries with wonderful offloads. I’d recommend watching a few hundred rugby games to become familiar with the game.
@Aidan Farrell: how could you say shocking when we would have scored nothing without him. Big mistake at the end in fairness.
@Andrew Hurley: nah, he threw the ball back in play without looking. That was brainless. He’s a good player but his errors cost us. Inside players would never get to that ball and you can’t tackle Kolbe as it would have been a card and possible penalty try.
The kick off receipt was equally terrible but I’d say his head was scrambled after the Kolbe mistake. He’ll bounce back but they were game defining errors
@Emmet Martin: it’s not his job to look – it’s the job of the other players to back him up. This really shouldn’t need to be explained to you…
@Andrew Hurley: so instead of Lowe, you’re blaming Frawley as the 15 who is very far back and his positioning is awful.
I agree that Frawley is not up to playing 15 at international level. He’s far too slow to cover the back field and doesn’t have the positional sense to compensate for his lack of pace. However, saying Lowe doesn’t have to look and just fires it back in is hysterical. At the very least it’s poor communication between the 11 & 15
@Andrew Hurley: lol
When you look at the full back mess situation one has to wonder about Mike Haley. He always seems to play well for Munster, has pace and is a good fielder and distributor. Nevertheless he suffers the same fate as Cooney: a nailed on provincial starter that never gets a look in. Am I missing something?
@PatN: yes