ANDY FARRELL’S 42-man Ireland training squad ahead of the World Cup is very much a continuation of how he has been selecting his wider groups already this season.
It’s an excellent, exciting squad full of talented Irish players. The hardest part is still ahead for Farrell – whittling this group down to the final 33-man World Cup squad he’s expected to name on Monday 28 August.
Even the four uncapped players – Tom Stewart, Calvin Nash, Ciarán Frawley, and Jamie Osborne – have been part of Farrell’s set-up over the course of the 2022/23 campaign, and before that in Frawley’s case.
So while a handful of Munster players made a particularly strong case for inclusion in recent weeks as they drove to URC glory, Farrell hasn’t been swayed in his thinking.
There are undoubtedly many players unlucky not to be in the mix. Farrell could have made his life easier by making it a bigger squad. Warren Gatland named a 54-man Wales training squad for the summer, although Gregor Townsend went for just 41 in Scotland. The Ireland boss wasn’t interested in extra numbers just to avoid individual dejection.
So Farrell has no room for previously capped internationals such as Jean Kleyn, Shane Daly, Joey Carbery, Jeremy Loughman, Mike Haley, Jordan Larmour, Nick Timoney, and Robert Baloucoune, nor for other in-form bolters like John Hodnett and Antoine Frisch. Some fine players have missed out.
However, the reality is that Ireland’s 42-man squad involves no big surprises. It has been well flagged by now which players Farrell and his coaches rate.
22-year-old Leinster lock Joe McCarthy is a good example. Farrell and forwards coach Paul O’Connell regard him as a large, energetic, explosive lock who could be a real force at Test level. They understand that McCarthy is still raw in some aspects and needs to play a little further away from the edge at times with his discipline, but they like him.
McCarthy has only played 35 minutes of rugby for Leinster since January due to injury and then non-selection for play-off games, but we also know that recent provincial form is far from the first thing that Farrell and co. consider. If it was the chief factor, Kleyn would be in this squad.
Instead, they consider the profile of players they want for their Ireland systems, as well as the players’ international form. Kieran Treadwell featured in all three Tests against the All Blacks last summer, played twice last November, then came off the bench in the Grand Slam clincher against England. Ireland like his dynamism.
And it’s not just about game days. McCarthy only has one cap but the Ireland coaches see players up close and personal in camp and at training. In Treadwell’s case, they like how he has broadened his skillset. That kind of recent ‘form’ counts more than the provincial stuff in most cases.
Another example is Dave Kilcoyne continuing in the Ireland squad despite being out of the Munster matchday 23 in recent weeks. Kilcoyne played three times in Ireland’s Grand Slam campaign, which was only a few months ago. Farrell was pleased with his contribution and that carries more weight than recent events in the URC, which won’t really be relevant come September at the World Cup.
Another area of contention in this wider squad would have been the back three. There’s no doubt that Baloucoune, Larmour, and Haley had good claims to be involved, even if Munster man Daly might be the most suited of all to how Ireland play.
In fairness, those actually selected fit with what Ireland want to do. Jacob Stockdale’s form with Ulster this season hasn’t been headline-grabbing but he has been good overall and has Test rugby pedigree. Importantly, he has a massive left boot and is generally strong in the carry, so he does cover some of what James Lowe brings on the left wing.
Fullback depth has been a possible concern for Ireland but Farrell is happy to go with Jimmy O’Brien, Mack Hansen, Frawley, and maybe Stockdale as the cover options for Hugo Keenan in that position. Munster’s Haley continues to be overlooked.
Farrell has included several versatile players in his group, which will remain valuable even with World Cup squads having gone up from 31 players to 33. O’Brien and Frawley can cover lots of positions in the backline, while the likes of Tadhg Beirne and Ryan Baird give flexibility in the back five of the scrum.
There’s also 21-year-old Osborne, who has been sidelined by a knee injury in recent months but who spent most of the Six Nations with Ireland and impressed greatly behind the scenes. They believe he can be a top-end Test player sooner rather than later, while it’s handy being able to play in both midfield slots and across the back three.
It’s tough on those who can’t get a foot in the environment now, but that’s life at the top end of professional sport. It can be deeply frustrating and disappointing.
And the reality is that many of the players who will be feeling elated now will eventually end up in that dreaded grouping of numbers 34 to 42 – the ones who miss out on the final World Cup cut and instead go onto standby duty.
All of this points to the fact that Farrell’s Ireland group is extremely settled. Really, he could have picked this squad straight after the Six Nations. Indeed, the selection strengthens the sense that Ireland will go into the World Cup with great cohesion and a confident sense of momentum based on their exploits over the past two seasons. Again, that’s more relevant than how Leinster or Munster have played recently.
There are players all over the country who will feel they just needed a chance at training this summer, but Farrell drives on with an excellent group. His final 33-man squad will be among the favourites in France.
