YOU CAN CALL these mid-November games money-spinners or you can call them opportunities.
And after naming a team earlier today that is simultaneously inexperienced and exciting, Andy Farrell has outlined in clear terms just how deep the talent pool is at Ireland’s disposal right now.
In total there are nine changes to the starting line-up yet it is far from a second rate selection. Jimmy O’Brien is at full back, Jeremy Loughman at loosehead, Joey Carbery at out half, the three positions Ireland suffer from a perceived lack of depth.
Beyond this trio, there is a third cap for Nick Timoney, a fourth one for Robert Baloucoune – while Cian Prendergast and Jack Crowley are primed to make their debuts from the bench.
To further emphasise the experimental nature of this Ireland team, 13 of the 23-man squad have 11 caps or fewer next to their name while just six of the starting XV could consider themselves first-choice. The remainder can’t. Saturday is their chance to change that.
“We have picked the best side for this week,” said Farrell earlier this afternoon, as he hinted at a lengthy injury list. “There are certain areas of our game that we weren’t happy with last week. This team has got the responsibility to improve on that.”
For some there is a fear that this latest opportunity might also be their last one for a while.
Take Stuart McCloskey, the Ulster centre. He made his debut in 2016. He has averaged one cap per season in the years since.
Take Joey Carbery. He has been called the coming man since he stepped off the bench against the All Blacks in Chicago, six years ago. We’re still waiting for him to fully arrive, Johnny Sexton one place – but several yards – ahead of him in the queue.
“Joey has been patient,” Farrell said. “He didn’t get much gametime last weekend, because obviously our captain plays at 10 and is very influential to the team. But Joey is coming on nicely in the background and deserves a chance to show his teammates that he’s ready to take control.
“I have said it often enough before, that selection isn’t in my hands, it’s in the players’ hands. Like I also said before, Johnny is not going to step back and let people overtake him just for the sake of it. It’s up to everyone who is pushing him to take the opportunity when it comes.”
That’s precisely what O’Brien did last weekend, when he was asked to step off the bench midway through the first half to fill a hole at outside centre. On Saturday, he lines out at full back. With Leinster he has mainly been used as a winger.
“Jimmy has been playing really well for quite some time and his versatility is massive,” said Farrell. “Plus Hugo (Keenan, the regular full back) is a bit banged up this week. Hugo has been ever present in that position, so it’s good for us to find another option. Jimmy deserves a chance. His skillset is certainly suited to that (position).”
In any case, Farrell doesn’t have much of a choice. Injuries have hit.
Johnny Sexton “is banged up with a bad dead leg”. Josh van der Flier “has got something (injury wise) going on there”. So has James Ryan, while Keenan and Andrew Porter, Farrell explained, are also “banged up” (nursing injuries post the Springboks).
Such is the nature of modern rugby. It is rare for any coach to ever have a full deck to choose from, Farrell referencing how these kind of experiences are ‘good for us’ in that they serve as a test ahead of a World Cup. “This type of thing is going to happen constantly,” he said.
Adjusting to different scenarios is a constant theme in Farrell’s messaging, frequent references to next year’s World Cup underlining his selections. If he had the power, these three November matches would have been the ones he’d have chosen, hard-hitting South Africa followed by free-flowing Fiji and then the Wallabies, each test different to the last.
“The Fijians pose threats all over the field. Our defence was outstanding last week in the way they just kept turning up and slowing South Africa’s ball. That was top drawer.
“But we know what’s coming this week and in many ways it’s a much different task and individually as defenders it’s a hard task because of the athlete and the footwork and the skill that’s coming our way. We’ve got be on point in that regard.
“Our breakdown work is something we pride ourselves on, speed of ball is something we crave but it wasn’t quick enough last week for ourselves so there’s some improving there.
“And the unpredictability of what’s coming this weekend is something that we want to get good at managing as well because having an unpredictability gives us a chance to test ourselves in many ways.”