EARLIER THIS WEEK, Stuart McCloskey was asked about the age profile of Ireland’s centres.
The Ulster player is one of four 30-somethings in what has been a long-standing four-way midfield tussle – the 34-year-old rotating alongside Robbie Henshaw (33), Garry Ringrose (33) and Bundee Aki (36). Leinster’s Jamie Osborne (24) looks the most likely to break into that conversation between now and next year’s World Cup.
Not that this is any of great concern to McCloskey, who gave an enjoyably honest answer to the age-old question of Ireland’s ageing centres.
“Honestly, I couldn’t care less about the succession of what’s going on after me,” he told reporters.
“It’s not really of our concern what age we are.”
It’s an understandable mindset for a player whose chief concern is to keep his place in the team between now and Australia, but it’s fair for others to worry about what’s coming next.
Stuart McCloskey was speaking to the media in Abbotstown this week. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Indeed, it’s a lingering question which hangs over this Ireland team in general, and one that gets heightened on the bad days, of which there have been many over the last 12 months – South Africa, France, New Zealand (twice).
The starting XV which Andy Farrell sent out against Argentina last week was only a player or two short of a strongest possible starting team, and delivered an accurate, sharp team performance.
That 15 had an average age of 29.2, with eight players aged 30 or over – Hugo Keenan (30), Robbie Henshaw (33), Stuart McCloskey (34), Jamison Gibson-Park (34), Andrew Porter (30), Tadhg Furlong (33), Tadhg Beirne (34) and Nick Timoney (31).
Make a couple of changes – adding in Garry Ringrose (33), Josh van der Flier (33) and Caelan Doris (28) for Henshaw, Craig Casey and Sean Jansen, and the average age rises slightly, to 29.8.
Go back to Ireland’s 2023 World Cup quarter-final meeting with New Zealand, and Ireland’s starting side had an average age of 29.7, with nine players over 30 – including a 38-year-old Johnny Sexton.
That felt like a team operating at its peak, whereas now, the challenge facing Farrell is to keep his key men performing to an elite level for next year’s World Cup.
Bundee Aki will be 37 at next year's World Cup. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
There’s no questioning the quality of the likes of McCloskey, Beirne, Furlong, Gibson-Park or Bundee Aki (36), but a year is a long time in sport and athletic drop-offs can happen quickly.
Gibson-Park is arguably Ireland’s most important player, and the good news is that the scrum-half is a good example of how not all 30-somethings fall into the same bracket.
He’s played over 50 games for Ireland and 163 games for Leinster, but before he had developed into a world-class nine, he was more accustomed to running in off the bench during his time with the Blues and Hurricanes, before filling the same role in his early days with Leinster.
McCloskey can be viewed similarly. While the Ulster man has clocked up more than 200 caps for his province, he’s had nowhere near the same body of work at Test level, having won his 32nd cap last week.
Gibson-Park spent much of his early career as a replacement, before developing into a world-class scrum-half. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Others, like Robbie Henshaw (85 Ireland caps/126 Leinster/53 Connacht) and Josh van der Flier (82/179), have been on the go as key men for club and country from much earlier in their careers, while also taking in busy summers touring with the British and Irish Lions.
Henshaw had a mixed return last season as he struggled with injuries, but looked sharp and fresh across an excellent showing against the Pumas. Likewise Porter, who is perhaps now benefitting from an injury-enforced break after a gruelling couple of seasons.
And of course, Ireland are not the only squad dealing with the age question. South Africa are managing a similar challenge as they plot their charge for an historic third straight World Cup title, and it’s a topic that’s been put to head coach Rassie Erasmus in his recent media dealings.
Erasmus has selected strong sides for last weekend’s demolition of Italy and Friday night’s meeting with France.
The XV for the clash with Les Bleus has an average age of 30.4, with winger Ethan Hooker (23) and out-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (24) very much the outliers in a side that includes 10 players aged 30 or over.
South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
“People are starting to talk not so much about our results and where we are, they’re talking about how long can this team do it,” Erasmus told reporters last week.
“And that’s been the interesting thing. It’s been tough to make sure that we keep on winning but also blooding some young guys. But we’ve never put out a young team there.
“I don’t know if that’s frustrating people, but that’s certainly us slowly evolving and knowing that players are getting older, but as long as they perform. I feel that’s what the older players have done.”
France, dealing with a number of injuries, sent out a side with an average age of 26.4 against Fiji last week. Tonight, their 15 to face South Africa rises to 27.2. New Zealand’s XV had an average age of 28.0 in their round one win against Scotland (29.2), while England’s team against Japan had an average age of 27.4.
Ireland have rotated for their Saturday night showdown with Fiji, but the dial hasn’t moved despite seven changes.
By bringing Tommy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park, Rónan Kelleher, James Ryan and Josh van der Flier into his team, the average age stays exactly as it was last week, at 29.2. So take it as read that when Ireland land at the World Cup, the average age of Farrell’s preferred XV will sit around the 30 mark.
The question is, how many of his long-serving reliables will still be operating at the peak of their powers when they arrive at the big show Down Under.
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Stuart McCloskey doesn't care about Ireland's age profile – should we?
EARLIER THIS WEEK, Stuart McCloskey was asked about the age profile of Ireland’s centres.
The Ulster player is one of four 30-somethings in what has been a long-standing four-way midfield tussle – the 34-year-old rotating alongside Robbie Henshaw (33), Garry Ringrose (33) and Bundee Aki (36). Leinster’s Jamie Osborne (24) looks the most likely to break into that conversation between now and next year’s World Cup.
Not that this is any of great concern to McCloskey, who gave an enjoyably honest answer to the age-old question of Ireland’s ageing centres.
“Honestly, I couldn’t care less about the succession of what’s going on after me,” he told reporters.
“It’s not really of our concern what age we are.”
It’s an understandable mindset for a player whose chief concern is to keep his place in the team between now and Australia, but it’s fair for others to worry about what’s coming next.
Indeed, it’s a lingering question which hangs over this Ireland team in general, and one that gets heightened on the bad days, of which there have been many over the last 12 months – South Africa, France, New Zealand (twice).
The starting XV which Andy Farrell sent out against Argentina last week was only a player or two short of a strongest possible starting team, and delivered an accurate, sharp team performance.
That 15 had an average age of 29.2, with eight players aged 30 or over – Hugo Keenan (30), Robbie Henshaw (33), Stuart McCloskey (34), Jamison Gibson-Park (34), Andrew Porter (30), Tadhg Furlong (33), Tadhg Beirne (34) and Nick Timoney (31).
Make a couple of changes – adding in Garry Ringrose (33), Josh van der Flier (33) and Caelan Doris (28) for Henshaw, Craig Casey and Sean Jansen, and the average age rises slightly, to 29.8.
Go back to Ireland’s 2023 World Cup quarter-final meeting with New Zealand, and Ireland’s starting side had an average age of 29.7, with nine players over 30 – including a 38-year-old Johnny Sexton.
That felt like a team operating at its peak, whereas now, the challenge facing Farrell is to keep his key men performing to an elite level for next year’s World Cup.
There’s no questioning the quality of the likes of McCloskey, Beirne, Furlong, Gibson-Park or Bundee Aki (36), but a year is a long time in sport and athletic drop-offs can happen quickly.
With that in mind, those players will be managed carefully over the course of the season. Just this week, Gibson-Park explained that being right for next year’s World Cup was a key consideration in how his recent return from a groin injury was managed.
Gibson-Park is arguably Ireland’s most important player, and the good news is that the scrum-half is a good example of how not all 30-somethings fall into the same bracket.
He’s played over 50 games for Ireland and 163 games for Leinster, but before he had developed into a world-class nine, he was more accustomed to running in off the bench during his time with the Blues and Hurricanes, before filling the same role in his early days with Leinster.
McCloskey can be viewed similarly. While the Ulster man has clocked up more than 200 caps for his province, he’s had nowhere near the same body of work at Test level, having won his 32nd cap last week.
Others, like Robbie Henshaw (85 Ireland caps/126 Leinster/53 Connacht) and Josh van der Flier (82/179), have been on the go as key men for club and country from much earlier in their careers, while also taking in busy summers touring with the British and Irish Lions.
Henshaw had a mixed return last season as he struggled with injuries, but looked sharp and fresh across an excellent showing against the Pumas. Likewise Porter, who is perhaps now benefitting from an injury-enforced break after a gruelling couple of seasons.
And of course, Ireland are not the only squad dealing with the age question. South Africa are managing a similar challenge as they plot their charge for an historic third straight World Cup title, and it’s a topic that’s been put to head coach Rassie Erasmus in his recent media dealings.
Erasmus has selected strong sides for last weekend’s demolition of Italy and Friday night’s meeting with France.
The XV for the clash with Les Bleus has an average age of 30.4, with winger Ethan Hooker (23) and out-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (24) very much the outliers in a side that includes 10 players aged 30 or over.
“People are starting to talk not so much about our results and where we are, they’re talking about how long can this team do it,” Erasmus told reporters last week.
“And that’s been the interesting thing. It’s been tough to make sure that we keep on winning but also blooding some young guys. But we’ve never put out a young team there.
“I don’t know if that’s frustrating people, but that’s certainly us slowly evolving and knowing that players are getting older, but as long as they perform. I feel that’s what the older players have done.”
France, dealing with a number of injuries, sent out a side with an average age of 26.4 against Fiji last week. Tonight, their 15 to face South Africa rises to 27.2. New Zealand’s XV had an average age of 28.0 in their round one win against Scotland (29.2), while England’s team against Japan had an average age of 27.4.
Ireland have rotated for their Saturday night showdown with Fiji, but the dial hasn’t moved despite seven changes.
By bringing Tommy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park, Rónan Kelleher, James Ryan and Josh van der Flier into his team, the average age stays exactly as it was last week, at 29.2. So take it as read that when Ireland land at the World Cup, the average age of Farrell’s preferred XV will sit around the 30 mark.
The question is, how many of his long-serving reliables will still be operating at the peak of their powers when they arrive at the big show Down Under.
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