THE FIRST THING for Andy Farrell when it comes to his selection for the game against Australia next weekend will be confirming who is and isn’t available.
Stuart McCloskey missed yesterday’s win over Japan with the groin injury he suffered against New Zealand last weekend, but if the Ulster centre is fit, he should return to the number 12 shirt against the Wallabies.
Robbie Henshaw took over there yesterday and Bundee Aki is a trusted performer at inside centre, but McCloskey was probably Ireland’s best player in Chicago and surely deserves to get another frontline start.
Ireland will definitely have to make a change at fullback after Jamie Osborne seemingly suffered a dislocated shoulder against Japan yesterday.
“It doesn’t look good,” said Farrell post-match, so there will almost certainly be someone different at number 15 next weekend after Osborne started there against New Zealand and Japan.
Jimmy O’Brien replaced Osborne at fullback during the win against Japan and started both of Ireland’s July Tests in that position, so he appears to be the next in line, even if the likes of Jacob Stockdale and Ciarán Frawley can also play at number 15.
Tommy O’Brien will expect to continue on the right wing after his impressive try-scoring display yesterday. Three caps in, he’s already beginning to look like a potentially important player for Ireland thanks to his energy, aggression, and athleticism.
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Tommy O'Brien impressed yesterday. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
James Lowe was good on the left wing against New Zealand, so he is the favourite to return there after sitting out the Japan game, although Stockdale showed up well and would dearly love another chance against the Wallabies.
It remains to be seen how serious Garry Ringrose’s injury is after he pulled out of the Japan game due to hamstring tightness, allowing Tom Farrell to come in for his debut.
If that was a precautionary thing, it would seem likely that Ringrose will be back in the number 13 shirt next weekend. But again, Farrell will be absoluely craving another chance against the Wallabies to build on his debut.
It’s an interesting conundrum for head coach Farrell. After a fairly poor Irish performance that came good in the final quarter, how much weight does the head coach give to that win over Japan? Is it ever really possible to prove a point in that kind of game where Ireland are expected to win big anyway?
Nick Timoney did well at openside, showing his dynamism with a try and some big tackles, but does that earn him a shot at the Wallabies ahead of Josh van der Flier? Or does Caelan Doris moving to openside yesterday mean Farrell is considering that for one of the next two games, with Jack Conan at number eight?
Van der Flier has done little to be dropped, but this could be the window to give other openside options more minutes, as well as trying to create more competition there.
Ryan Baird has had two starts at blindside flanker in the opening two autumn games, moving into the second row in both games. Cian Prendergast made a positive impression off the bench yesterday at blindside, so he’ll feel he has put his hand up to feature against Australia.
Sam and Cian Prendergast. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
With Joe McCarthy sidelined, James Ryan and Tadhg Beirne look likely to continue as the second row pairing, while the front row that faced the All Blacks – Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, and Tadhg Furlong – could be reunited.
Gus McCarthy’s precise cameo off the bench drew notable praise from Farrell yesterday, so perhaps he could shake up the hooker pecking order with a bold selection there.
Jamison Gibson-Park is expected to come back in at scrum-half after Craig Casey started there against Japan. Once again, Casey would cherish the chance to start a top-tier Test like next weekend’s but Gibson-Park is short on game time.
The selection at out-half will be as interesting as ever. Jack Crowley has started the two Tests so far, but Sam Prendergast did well off the bench against Japan and would obviously benefit from more starts for Ireland.
Yet Crowley helped to create, then finished Ireland’s best try of the afternoon against Japan and the benefit of sticking with him as the starting out-half is also very clear.
As Ireland continue to look for a statement performance, Farrell has some fascinating selection calls to make.
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Farrell faces interesting Ireland selection calls for Wallabies clash
THE FIRST THING for Andy Farrell when it comes to his selection for the game against Australia next weekend will be confirming who is and isn’t available.
Stuart McCloskey missed yesterday’s win over Japan with the groin injury he suffered against New Zealand last weekend, but if the Ulster centre is fit, he should return to the number 12 shirt against the Wallabies.
Robbie Henshaw took over there yesterday and Bundee Aki is a trusted performer at inside centre, but McCloskey was probably Ireland’s best player in Chicago and surely deserves to get another frontline start.
Ireland will definitely have to make a change at fullback after Jamie Osborne seemingly suffered a dislocated shoulder against Japan yesterday.
“It doesn’t look good,” said Farrell post-match, so there will almost certainly be someone different at number 15 next weekend after Osborne started there against New Zealand and Japan.
Jimmy O’Brien replaced Osborne at fullback during the win against Japan and started both of Ireland’s July Tests in that position, so he appears to be the next in line, even if the likes of Jacob Stockdale and Ciarán Frawley can also play at number 15.
Tommy O’Brien will expect to continue on the right wing after his impressive try-scoring display yesterday. Three caps in, he’s already beginning to look like a potentially important player for Ireland thanks to his energy, aggression, and athleticism.
James Lowe was good on the left wing against New Zealand, so he is the favourite to return there after sitting out the Japan game, although Stockdale showed up well and would dearly love another chance against the Wallabies.
It remains to be seen how serious Garry Ringrose’s injury is after he pulled out of the Japan game due to hamstring tightness, allowing Tom Farrell to come in for his debut.
If that was a precautionary thing, it would seem likely that Ringrose will be back in the number 13 shirt next weekend. But again, Farrell will be absoluely craving another chance against the Wallabies to build on his debut.
It’s an interesting conundrum for head coach Farrell. After a fairly poor Irish performance that came good in the final quarter, how much weight does the head coach give to that win over Japan? Is it ever really possible to prove a point in that kind of game where Ireland are expected to win big anyway?
Nick Timoney did well at openside, showing his dynamism with a try and some big tackles, but does that earn him a shot at the Wallabies ahead of Josh van der Flier? Or does Caelan Doris moving to openside yesterday mean Farrell is considering that for one of the next two games, with Jack Conan at number eight?
Van der Flier has done little to be dropped, but this could be the window to give other openside options more minutes, as well as trying to create more competition there.
Ryan Baird has had two starts at blindside flanker in the opening two autumn games, moving into the second row in both games. Cian Prendergast made a positive impression off the bench yesterday at blindside, so he’ll feel he has put his hand up to feature against Australia.
With Joe McCarthy sidelined, James Ryan and Tadhg Beirne look likely to continue as the second row pairing, while the front row that faced the All Blacks – Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, and Tadhg Furlong – could be reunited.
Gus McCarthy’s precise cameo off the bench drew notable praise from Farrell yesterday, so perhaps he could shake up the hooker pecking order with a bold selection there.
Jamison Gibson-Park is expected to come back in at scrum-half after Craig Casey started there against Japan. Once again, Casey would cherish the chance to start a top-tier Test like next weekend’s but Gibson-Park is short on game time.
The selection at out-half will be as interesting as ever. Jack Crowley has started the two Tests so far, but Sam Prendergast did well off the bench against Japan and would obviously benefit from more starts for Ireland.
Yet Crowley helped to create, then finished Ireland’s best try of the afternoon against Japan and the benefit of sticking with him as the starting out-half is also very clear.
As Ireland continue to look for a statement performance, Farrell has some fascinating selection calls to make.
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