TOM FARRELL ACKNOWLEDGES his move to Munster has probably gone better than he would have anticipated.
Having been informed he wasn’t being kept on at Connacht towards the end of last season, the centre was exploring a move abroad before Munster picked up the phone. Farrell immediately put any other ongoing discussions on hold and before long, he was making the short trip down to Thomond Park.
With the injuries piling up at Munster the 31-year-old has been kept busy in his new club colours. Farrell has started all 11 games for the province this season across the URC and Champions Cup, playing the full 80 in nine of those.
That extended gametime has helped him stitch together a strong run of form in an inconsistent Munster team. Farrell has been one of the province’s top performers and leads the URC charts for defenders beaten (38) and offloads (17, joint with RG Snyman). He’s also third for carries, successful carries, and is just two tries off the competition’s top try-scorer, Glasgow hooker Johnny Matthews (seven tries).
At this time of year, it’s the type of form that pushes players into the conversation for Ireland’s Six Nations squad. Farrell knows the door to Test rugby is still a tough one to open but hasn’t given up hope of playing his way into Simon Easterby’s plans.
“Like, I’m fully aware of the personnel that are there,” says Farrell.
“You have three potential British and Irish Lions there who have been in and around the team for the last five or 10 years.
“With what they’re doing and how good of players they are, obviously it’ll take something outstanding or something worldly to displace them at this stage in my career, but look, I wouldn’t rule it out, never say never.
You never know, another good two or three weeks under my belt, anything can happen.”
The former Leinster Academy man is heading into another important couple of weeks with Munster, so has the perfect opportunity to further his case with the Ireland coaches.
Saturday sees Munster host Saracens in the Champions Cup before heading away to pool leaders Northampton Saints next weekend. After that, the province are away to the Dragons in the URC on the final weekend of action ahead of the Six Nations.
Munster currently sit third in their Champions Cup pool but a win this weekend would edge them ahead of Saracens going into round four. The English side have had a strange couple of weeks, beating Northampton and Bristol at home either side of a 68-10 spanking away to Bath.
“(We’ve been looking at) Just how efficient they are with their game, how physical they are around the ruck, how difficult and narrowly they make things to play against, it’s tough to get into your flow and they are a very difficult team to break down and get a bit of momentum against them,” says Farrell.
“We’ve seen the result against Bristol on the weekend and the week before that (v Bath), we haven’t even taken that into account. We know that was a one-off game for them which isn’t their usual standards, so we didn’t really look at that game. We just focused on the ones previous to that and the Bristol one just gone.
“But after the Bristol game they’re starting to hit a nice bit of form, so it’ll be a huge test for us.
Obviously with the reduced games in the group stages nowadays, every point is massive for us.”
The game will also been just Farrell’s second European outing at Thomond, having got his first taste in the December win over Stade Francais. It was an experience he was looking forward to ever since he signed a contract with Munster.
“From the outside (before joining Munster), to be honest it’s a small bit of nearly envy or jealousy of people getting to play in a full Thomond Park. It’s a special place, especially when it’s packed out, European nights. The Stade game was my first game for Munster in Europe and it was a cool experience, so hopefully now come Saturday we’ll have another big crowd and we can put a performance in.
“We are probably looking at it as a two-game block. The way we manage to pick up those points doesn’t really matter once we do pick them up, but giving ourselves the best chance would be in front of a home crowd at Thomond Park, we’re under no illusions about that, but if things don’t go to plan, we always have a trip to Northampton next week. But we’re fully focused on the job at hand first.”
I think one of the huge elements in Tom’s plus column is the fact he is a specialist 13. I don’t think Easterby can drop any of the 4 centres from last seasons squad, therefore I would be an advocate for a 35 man squad rather than 34 to make room for him. We shouldn’t have to pigeon hole Robbie into the 13 jersey when Tom is now a better fit. Bundee still has alot to offer, but at 34 he will drop out of the squad during the course of the next 2 seasons… but not yet. I think the balance of 2 12s and 2 13s will suit the squad much better at that stage and why wait to expose Tom to the experience of the Ireland set up.
@Paul Ennis: Yea don’t see it tbf. Topping stats tables doesn’t really mean international call up, didn’t work for Coombs either, just too heavily supplied around the park really, summer tour maybe!
@Paul Ennis: he’s 30 so replacing older players with players not that much younger is not ideal. We have 4 established centres, all of which are 29 to 34 so unless injuries maybe a younger player like Gavin should be included rather than a player who barring injury won’t get game time.
Osbourne, Frawley and crowley can all play 12 and a little bit of 13 so that doesn’t really help farrells case
@chris mcdonnell: Jeez… I never even checked his age. But 30 is still ok for another RWC cycle and an option in case of injury or form loss to Ringrose… fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
@Paul Ennis: Worth noting Henshaw has done it at the top at 13. Lions Player of the Series from 13 for example.
@Paul Ennis: Frisch was a specialist 13 but didn’t get a look in last season, even when Ringrose wasn’t available. Hopefully we’ll see Easterby pick another 13 in the squad rather than move one of the many 12s to cover outside centre.
Next in line after the established centres is Osborne who’s about 9 years younger than Farrell
@adizlack93: Is he not a full back? s/
@Thesaltyurchin: 25% of his starts have been at FB, while 72% have been at centre with an even split between 12 and 13.
@Thesaltyurchin: would say it’s not set in stone yet. Shown ability everywhere he’s played so far. Seriously high ceiling with his athleticism
@brian o’leary: Defo think he is more a 12 than 13
@brian o’leary: So why everyone want him at FB then?
At 31 there wouldn’t be much return on the investment?
He’s nowhere near an Irish starting spot.
@Aidan Farrell: a ridiculous comment, but sure we’ve come to expect that of you.
@Sam Bingham: he’s absolutely nowhere near. Be real
One injury and he’s in squad contention.
@Thesaltyurchin: talking about a starting place. Timony has been in about 15 squads where he hasn’t been capped
@Thesaltyurchin: Only if that injury is to Ringrose (the only specialist 13 in the squad). TF in great form but not really worth investing in a guy of his age in the absence of an emergency.
@Kevin Ryan: Defiantly not really one for the future, but could see it for cover if there’s few injured (only as cover, agree with Alack93, starter not really), but I think we overlook form players too often, they bring momentum with them, and I don’t believe any of the ‘this lads miles ahead of that lad’ the margins are finer then our fandom… (there is about to be a feast in the centre in terms of youth tho too)
He’s been very good. The squad is announced on Wednesday right? Big Stu is likely to be hamstrung for some time yet….
Tricky one. He’s 30, which is older than I thought!
Given the age and injury profile of Aki (34) and McCloskey (32), he could end up taking one of their squad places. Though, it would also depend on how Ireland coaches view Jamie Osbourne (fullback or centre) and even Frawley (flyhalf or centre or fullback).
On current form, I wouldn’t object if Tom Farrell was included in the wider 6 Nations squad. Probably at the expense of McCloskey. But that would mean Jamie Osbourne and Frawley being used as non centres.
I guess in the longer term, wouldn’t be surprised if Jamie Osbourne / Henshaw / Frawley cover 12 for Ireland and Ringrose / Henshaw / Farrell cover 13. Though not if Farrell would make a match day team.
Also, there’s quite a few emerging youngsters…
I’ve always rated Farrell highly and if it wasn’t for his injuries then he’d probably have more international caps. At 31, that’s surely his time in green over. Osborne is a lot younger her and playing better, guys like Forde & Postlewaithe look very promising and should be given their chances ahead of Farrell, which is unfortunate but we have to build ahead of the next World Cup and the one after that.
he’s quality, should be in the mix for Ireland but great competition for 1st centre