The Left Wing: Frawley’s big opportunity and previewing Ireland v Wales

Ciarán Frawley has been named at full-back in the Ireland team to play Wales in the Six Nations on Saturday at the Aviva stadium. The rest of the team is the same as the one that started the opening round win over France in Marseille while the uncapped Oli Jager is on the bench.

Rúaidhrí O’Connor and Cian Tracey join Sinéad Kissane on The Left Wing to discuss the big talking points of Farrell’s team selection.

Join Sinéad, Rúaidhrí and Cian again on Saturday after the final whistle when they will give their thoughts and post-match analysis on the game.

Listen and follow on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hello and welcome to the left wing will Andy far has named his team to play Wales here at the eviva stadium in the Six Nations on Saturday it’s largely back to the team that started the win over France at the start of the month except for one change kieron fley has

Been named at fullback in the absence of the injured uh Hugo Keenan and the uncapped oi Jagger is on the bench we’re also back to a 6-2 bench split Royal Connor and Keen Tracy here with me chenade kassan what you make of that team Lads yeah it’s probably um

Affording whales a respect they potentially don’t deserve um I mean I think Andy farell could have shaken things up a little bit as well and maybe retained some of the players who did well against Italy but possibly the the Spectre of Warren Gatland coming over the hills possibly the fact that he

Wants to get some Rhythm into this team ahead of the trip to twickingham in two weeks time he’s gone with the strongest possible team that was available to him and you can debate whether Kieran froley is the right man for 15 but other than that this

Team has you know who who went to Marse and performed so well have earned the right to go again for a big game at home and and having shaken things up against Italy and and made those changes he now kind of goes back to that 6-2 split so

He rewards a lot of the players who did well in the Le game by a place with a place on the bench and uh I don’t think it will will be received particularly well in Wales I’d say that’s the kind of team that you would look at and gulp a

Little bit because it’s it’s formidable um and then he just changes things up slightly by putting Jager on the bench you know six games into his monster career having gone and gotten him back from from New Zealand you know that was a it was a shrewd piece of Business by

The rfu and monster and we I think he’s impressed a lot of people in Ireland since in the Ireland setup since he came in over in Portugal and now he gets his cap he gets his chance to back up Ty Furlong and like he’s a debutant but

He’s a 28-year-old with his a five Super Ruby titles under his belt so you’re you’re not really taking a chance on this fell he has a lot going for him already so it’s a powerful big bench backing up a powerful big team and um yeah I think it’s it’s a it’s a matter

Of how much Ireland win by on Saturday yeah and Roy just said there you could debate about the kuron forley selection at fullback he’s played six times for lster this season I think it comes with a lot of logic doesn’t it yeah I think so six of his nine starts for lenser

This season have come at fullback um he’s the most experienced fullback left in the squad at least at provincial level um I know he only came on for a minute or two minutes in Marseilles but he did come on at fullback Hugo Kean I think a lot of people even forget that

He he did come on and um Calvin asash went off injured and it was Hugo Keenan who went to the the right wing so um I think it makes a lot of sense I think if Jimmy o’brine and M Hansen would have been fit you might have seen maybe um a

Little bit of a shuffle there but look Kier and for all like we we speak about Kieran froy’s versatility quite a lot in terms of it you know being a hindrance I mean I was over in New Zealand in 22 and he said he told us before the second mry

Game he didn’t want to be a jack of all trades now we’re a couple of years on and I would say he still is a jack of all trades he wants to be playing 10 lster clearly see think that the two burn brothers are ahead of him the

Pecking order Sam Prendergast is coming now so is versilia actually works in his favor this weekend ironically it didn’t for that Italy game because like harshly enough I thought he got nudged out of the squad when he like I mentioned he was included for Marseilles so look it’s

A big opportunity for him um I’m really excited to see how he goes and what it does for Ireland’s attack because I think one of the one of the big improvements in Hugo Keenan’s game I think over the last couple years has been his ability uh to step up as first

And second receiver he’s far more comfortable doing that now but fry has a natural 10 it’s going to come even more natural for him so I think it opens huge possibilities for this Ireland attack I’d be surprised if they don’t play two-sided with Jack Crowley fry like

That’s going to keep the Welsh defense totally on its toes in terms of what Ireland are going to throw at them so um I’m excited to see what he does I know he doesn’t have the maybe the pace at Hugo has but I think you know he’s a

Good many exactly yeah like in he’s Fitness yeah I was just going to say h is one of the fittest people um definitely in the the Ireland Squad probably along with James and Gibson Park but um look Hugo Keenan is such a special talent and I don’t know whatever

Like it’s been it’s been tricky trying to report on Hugo Keenan’s injury over the last couple of weeks I don’t know if you’d agree WR that you know we went to the press conference on Tuesday and you have an irland coach saying that oh they’re going to give him every

Opportunity where is the information that we would have had for the last C of weeks was that Hugo Keenan is possibly facing a few weeks out let alone playing this week so just in case any listeners are wondering I mean we can only report what you know we’re being told by the

Irfu but um anyone who has been reading I think would have seen that we did flag last week uh that ring Rose is the same so ke R like I heard ring Rose was going to be was going to miss the first two games and be a doubt for the third game

And that so it’s proved he’s back training they expect him to be back for England but yeah they’ve taken a policy this year I don’t know why of kind of just keeping everyone in the camp and and issuing very well they don’t issue injury updates often and when they do

They didn’t even mention Hugo Kanan in their inj injury update during the week which I think is a disservice to to fans and we’ve had a fairly firm line on both of those players so far you know dorus had a knock this week I think it was to

His CF k um and obviously that stressed you out cuz you were in Bal yesterday preparing a big feature on him for Saturday but it’s um like you know I think per personally just think that there should be more transparency around this stuff and and it should be clearer

As to you know I understand why you might keep your cards up your sleeves a little bit on on for all like I don’t think he’s the most experienced fullback in the squad I mean Jordan lammer started a World Cup pool game against Scotland now it was a different cycle

And and everything like that but he did play very well and him and Stockdale have started against Farland in that position under Andy Farrell but it’s just a sign of how far both of those recent experience he six nine starts this season is sorry is my point I

Should clarify yeah no absolutely but I like I I do think that you’re right that it’s a logical selection because those players I mean Stockdale is just not playing well and he’s just a symptom of what’s going on on oler the last couple years and lmer you know for a player who

Was you know arguably should have kept his place after that game in 2019 when he was really good against Scotland in really tough conditions under the high ball has lost his way in that department and obviously they just can’t really trust him to to be that player anymore

At fullback and that’s really like difficult for them the other option I guess would have mean to play Harry burn and Jack Crowley which finished really well last time and and that that double pivot really really worked for him in those last 10 minutes but why would you move Jack rowy

Yeah was a bit kind of not critical but he wasn’t overly happy with how Crowley went if I thinking after the top my head in his press conference he kind of said did he say theow yeah he said the yeah when he went fullback he lost his way a

Little bit so I’d be very much on chenade kind of pay you just have to play Jack Crowley as a t of course it’s an option but you’ve mentioned lur and Stockdale there like lur had a sorry Stockdale had a horror show in the ospre against the Ospreys on Sunday and all

The things that we’ve been talking about is concentration just like like you just can’t like look if we’re being honest he’s lucky to be in the squad in my opin the next best fullbacks in Ireland are both at monster so like if you’re if you’re looking for like for like for

Hugo Keane and you’re looking at Simon Zebo I think is still struggling with an injury and Mike hay who’s just returned from injury and I think Mike hay had he not been injured would have really justifiable claims for that 15 Jersey but he’s missed the whole season he’s

Only just back so um like he is the next like for like replacement so you’re kind of it’s a little bit of a square peg and a round hole and I’m not convinced that for you has the pace to play international where War G might be licking his lips

Well he will be but does he have the tools like does Sam costelo have the tools to unlock that back three I’m not sure we don’t know enough about this Wales team yet to say that they do like they haven’t been like they’re getting you know fairly easy ride but like you

Know they’re a poor team de you know poor young team developing they’ve lost two games they have they’ve only won one six nations game under Warren Gatland since he’s come back and that was against Italy so like there yes they can probe and they can ask questions of

Kieran froley but they have to kind of get to first they have to get the ball off Ireland first like they have Tommy Rafel who’s probably you know arguably the best seven in the tournament um but he can’t do it on his Zone I think Ireland will Target him so yes it’s a

Weak a potential weakness and the caveat to that is that Ireland have always under an farell certainly for the last two years been able to throw players in and it’s always worked you know Calvin asash in in Marseilles I had my doubts about him as an international Winger

Well I I eat my words now you know Jack crowd’s just come in and stepped up automat you know like seamlessly John you know anyone he’s tried so far has thrived and you’d imagine the work that they’ve done in training the last couple weeks they’ve been testing Kieran froley

In that regard that’s the key isn’t it froley okay it’s a big test from the biggest test of his career but he’s not being thrown in as such because he’s been part of the squad for the last couple years I mentioned there he was in New Zealand albeit he was playing 10 in

Those two mry games but I’m sure he was running plenty at full black as well just to cover all bases so I think that’s one of the Beauties you’re so right to high highlight it R in farell selection is that all these guys who he throws in have been in the system Calvin

Nash he was on the emerging Ireland tour to South Africa okay it wasn’t with the senior players but it was with the senior coaches so they know the levels that these players can hit before they throw them into the deep and that doesn’t happen by accident so we know

Back to the 6-2 split as we mentioned Connor Murray’s on that bench St mlos is on that bench as well Peter Mah is back as Captain our colleague uh Mori kinsa had the story in the 42 today that it looks like moner are about to offer a

Petro Mahan and Conor Murray contct the story is that the contracts have been offered um and like I I think as soon as Peterman became Ireland Captain this was inevitable certainly in his regard I think M Murray’s a more complim complicated picture because he doesn’t start from Monster he’s arguably more

Important to Ireland than he is to monster right now you know um he obviously is a very senior player down there you know and one of their all-time greats in his position if not their all-time great as number nine but he isn’t the starting number nine and his

Influence has waned Craig Casey’s kind of taken the shirt off him and plays longer and longer each game but like m omah still sets the sets the agenda down in Monster he’s still the you know when he came back over in ton that time he was so influential and Ty burn spoke

Afterwards that even though he was Captain he delegated or or he felt that om man he eased the burden of leadership on his shoulders and as long as Peter ommani is able to talk out and play to his best he’ll still be a pivotal figure for monster and he might he kind of

Resigned the captain se you know we we understand I think that you know he he he took he B he stepped down as Captain after the contract to Backle um does he get to Captain C back if he signs a new contract I doubt I think he’s pretty

Happy enough now you know he he’s he’s kind of that maybe that’s a weight off a should he did it for a long time but I think he was disrespected by the way way it all played out and there’s been a bit of but I think as soon sorry as soon as

Farell appointed him Captain he would have put it in the works I think this the line in the piece and that the you know I think the rfu will Top up the salaries which you know they’re not centrally contracted but they’re not it’s not all on Monster bu it that’s

Smart business they did the same for Simon ebo when he came back it makes it makes sense for as well I think why wasn’t it done earlier like why has been let go till February start I don’t know I presume moner were trying to play hard

Ball in terms of trying to keep because they’re obviously going to have to absorb the two players salaries and okay they’re in the Autumn of their career but they’re still going to be commanding significant chunk of the wage B so look I think it’s a win-win situation for

Everyone the the idea that Peter or maty would have been left you know leave monster at the end of the season having just been named monster Captain I think would have probably caused Roots down moner in Cork it just didn’t make any sense I agree I agree with Murray but I

Still think he shows his value time and time again for Ireland and and for moner I know um rry obviously prefers Craig Casey at the moment but that’s not the case for it’s just he’s going to be a very expensive substitute and and that’s I think where monster are struggling a

Little bit you know I’ve heard a rumor and I can’t corroborate it but like you know that that maybe an overseas signing might fall true as a result of this because the you know the burden of of pay has come onto them so they can’t afford to go to the market because

Things are tight in Monster and oler particularly at the moment and they have been a conu and fairness who’ve been probably cutting their cloth better than any other Irish Province over the last couple of years so it is you know Joey Cary has been a very expensive um luxury

For muner for the last couple years because he’s no longer an Ireland player he’s no longer starting 10 and and Murray you know will be on a very good salary you would think given his status in the game as a lion but he spoke you know you were talking to him on Tuesday

About how he wants to go on and emulate Johnny seon so I suppose it’s up to him to become a starter again and that’s not beyond the Realms of possibility I know he’s had a couple of injuries over the years but he could definitely play at least

38 excuse me but I think it’s the experience that they both bring as well um we’ve seen it throughout this season for Monster when Peter om matney wasn’t there there was a real lack of leadership particularly over way and xer and those big leads that they were

Coughing up in the second half so um I think it was imperative that moner found a way to keep them and I think the irfu if that is the case as was reported topping up their salaries I think makes a lot of sense for everyone it’s a

Win-win and Andy Farrell you know he’s a very good good selector and he values the input of these players and he values the experience of these players and he has backed Conor Murray and Connor Murray has repaid his faith in a load of games coming off the bench he’s a very

Calming presence coming into those games off an arand are leading they need he’s a good Defender he’s a good decision maker he’s a good kicker his passing is very good he’s still a very very good scrum half he might not be the player he was in you know his Glory Days around

2016 when I think I gave him 10 out of 10 against the All Blacks in Chicago he was exceptional that day but he’s still a big contributor to this this whole Squad and can be for monster I mean they play a faster game now he maybe he has

To adapt for that adapt to that but really you couldn’t say that any of the scrum halves coming true are putting enough pressure on him even Casey I don’t think grabbed his chance really against Italy there’s a reason Murray’s been picked on the bench and he covers

10 so if you’re going to go 6’2 he’s a better option 10 out of 10 jeez that is is wonderful I was just thinking like you’re like the Le ratings for you to give out two and awesome at this stage yeah jeez a 10 out of 10 Conor muray

Must have that pinned up in this wall I um anything else from the team selection before we I think it’s worth mentioning that sh MOSI is the one covering on the bench because as Rod was saying he did well against he did excellent and Gary ringrose as we’ve

Seen and heard is back fully fit now but what a message that that sends out to to Stuart MOSI and the rest of the squad by Andy far look I think Robbie Henshaw has been outstanding in the first two games he was excellent for lenser in wford

Road H just before the Six Nations as well but I still think guy ringrose is Ireland’s best 13 and that’s just no no slide on Robbie Henshaw whatsoever but I this is a smart like we we touch on this a lot about how clever Farrell is in terms of like his emotional intelligence

By reading the dressing of and knowing which buttons to to press and I think this is a great message send out imag the confidence just gives him as well absolutely and I wouldn’t be surprised if ringrose comes into the mix for tweaking him yeah understand it he’s

He’s you know he he has trained he’s he’s just not quite ready but at the same time I think mlki are in that spot the only thing he doesn’t give you is coverage so you you you know you have you look at fry can go into the Center

That’s not needed cuz you got moski 4’s 10 15 I presume Gib some Park will’ll go on to the wing if they need that’s the one caveat in this particular 62 that if one of the Wingers gets injured you’re in a bit of B then but in the Scotland

Game at the World Cup Gibson Park played wonderfully on the wing so and you know he has the the capacity to do it now you don’t want them doing it for an hour like you know if one of the Wingers goes down early then you might be what ify

Goes down earlyy goly go back yeah well 10 Mar 10 yeah they could do that Robbie HW you could put yeah for the first time since 2019 which is the last time Ireland lost in front of a crowd at the stadium so um that that’s a conundrum man like that is Joe Schmid

Would never picked this this um this this particular bench because Joe used to always work from what could go wrong and like Felix it almost over yeah you could say it was certainly Safety First and I mean Felix Jones got got a lot of bench appearances because he he covered

A lot of positions and also he was a left foot a kicker in the back field and Joe went into a real level of detail about why he pick him ahead of some other players so farell is going more about like what can I bring Off the

Bench I mean it’s a meaty bench it’s probably the biggest bench Ireland I’ve ever picked thinking with that bench yeah absolutely but then I mean it’s it’s a lot stronger than the Welch PCH that’s that’s that’s for sure and you know if if they’re in trouble after an

Hour or even if they’re in the balance it’s it’s such a weapon to be able to send on Jack on and Ryan B and and James Ryan I mean all three were very good against Italy as well as as was MOSI um so it’s you know it’s about what the

He’s thinking what can this bench bring whereas other coaches will think you know the risks and we have seen the risk out here to lose a couple years ago they lost a center and Dupont ended up playing out of position and they were really weakened by it so it can go wrong

And that is the risk you always take with 6-2 but the upside is so clear I’m surprised they went 6-2 for for this particular game I can understand the logic think it’s because they didn’t need to yeah I don’t think they needed to I think you could have had a Jordan

Armor or whatever on mention avoided the potential scenarios that we’re talking about but I think it speaks to probably the mindset and the philosophy that this Ireland team are just going to look to batter Wales I think the big difference between them is going to be up front and

I think we’re going to see that from the start and then when he rolls on the players that Rod is talking about that’s where you’re going to I think they could pull away Playland strengths as a squad though now because they don’t like really as as you started talking about

Moski at 23 I was kinding to think who really deserves to be there ahead of him and if ring Rose isn’t fit you couldn’t make the case for lour or Stockdale lour got on I felt at outside Center against I think he would have preferred to have

Get gotten a shot on the wing where realistically that’s where but if you weigh him up against Ryan bar which is the decision like what be brings brings Off the Bench is so key and also you know has some sort of an injury the last couple weeks that we don’t know about so

Does you know he might come off after an hour you’re bringing on be’s line out Pros is carrying his tackling he’s been really good in in the two games so far Conan’s been excellent James Ryan is is still pissed off going into this game I say he’s just penally annoyed at the

Moment and it’s coming out in his performances cuz he was good against Italy as well so I I think you’re I think it’s really leaning into where Ireland are at their strongest at the moment and that’s in the back five of the scrum okay will you put yourselves

In uh Warren Gatland shoes so he’s coming here they haven’t won a six nations game here since 2012 Ireland have won 38 of the last 40 test matches at home um obviously England 2019 France in 2021 uh they’ve won here so they’re on a run of 17 consecutive test wins how

Is Warren Gatland framing this game what is he saying to them I yeah to be the the Party Poopers I presume you know to to end Ireland’s unbeaten run to stop them winning a potential Grand Slam um look if you I was writing about this earlier this week

If you want to take the glass half full approach when it comes to Wales okay they’ve lost their opening two games but it’s been by a margin of three points there has been flashes of positivity in there apart from the first half obviously against Scotland in round one

So look he’s back in a new crop of players you’ve got Cameron win win it at fullback dafit Jenkins is obviously the captain um costlo coming back in a 10 Ro mentioned Tommy Rafel okay he’s not not the youngest so there has been little bits of positivity here and there but I

Mean he’s going to have to give some rousing team speech I think for for his players to realistically believe that they can beat this irland team like you mentioned chenade theyve become so difficult to beat um here at the Aviva stadium so um when they look at the

Starting team the quality that’s going to be rolled off the bench I mean we’re going to find out shortly if Finley beum is injured I would probably assume that he is because I thought he was very good against Italy as well I couldn’t see him being dropped from the from the 23 but

Yeah like it’s a massive massive tall order for for Wales to upset the odds here it’s hard to see it happening though isn’t it yeah I think tactically it’s going to be a breakdown and you know I heard James Tracy say during the week that Wales um wales’s opponents

Have had the slowest breakdown in this tournament whereas arand had the quickest ball and Ireland P off lightning quick ball all the time so if you’re going to try and negate what Ireland do you know South Africa are the template you know and we’ll see that probably in two weeks time when Felix

Jones coach defense goes after Ireland but they have even though Ireland have won their two games against South Africa they’ve probably done the best job at at shutting irand down and so Rafel is key I think he’ll go after arland’s ball but I do expect arand to almost treat him

The way ler treated Ty burn when he was playing for Scarlets against him a couple years ago when they just when he was the best um player in the Scarlet setup and he was the biggest threat over the ball and they just blitzed him they’ll try and make him did that to

Raell a couple of weeks ago in at w I mean he did get one or two poaches if memory serves but they just they went to after him big time because they know the threat that he has I think they’ll try and keep the ball on the pitch I think

They’ll try and not give away any penalties which is hard against arand because arand keep the ball through a lot of phases and and force you to to try and you know get off the ground and if you stray offside they’ll put you into the corner but gatland’s team have

Been the most disciplined in the tournament so far so there is um you know if you don’t give arand line outs can they score off off off other phas phases um we don’t know yet because really they’ve been given a lot of line outs in their two games so so far and

And it has to be said that Italy and and France weren’t very good against Ireland in the two games so we have to apply some kind of breaks to the I suppose what irand can do but really with this team um with this halfback pairing with

This this the kind of cess of that pack can you see them living with Ireland physically across 80 minutes even if they deny Ireland the access that we’re talking about Ireland can still play through them Ireland can still vary the way they play um I think Arnold have

Better tactical kickers I think fory one strength he’ll bring is to be able to pop up a 15 both as a playmaker but Al also as a tactical kicker um it’s I think Ireland just have way to too many strengths for Wales to counter even though Wales will come with a plan and

Gatland is good at coming up with a plan but last year they just Bliss Wales and it was over the scrum will be interesting as well because I think previously Gatland would have had the cattle to go after this Irish scrum in particular Andrew Porter but when you

Look at the the front row that he’s picked there it’s hard to see it happening isn’t it yeah absolutely right well uh let’s just get a few of the thoughts of Andy farl from today’s presid press conference obviously we had a few injuries last time and uh there’s

A few injuries this time round as well U those guys who were not fit to play um against Italy have used their time well and uh fit and RAR to go so that freshens things up a little bit and having said that I think it’s a it’s a

It’s a good side you know so it’s uh it’s one that’s that we’ve uh um excited to to see T the field on Saturday some the new faces some than I new but um Crawley coming in at fullback and oi edger on on the bench can you tell us

About those players what you see in them and why you’ve told them well it’s uh I think first and foremost it’s it’s always a pleasure to to give somebody the debut um but uh I think this is a special one because it’s a special story

In in OE um in fact uh I’ve had a couple of conversations with him over the years when we was over in um in New Zealand I I met him about his plans Etc and uh um and and where that sat um but he was content enough CU he was building uh a

Really nice life for himself over there and doing unbelievably well for the Crusaders um but he showed his ambition to come back to to Ireland and make a claim for a spot in in um playing for playing for his country so we’ve we’ve we’ve had him E mark for a while but

Watching him start his career in Ireland at monster and how that’s gone and then giving him the opportunity to come to Portugal with us and um he’s had a few more weeks uh since then in the squad we’ve been nothing but impressed you know he’s he’s a big man uh uh very low

Maintenance um a proper man’s man you know uh uh the Tash is it all doesn’t it and uh um he’s he’s very knowledgeable well coached um and for a big man he gets around the field and got a good feel so um he deserves his chance I

Thought coming into camp and then uh transferring that to his performance against the Scarlets where he he not actually played for for quite some time actually U was was pretty impressive so we’re excited for him to to uh to show what his got on Saturday um and then for for

FRS his first six nation start um uh exciting for him you know he’s uh he’s always been in and around the squad and pushing and you know the the versatility uh that FRS has got uh as always probably yeah mared him for um a bench spot Etc but he’s always been waiting

For this chance Yugo doesn’t get injured too much does he um so I look his skill set is is is is fantastic um and I’m sure that he’s uh it’s a big wig for for him you know so there’ll be a test of his temperament

But he’s playing in a good side I’m sure that he’ll take his chance okay before we move on to the other games this weekend uh just a quick word on the DC Farland story uh from yesterday that bernon Fanning broke and it was confirmed by olster then later yesterday

Obviously Richie Murphy will take up uh the role till the end of the season after the under 20s sum up what you know Ma farin’s time and who is the man to take it on in a permanent role do you think good question I know Brandon has

Floated to I me and Foster and I think that would be a an ambitious appointment if if they could afford to go and get him be amazing like I mean but like that’s the caliber I think of of figure that you’re really looking at now you know I think

User you know Stuart MOSI is on the bench tomorrow they didn’t have any players for the first time in the history of Irish Ruby they know one in the match day Match Day squad for an international in Marseilles they’re really not pulling their weight as an organization and you know it is supposed

To be some of the the ru and be supposed to be a team of us some of parts four power provinces whichever ever um marketing slogan you want to use they you know over the last couple of years they’ve produced a number of exciting backs who all have plateaued

And I think McFarland did an excellent job stabilizing olster when he first come in we all remember Brian Oris describing him as as a Bas case it was in the wake of the trial which was hugely damaging I think they’d lost a lot of public Goodwill and within months

He was competing out here for you know within Jacob Stockdale putting the ball down and Ross Burns late kick of beating lster the reigning champions in a European game and got to semi-finals and finals and and it just greu stale and I think Jared pay moving on was was

Damaging and and overall I think he did a good job for three years possibly should have got out while the going was good stayed on for another couple years signed a new deal but last year was difficult it was poor they never really hit the the levels they’d hit against

Monster in that URC quarterfinal when they blitzed Johan van Gran’s team in their last game and this season’s been really a awful now I was across the road a couple months a couple of weeks ago when they beat lster so there was that was it turns out that was a dead cat

Bounce but like they were good that night and they have good players and you know they got Dave mccan I think McNab is a good player they have some talent coming true but like Ireland should be looking at James Hume Mike Larry Robert bacon as contenders none of them are in

The Ireland Squad right now and that speaks volumes for how they’ve plateaued under this coaching ticket and just need a fresh voice so Murphy goes in there has earned that that right but I think he might need an experienced voice with him as well as either a do or or

Something like that and you know look Foster is just a name being thrown out at the moment but he’s the kind of caliber of candidate like Razzi Rasmus at monster in 2016 this this job this needs a big um personality because oler needs to start pulling its

Weight yeah hard to disagree with with any of that um I suppose on a human level it’s it’s it’s sad to see someone lose their job particularly it’s unusual for Irish Rugby during a season I know rassie and you know left during M yeah Rassy was obviously different

Circumstances but I don’t know we only get to deal with I suppose D MC Farland a few times um a season and I don’t know what he’s like behind the scenes with the players but publicly he always felt like he had the weight of the world on

His shoulders he was quite chippy in his um you know dealings with the media and things like that so I don’t know how that’s reflected behind the scenes in the players there’s a lot of you know the discontent that you’ve been hearing about there’s no smoke without fire like

Something I’ve been hearing was that you know there was no one sort of part of his coaching staff who were able to not stand up to him but maybe to challenge different things that he was doing that everyone was just kind of under now of course the head coach or director Ruby

Whatever going to say should be have the final say but maybe you needed another voice in there maybe that was the Jared Payne or Dwayne Peele when they were there and they never really replaced them you’d have to say um on the coaching ticket so look oler is an

Attractive club to go to it’s going to be very interesting to see who is on the short list I mean you look at the stadium I know there’s a few issues or socks of up to 10 players possibly leaving at the end of the season um which is tricky so you obviously they’ve

Got got budgetary issues there are they going to be able to strengthen the squad but generally speaking it’s a good club it’s run well they do have a good Academy system they have started producing more young players in the last couple years in terms of the Irish 20s

And things like that but you’re right R they need to be doing a hell of a lot more not having any allster players in an Ireland Squad is pretty damning as a for the province as a whole yeah no for sure um so Ireland against Wales here at

Thea Stadium 215 on Saturday Scotland against England at murfield at 4:45 on Sunday and France against Italy then on Sunday sorry England against uh Scotland at mfield at 4:45 on Saturday by the end of the weekend will it be England also still going for that grand slam for

Round four I I don’t think so I think Scotland at home will be uh the stronger proposition I think they’ve they’ve had the the upper hand in this fixture for the last couple of years they’re kicking the ball a bit too much for my like in Scotland they kick the ball more than

Anyone else in the tournament and while Russell has a great Boot and they’re bringing Blair King Horn back this week I would like to see them like they have got great running threats out wide I’d like to see them play a little bit more more um but I don’t like they’ll find

The holes that Italy and Wales found and they’ll find them with h and they’ll be able to finish their chances much much better I think than than those two teams so I think Scotland have like I think it’ll be a tight game I don’t think it’ll be easy by any means and England

Could get a result quite conceivably but I I think Scotland can get a result and keep their hopes alive yeah Blair kingor being back is huge I think for him I mean his move to too he’s looked brilliant in tus in the Champions Cup he’s really fitted in

There well um yeah like I mean we sat here in these exact same seats a couple of weeks ago and I said that I couldn’t wait for the rugby that was going to be on the following day and it was absolutely atrocious but this England Scotland game on paper looks like it

Should be a cracker I find it very tough to call actually maybe Home Advantage like Rod said my tip it in Scotland’s favor like I said King Horn back I think they have a better they have a good recent record against good recent record um Gregor Townson record against England

As a coach is very good they’ve got an excellent attack and like I said when you’re bringing a player like King hard back into it they might be able to expose that Rush defense that you know Italy weren’t able to um in the opening round so yeah I I just hope that it’s

Not a dance SB as it was um a couple of weeks ago we get see anyway K we’ll be in here doing press conferences yeah we’re going to be under the tumb to try and get this out as quickly as possible so we can watch it but um yeah whatever

The opposite to Super Saturday at the last time what that was so I’m more optimistic for uh what would I say cup yeah Supreme Saturday maybe this this weekend Jesus terrible terrible dad are we done are we done I think we’re done here I think that does anyone think

Italy could be France if it was in if it was in if was in Italy maybe been awful was in Italy I you know but like like Italy came within three points of England and while they what I was impressed by here a couple weeks ago was

That the fact that they stayed in the game for for 80 minutes and and France have gone so far back to the pack they were so poor in murrayfield I mean it’s two more weeks they look like a really unhappy camp and they’ve just spent two more weeks together so does that revive

Them or does that make them even worse I I don’t think they’re going to beat them but I think they could scare them and if they get up up ahead of steam isn’t too lagy going to be playing starting mobile enough for me at this level like they

Brought on players the last time who didn’t look conditioned enough um I just don’t know what has happened like France looked like the team of 10 years ago R the team of last two couple of years I’m not saying they’re going to lose but I

Think R leag could give them a scare I think I heard you saying Italy you’re going to be France there just your teen Supreme Saturday so I know what we’ll be cutting out and putting on YouTube oh my God that’s terrible right that is it from us we will be back

Another podcast after the game on Saturday so we’ll chat you Then