IT DOESN’T TAKE a rocket scientist to figure this Ireland selection out.
Andy Farrell has essentially gone for the most experienced, tried-and-trusted matchday squad available for Friday night’s meeting with New Zealand in Dublin.
Even the Irish bench is packed with Test caps as Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, and Conor Murray are all included.
Tadhg Furlong’s injury has deprived him of another first-choice player to go along with Dan Sheehan, but Farrell could justifiably feel that other returning key men make this Ireland side stronger than the one he sent out for the second Test win over the Springboks in July.
The loss of Furlong is a major blow, no doubt. He is among the best tighthead props in the game and was immense the last time Ireland played New Zealand at the 2023 World Cup.
The scrum will be a key battleground on Friday after Ireland were left frustrated by three penalties against them in that area in the World Cup quarter-final. It was Andrew Porter who Wayne Barnes took issue with that night at Stade de France, but the scrum is a collective endeavour and Ireland need to get in Nic Berry’s good books this time.
Farrell has faith in 42-times capped Bealham. The Connacht man has been a strong performer for Ireland in recent seasons, especially when Furlong was injured at the start of the 2023 Grand Slam.
Most recently, Bealham replaced Furlong after 44 minutes of the win over the Springboks and helped to edge Ireland over the line for their second-ever win on South African soil.
It’s a big boost for Farrell that Rónan Kelleher has recovered from his ankle injury to start in the front row between Porter and Bealham. With Sheehan out, the powerful Kelleher will be determined to underline that he can be a world-class hooker.
Rónan Kelleher is fit to start. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The back five of the Irish scrum is unchanged from Durban. That second Test was when Farrell made the leap of dropping former captain O’Mahony and promoting Caelan Doris to the leadership role.
It also meant second row James Ryan returned to the starting pack to bring more close-quarters power, with Tadhg Beirne moving to blindside flanker. The physicality in the first half of that Test against the Springboks was remarkable to watch in the flesh.
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Ryan, Joe McCarthy, Beirne, Josh van der Flier, and Doris is a seriously punchy unit.
O’Mahony was good off the bench that day against the Springboks and having returned from his hamstring injury for Munster last weekend, Farrell retains him in Ireland’s number 20 shirt.
There may have been temptation to go with Ryan Baird’s athleticism or the uncapped Cormac Izuchukwu’s raw power, but Farrell is clearly hoping O’Mahony’s experience can help guide Ireland home to a win over the All Blacks.
Bringing Jamison Gibson-Park back at scrum-half was a no-brainer given his importance to this team. His pass selection, ability to make good decisions while playing at pace, kicking game, and support play are all excellent, while his defensive prowess remains a little underrated. He’s brave, perhaps even to a fault – the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the South Africa tour happened when he left himself exposed to a vicious clearout at a defensive breakdown while playing for Leinster.
Farrell must have strongly considered using Craig Casey as the back-up scrum-half following his strong performance as the starter in first Test against South Africa, but he has opted for Murray’s greater experience at number 21.
Murray has continued to perform well for Ireland under Farrell, whether off the bench or in the starting XV, and the head coach presumably feels his nous in closing out games is a useful tool to have among the replacements.
Casey must be desperate for more chances to show he can nail that job, having done it impressively against France in the 2023 Six Nations.
Jack Crowley at training in Portugal last week. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Jack Crowley continues as the main man at number 10, which is deserved having stepped into the role impressively this year following Johnny Sexton’s retirement. Friday night will be Crowley’s 11th Test start and he’s still only 24 so time in the saddle is important.
Even though he is the most experience of the three out-halves in the wider squad, it’s important that Crowley has lots of Test match nous around him.
With Munster having a tough start to the season, Crowley hasn’t been at his best in the red jersey but Ireland’s coaches believe their own camp and performances in the green jersey are what really matter. It’s a further boost that Ciarán Frawley made a quick recovery from his ankle injury to back Crowley up from the bench. The Leinster man nailed his two late drop goals in South Africa so his confidence is surely high.
With Robbie Henshaw having played just once this season and given the competition in midfield, it’s not a big surprise that he misses out on the matchday 23. All the more so given that Bundee Aki – dropped for the second Test in Durban – has started the season on fire for Connacht.
Aki tends to play well against his native New Zealand and scored a wonderful solo try in the quarter-final last year. His midfield partnership with Garry Ringrose is proven. Still, it’s hard for Henshaw and Stuart McCloskey, who have never let Ireland down.
James Lowe is an obvious pick on the left wing, while Mack Hansen was always likely to be back at number 14 having recovered from the shoulder injury that meant he missed the second half of last season.
Hansen hasn’t played for Ireland since the World Cup defeat to New Zealand so he’ll be itching to make an impact. Farrell doesn’t need to think too far into the past to recall just how pivotal a playmaker the roving Hansen has been for his team, while the Connacht man has excelled defensively with his reads and breakdown efforts.
Calvin Nash had a strong Six Nations in Hansen’s absence and it’s brilliant for Ireland to have another proven option on the right wing but it’s probably fair to say Hansen has shown he is capable of greater heights as a Test player at this stage.
Hugo Keenan might have had a few uncomfortable moments watching Jamie Osborne excel at fullback in South Africa and again, that was a huge development for Ireland given the previous worries about depth behind Keenan.
Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan, and James Lowe. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Still, Keenan has rightly been lauded as one of the best in the position in world rugby in recent years. His shot at the Olympics with the Ireland 7s was understandable and while it didn’t work out, Farrell knows and values what the Leinster man can do in 15s.
With the new directive to referees around kick escorting making one-on-one aerial skills in the backfield even more important than before, Keenan’s class in that area could be crucial.
Osborne thoroughly deserves the number 23 shirt on Friday, though, especially as he has underlined his brilliance as a centre with Leinster this season. Farrell’s selection of the Naas man at fullback in South Africa proved to be inspired and Osborne can also play on the wing, so he gives great flexibility from the bench along with the versatile Frawley.
Ulster captain Henderson is another man returning to the matchday squad after missing the South Africa trip with injury. His 81 caps of experience and close-quarters power see him nudge Ryan Baird out of the 23.
Healy is set to win his 132nd cap off the bench, which would leave him just one short of Brian O’Driscoll’s all-time Irish record. Ulster man Tom O’Toole has been seen as a possible longer-term option at loosehead by Ireland but he will provide the tighthead back-up for Bealham in Dublin, having done that job well in 2023.
Rob Herring hasn’t played this season for Ulster due to a calf injury but, as with other decisions, his experience gets him the nod over Connacht’s Dave Heffernan. Herring has earned the trust of Farrell and forwards coach Paul O’Connell with strong performances for Ireland time and time again.
There might have been one or two tight calls for Farrell ahead of Friday but on the whole, this was surely one of his easier selections.
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Farrell has gone with his most experienced, tried-and-trusted selection
IT DOESN’T TAKE a rocket scientist to figure this Ireland selection out.
Andy Farrell has essentially gone for the most experienced, tried-and-trusted matchday squad available for Friday night’s meeting with New Zealand in Dublin.
Even the Irish bench is packed with Test caps as Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, and Conor Murray are all included.
Tadhg Furlong’s injury has deprived him of another first-choice player to go along with Dan Sheehan, but Farrell could justifiably feel that other returning key men make this Ireland side stronger than the one he sent out for the second Test win over the Springboks in July.
The loss of Furlong is a major blow, no doubt. He is among the best tighthead props in the game and was immense the last time Ireland played New Zealand at the 2023 World Cup.
The scrum will be a key battleground on Friday after Ireland were left frustrated by three penalties against them in that area in the World Cup quarter-final. It was Andrew Porter who Wayne Barnes took issue with that night at Stade de France, but the scrum is a collective endeavour and Ireland need to get in Nic Berry’s good books this time.
Farrell has faith in 42-times capped Bealham. The Connacht man has been a strong performer for Ireland in recent seasons, especially when Furlong was injured at the start of the 2023 Grand Slam.
Most recently, Bealham replaced Furlong after 44 minutes of the win over the Springboks and helped to edge Ireland over the line for their second-ever win on South African soil.
It’s a big boost for Farrell that Rónan Kelleher has recovered from his ankle injury to start in the front row between Porter and Bealham. With Sheehan out, the powerful Kelleher will be determined to underline that he can be a world-class hooker.
The back five of the Irish scrum is unchanged from Durban. That second Test was when Farrell made the leap of dropping former captain O’Mahony and promoting Caelan Doris to the leadership role.
It also meant second row James Ryan returned to the starting pack to bring more close-quarters power, with Tadhg Beirne moving to blindside flanker. The physicality in the first half of that Test against the Springboks was remarkable to watch in the flesh.
Ryan, Joe McCarthy, Beirne, Josh van der Flier, and Doris is a seriously punchy unit.
O’Mahony was good off the bench that day against the Springboks and having returned from his hamstring injury for Munster last weekend, Farrell retains him in Ireland’s number 20 shirt.
There may have been temptation to go with Ryan Baird’s athleticism or the uncapped Cormac Izuchukwu’s raw power, but Farrell is clearly hoping O’Mahony’s experience can help guide Ireland home to a win over the All Blacks.
Bringing Jamison Gibson-Park back at scrum-half was a no-brainer given his importance to this team. His pass selection, ability to make good decisions while playing at pace, kicking game, and support play are all excellent, while his defensive prowess remains a little underrated. He’s brave, perhaps even to a fault – the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the South Africa tour happened when he left himself exposed to a vicious clearout at a defensive breakdown while playing for Leinster.
Farrell must have strongly considered using Craig Casey as the back-up scrum-half following his strong performance as the starter in first Test against South Africa, but he has opted for Murray’s greater experience at number 21.
Murray has continued to perform well for Ireland under Farrell, whether off the bench or in the starting XV, and the head coach presumably feels his nous in closing out games is a useful tool to have among the replacements.
Casey must be desperate for more chances to show he can nail that job, having done it impressively against France in the 2023 Six Nations.
Jack Crowley continues as the main man at number 10, which is deserved having stepped into the role impressively this year following Johnny Sexton’s retirement. Friday night will be Crowley’s 11th Test start and he’s still only 24 so time in the saddle is important.
Even though he is the most experience of the three out-halves in the wider squad, it’s important that Crowley has lots of Test match nous around him.
With Munster having a tough start to the season, Crowley hasn’t been at his best in the red jersey but Ireland’s coaches believe their own camp and performances in the green jersey are what really matter. It’s a further boost that Ciarán Frawley made a quick recovery from his ankle injury to back Crowley up from the bench. The Leinster man nailed his two late drop goals in South Africa so his confidence is surely high.
With Robbie Henshaw having played just once this season and given the competition in midfield, it’s not a big surprise that he misses out on the matchday 23. All the more so given that Bundee Aki – dropped for the second Test in Durban – has started the season on fire for Connacht.
Aki tends to play well against his native New Zealand and scored a wonderful solo try in the quarter-final last year. His midfield partnership with Garry Ringrose is proven. Still, it’s hard for Henshaw and Stuart McCloskey, who have never let Ireland down.
James Lowe is an obvious pick on the left wing, while Mack Hansen was always likely to be back at number 14 having recovered from the shoulder injury that meant he missed the second half of last season.
Hansen hasn’t played for Ireland since the World Cup defeat to New Zealand so he’ll be itching to make an impact. Farrell doesn’t need to think too far into the past to recall just how pivotal a playmaker the roving Hansen has been for his team, while the Connacht man has excelled defensively with his reads and breakdown efforts.
Calvin Nash had a strong Six Nations in Hansen’s absence and it’s brilliant for Ireland to have another proven option on the right wing but it’s probably fair to say Hansen has shown he is capable of greater heights as a Test player at this stage.
Hugo Keenan might have had a few uncomfortable moments watching Jamie Osborne excel at fullback in South Africa and again, that was a huge development for Ireland given the previous worries about depth behind Keenan.
Still, Keenan has rightly been lauded as one of the best in the position in world rugby in recent years. His shot at the Olympics with the Ireland 7s was understandable and while it didn’t work out, Farrell knows and values what the Leinster man can do in 15s.
With the new directive to referees around kick escorting making one-on-one aerial skills in the backfield even more important than before, Keenan’s class in that area could be crucial.
Osborne thoroughly deserves the number 23 shirt on Friday, though, especially as he has underlined his brilliance as a centre with Leinster this season. Farrell’s selection of the Naas man at fullback in South Africa proved to be inspired and Osborne can also play on the wing, so he gives great flexibility from the bench along with the versatile Frawley.
Ulster captain Henderson is another man returning to the matchday squad after missing the South Africa trip with injury. His 81 caps of experience and close-quarters power see him nudge Ryan Baird out of the 23.
Healy is set to win his 132nd cap off the bench, which would leave him just one short of Brian O’Driscoll’s all-time Irish record. Ulster man Tom O’Toole has been seen as a possible longer-term option at loosehead by Ireland but he will provide the tighthead back-up for Bealham in Dublin, having done that job well in 2023.
Rob Herring hasn’t played this season for Ulster due to a calf injury but, as with other decisions, his experience gets him the nod over Connacht’s Dave Heffernan. Herring has earned the trust of Farrell and forwards coach Paul O’Connell with strong performances for Ireland time and time again.
There might have been one or two tight calls for Farrell ahead of Friday but on the whole, this was surely one of his easier selections.
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Ireland New Zealand Nous Selection