REDEMPTION TIME
Ireland are something of a closed shop under Farrell but now his regulars need to deliver...
THE fallout from the England defeat has dominated the discourse all week but an interesting subplot away from Abbotstown has been bubbling away in the background.
Antoine Frisch received a call-up to the France squad last Sunday. The Munster midfielder was released back to his province earlier this week.
There was a collective sigh of relief down in Thomond Park at this development. If Frisch, as many believe, is good enough to represent Les Bleus, no one in Munster would begrudge this talented centre.
The issue for the club if Frisch gets capped for France is that he becomes an NIQ (nonIrish qualified) player in the current squad. The fact that the Kiwi Alex Nankivell is also on the books may come to a head when fresh contracts are being negotiated next year.
The IRFU is unlikely to look too kindly on two ‘foreign’ players taking up both midfield positions.
If that situation comes to pass, the frustration among Munster’s top brass will be palpable. Because a lack of international recognition is at the core of this issue. It was the same story with Ben Healy and Jean Kleyn. The former left the province because he believed his Test ambitions were best served with the Scots.
Kleyn, meanwhile, took advantage of an amended World Rugby law on eligibility to switch his allegiance back to his native South Africa. He went on to win a World Cup last year. But Kleyn’s decision had knock-on effects at his club. By hitching his international wagon back to the Boks, he suddenly became an NIQ lock, which had ramifications when RG Snyman’s contract negotiations began.
This Frisch situation is also looking messy. He hasn’t been capped, for now. But Fabian Galthie may be keen to bring the 27-year-old, who was born in Paris, along for a development tour of Argentina in the summer.
It would be a great shame for a player who arrived in Limerick in 2022 and stated his ambitions to represent Ireland. Frisch qualifies for Ireland by dint of a Dublin-born grandmother. He toured with the Emerging Ireland squad later that year and he has been a smash hit at Munster, forming a balanced and punchy midfield axis with Nankivell.
The problem for Frisch is that Andy Farrell is not short of quality options in midfield. Like a few of his Munster teammates, he may feel that his chances of playing international rugby may improve if he seeks pastures new. It would be a great shame for all involved if that proves to the be case. Frisch is a classy, skilful player who would thrive in this Ireland team.
There is a slight sense of a closed shop about Farrell’s squad at the moment. The Ireland head coach has always been steadfast in his belief that players must earn their spot or seize the jersey of a rival.
And who could argue with Farrell’s approach at the moment? The English result was just the second defeat in Ireland’s last 22 international games.
Yes, Farrell is backing a core of players.
But they have rarely let him down. Apart from the absent Ciarán Frawley, who misses out after he suffered a head injury in Twickenham, Farrell has backed the same players to see off the Scots and secure backto-back titles.
For those who question why Frisch has been deemed surplus to requirements, Farrell would note the form of Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose and Stuart McCloskey in recent years. Jamie Osborne is highly-rated by the management, tool.
As for the closed shop argument? The Ireland boss would rightly point to the promotions of Jack Crowley, Joe McCarthy and Calvin Nash in this championship.
Deep down, however, Farrell will be hoping that these matchday squad selections are not straight forward.
Andy Farrell needs more personnel giving him selection headaches
Apart from a congested midfield and loaded backrow, is his hand really being forced in other departments?
Andrew Porter was on the pitch in Twickenham until the 72nd minute. It’s a regular occurrence. The current depth chart at loosehead is worryingly shallow.
Is Ronan Kelleher forcing the issue when it comes to who starts at hooker? Tadhg Furlong has some able deputies, but the New Ross native is not feeling the heat from Bealham and Co.
Thankfully, there is a bit more competition at lock with McCarthy upsetting the established order in this championship. It’s going to be fascinating to see how James Ryan reacts when he recovers from that bicep injury and gets back on the Leinster beat.
Ryan Baird and Jack Conan are continually delivering bright cameos off the bench. It’s leading to debates around Peter O’Mahony’s position in the team. And that’s the way it should be.
There is virtually zero discourse around Jamison Gibson-Park and Crowley’s place in the starting line-up. You could say the same about Hugo Keenan and James Lowe, too. Nash has done well but Mack Hansen should regain his starting spot on the right wing when this squad leave for that South Africa series in the summer.
We hear a lot about the sheer depth of talent in the country. Yet there is no Ulster representative in this matchday squad. Again, it’s not the first time it’s happened in this championship. Frisch is one of several Munster players who feel their face doesn’t fit. Connacht, meanwhile, have barely a handful of players who believe they are on the Ireland radar.
Clearly, Farrell feels a lot of provincial players aren’t quite up to the required standard. He has a trusted group who have rarely let him down.
This crew should have more than enough to see off Scotland tomorrow evening.
Long term, there are issues for Farrell. He desperately needs more players putting their hand up for Test duty. More personnel giving him selection headaches in training.
This squad drives high standards but nothing lights the fire like intense competition. This team virtually picks itself at the moment. Is that a good thing? Truthfully, how many players feared for their place in the natural order this week? Maybe things are a bit too settled?
It will probably be enough to secure the title this weekend but Farrell has plenty to ponder ahead of the Springboks tour, that’s for sure.