Predicted Ireland team v All Blacks: ‘Healthy dilemma’ created as Andy Farrell primed for changes
Andy Farrell (left) could be set to make some changes to his side to take on the All Blacks, with the likes of Sam Prendergast (centre) and Rob Baloucoune (right) likely to play.
Ahead of Ireland’s Test against the All Blacks on Saturday, here is how we think Andy Farrell’s side will line up at Eden Park.
Ireland’s trip to Auckland presents them with their biggest challenge of the Nations Championship so far; taking on an unbeaten All Blacks team.
Dave Rennie’s men boast wins over France and Italy in the opening two rounds, and it’s that victory over the Azzurri that should send warning bells ringing. That felt like the proper start of the Rennie era, playing a really attractive brand of rugby and showcasing what feels like a new identity in the process. What’s more, key men Will Jordan, Cam Roigard and Ardie Savea are all purring at just the right time.
Farrell’s side also come into this Test unbeaten, with victories over the Wallabies and Japan to their name in the opening two rounds, but you still feel there is more in them. Wins are the most important thing at this level, especially for a side like Ireland that demands success, but they have yet to properly hit their straps.
Backline
As a result, that potentially leaves some spots open heading into the All Blacks Test, with the bulk of those likely in the backline as well.
Wing is certainly one area that will be up for discussion, with Rob Baloucoune back up and running after a stint on the sidelines.
“It was great to have everyone out there on the fourth week of the tour,” said assistant coach Andrew Goodman. “Everyone was training and is available. It’s a good place to be.”
“Form comes into it (selection). It was much improved from Jimmy (O’Brien) from Australia to Japan and it’s great to see Jacob (Stockdale) who hadn’t played for eight to 10 weeks. To have Rob (Baloucoune) back training and fit, he had an amazing Six Nations for us and we were looking forward to getting him going from round one (of the Nations Championship), but he was charging around in training today.
“It creates a healthy dilemma for us as coaches.”
While Goodman was quick to point out that Baloucoune’s return to fitness creates even more competition for places, his return to full fitness could very easily see him come straight back into the run-on group. The Ulster winger proved to be a real breath of fresh air during the Six Nations, with his pace and quick-feet at the line giving Ireland a point of difference in attack while also going well in the air.
Who he comes in for is probably the bigger question, given O’Brien’s display against Japan and the likes of Jamie Osborne and Stockdale also available. Of that cohort, it does feel like Osborne is in pole position to don the 11 shirt with him now very much a regular in the Ireland starting XV, in whatever position, and him working in tandem with the likes of Hugo Keenan and Garry Ringrose could create a nice dynamic within their shape. O’Brien could be in line for a role on the bench.
Fly-half still feels like an open position right now, with neither Sam Prendergast nor Ciaran Frawley really grasping their chances in the previous rounds. At the same time, though, it will likely be one of those two men running the show at Eden Park as Farrell will look to keep some form of continuity within his half-back pair, and that potentially opens itself up to Prendergast coming back into the run-on group.
This does feel like a big chance for the youngster, especially in the wake of his performance against the Wallabies. You feel he needs a proper statement display to make the Ireland fly-half shirt his own after being dipped in and out, and a big effort against the All Blacks would certainly do that.
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
Frawley’s versatility could see him get the nod on the bench, though.
Elsewhere, Hugo Keenan seems the likely starter at full-back, Garry Ringrose could come back in at 13 alongside Stuart McCloskey while Jamison Gibson-Park seems the probable scrum-half.
Pack
There could also be some rotation in the pack, with Farrell likely to draw on experience up front.
Even with Sean Jansen going extremely well against Japan, Jack Conan’s big Test experience could see him move back to number eight this weekend, while Josh van der Flier and Tadhg Beirne could form the flank pairing.
James Ryan and Joe McCarthy also seem primed to start in the locks once more, with Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan and Tom O’Toole reunited in the front-row.
Ronan Kelleher, Jeremy Loughman and Thomas Clarkson all seem nailed on as the front-row options on the bench, but numbers 19 and 20 are where it gets interesting, given Cormac Izuchukwu, the aforementioned Jansen, Nick Timoney, Cian Prendergast and Bryn Ward have all played this July. Beirne’s ability to shift over to lock if required means Farrell can get away with deploying two out-and-out back-rowers on his bench as well.
Connacht man Jansen’s efforts last weekend in Newcastle deserve an inclusion in the 23 somewhere, and bringing him off the bench will help him ease into what will be the biggest challenge of his career to date coming up against the All Blacks, and Timoney also seems the likely option alongside him after overtaking the rest of the chasing pack to feature in the match-day squad in recent outings.
Ireland predicted team in full
Starting XV: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Rob Baloucoune, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Jamie Osborne, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Tom O’Toole
Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Jeremy Loughman, 18 Thomas Clarkson, 19 Nick Timoney, 20 Sean Jansen, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Ciaran Frawley, 23 Jimmy O’Brien
