Ones to watch: Ireland ramp up World Cup preparations

Andy Farrell and his coaching staff are giving players their chance to put their hand up to be on the plane to France. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jack Crowley is starting at 10 against Italy and will be hoping for a performance to ensure the golden ticket for his place at the RWC. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Marks out of tens:

Look, it’s old hat already but the out-half situation will continue to dominate for the rest of the month and Jack Crowley gets the chance to plant a flag in Andy Farrell’s mind with the first run-out today at the Aviva.

How much time Ciaran Frawley is given off the bench on his debut will tell its own story. The Leinster man is, like Crowley, versatile but will he go to France? Expect the TV director to pick out the odd shot of Ross Byrne and Johnny Sexton in the stands.

Back row balance:

This isn’t the first time this back row combo has started together, and in this order. Caelan Doris started at openside for Leinster against Leicester Tigers back in April but the experiment was abandoned at the start of the second quarter due to a Ryan Baird injury.

Leo Cullen played down the switch at the time, and explained that Doris had been covering No.7 for a long time anyway, but the Mayo man has been less effective on the blindside than at No.8 for Ireland before. How the Baird/Doris/Jack Conan trio goes will be interesting.

Back to the future on the wings:

Jacob Stockdale’s last cap came against Japan in July 2021. The Ulster man has been a regular feature in the Ireland squad the last year, so Andy Farrell clearly likes him, but he needs a big game to push his cause in a competitive department.

Keith Earls wins cap number 99 tonight, a remarkable achievement for the veteran, and this will be his first sighting in green since the summer series in New Zealand. It may be a battle between those two for a place on the plane.

Another loose end:

There are understandable concerns that Ireland will be the poorer if they lose the likes of Sexton, Tadhg Furlong or Andrew Porter given the alternatives in each department are excellent players but short of the same world-class status.

Full-back falls under the same bracket. Hugo Keenan has been exceptionally good and always available since being ushered into the side but no confirmed back-up has yet been identified. The versatile Jimmy O’Brien gets his second start at 15 here.

Is this it?

Of the 18 other available players not on duty for this initial tool-up, three of them are among the group hoping to do enough to make the final 33-man squad: Munster back row Gavin Coombes, Ulster lock Kieran Treadwell and Leinster back Jamie Osborne.

Paul O’Connell suggested all 41 players would get game time this month, but Andy Farrell was more circumspect. The head coach is clearly keeping his mind open, not just on who might make the squad but on how he does or, potentially, does not use players.