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11th-hour Ireland cover call-ups for John Cooney and the uncapped Harry Byrne
Andy Farrell’s Ireland are leaving nothing to chance in the build-up Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations round two meeting with France, calling John Cooney and Harry Byrne into the squad as specialist cover at half-back should any of their four players selected in that area pull up lame ahead of kick-off.
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A Saturday afternoon tweet by the IRFU read: “John Cooney and Harry Byrne have linked up with the Ireland squad ahead of Ireland vs France to provide additional cover for specialist positions.”
With long-established duo Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray ruled out of the game due to respective concussion and hamstring issues, Farrell is starting Billy Burns and Jamison Gibson-Park at half-back. It’s a daunting task for the duo who have just three starts and ten Test caps between them, Burns starting just once in his four-cap career and Gibson-Park a started only twice before in his six-cap career.
Sunday’s bench back-up is also hugely inexperienced as Ross Byrne has eleven caps, just two as a starter, and he is joined in the replacements by Craig Casey, the 21-year-old uncapped scrum-half from Munster. In total the four matchday half-backs have just 21 caps between them, seven less than the 28 which French scrum-half Antoine Dupont has to his name alone.
For fear of getting caught short if any of Burns, Gibson-Park, Ross Byrne or Casey pull up lame before the Sunday afternoon kick-off, Farrell has summoned Harry Byrne, the uncapped younger brother of Ross, and the popular Cooney.
? John Cooney and Harry Byrne have linked up with the Ireland squad ahead of #IREvFRA to provide additional cover for specialist positions ?#ShoulderToShoulder #IrishRugby #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/sIHFCARQV0
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 13, 2021
The Ulster scrum-half had been ignored by Farrell since making three appearances off the bench last February as the matchday back-up to the starting Murray in the opening games of last year’s 2020 Six Nations. Ireland assistant coach Richie Murphy didn’t touch on the 11th-hour cover call-ups when speaking at the Ireland captain’s run, but he said: “It’s pretty exciting to get the guys in [Burns and Gibson-Park].
“Losing Johnny and Conor Murray is a big loss for any team but we are really excited to see Billy and Jamison take the field. Those guys have trained really well over the last few weeks and we are hoping for a big performance from both of them.”
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"Galthie has got everything at his disposal to make that team as successful as England have become under Eddie Jones"
– Players felt drained coming back from France duty but that's no longer the case, according to Nick Abendanon #SixNations #IREvFRAhttps://t.co/PxcnsbeWV0
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 13, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
2 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
2 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments