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Farrell's first XV isn't the revolution some Ireland fans hoped for

Andy Farrell (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

New Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has named his first-ever team and it is full of familiar faces for next Saturday’s meeting with Scotland in the Six Nations. 

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Following a dismal World Cup campaign, the elevation of Farrell from assistant to head coach had been seen as the beginning of a new era in Irish rugby with former captain Rory Best and former head coach Joe Schmidt moving on. 

But this team selection to take on the Scots is perhaps not the overhaul that some of the Irish public were hoping for as 13 of the 15 that started the World Cup pool win over Scotland in Yokohama are starting again, the retired Rory Best and the benched Peter O’Mahony the two alterations.

Only two uncapped players come into the match day squad, the highly-rated 21-year-old loose forward Caelan Doris, who starts at No8, as well as his Leinster teammate Ronan Kelleher, who is on the bench. 

While there are some names to miss out on selection completely that were tipped to play, such as Jack O’Donoghue and Will Addison (even Stuart McCloskey), there are many players that are worthy of starting.

The front five more or less is set in stone, as is captain Jonathan Sexton’s place and his in-form Leinster team-mates Josh van der Flier, Garry Ringrose and Jordan Larmour. 

While some think Farrell may have gone for fairly conservative options elsewhere with his selection, the priority will be winning at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday instead of looking ahead to the 2023 World Cup.

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Although some players in the squad may not necessarily be in the form of their lives, many of them ruled over the rugby world in 2018, so a huge revolution was not necessarily needed this Six Nations despite it being what some hoped for. 

The squad needs a change of direction and leadership more than making sweeping changes, and that is what Farrell has provided.

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In what is the beginning of a new era in Ireland, Schmidt’s former defence coach has understandably chosen not to rock the boat too much. 

WATCH: Finn Russell warned he must make the first move to salvage his Scotland career

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N
NB 46 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Nice bit if revisioniusm but that's all it is JW.


For your further education, I found the following breakdown of one prominent club's finances in the Top 14 [Clermont].


For Clermont (budget of €29.5 million for 2021-2022) :

- 20% from ticket sales

- 17% from the LNR (includes TV Rights, compensation from producing french internationals and other minor stuff)

- 5% from public collectivities (so you're looking at funds from the city of Clermont, the department of Puy-De-Dôme and the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

- 4% from merchandising and events

- 3% from miscellaneous

- 51 % from sponsorships and partnerships. They've got 550 different partners. The main ones are CGI, Groupama, Limagrain/Jacquet, Omerin, Paprec, Renault and of course Michelin (not surprising since they're actually the founders of the club).


As you can see nothing comes from the FFR at all. The LNR is a separate entitiy to FFR and their aims frequently do not accord.


It is also why the European breakaway plotted by LNR and PR back in 2013 had nothing to do with the governing bodies of either England or France - and it most certainly did not have their blessing https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15331030/jean-pierre-lux-anglo-french-cup-detrimental-european-rugby


And from the horse's mouth [ex AB skipper Sean Fitapatrick] about the comp between Top 14 and Super Rugby:


"The Top 14 in France is probably the best rugby competition in the world at the moment, purely for the week-in, week-out.”


“I think the quality of players. They are bigger, they are faster, they are stronger. Which then carries on into the international game.”

Take it from someone who knows JW😅

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