Ireland XV squad that faces a strong English side at Thomond Park appear unlikely to win over Andy Farrell any time soon
Connacht academy prop Billy Bohan was part of Ireland’s pre-Six Nations training camp in the Algarve as a replacement for the injured Jack Boyle. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Irish rugby’s strength can often be its greatest weakness. A finely-honed provincial structure, rigorously controlled by those who hold the purse strings in central command, has allowed the sport to thrive in the 21st century.
As those in HQ will regularly declaim, they should not be able to compete with nations such as France, England, New Zealand and South Africa who possess vastly superior playing numbers and, crucially, a multiplication of teams in which they can operate.