Ex-Ireland captain backs Stockdale's deserved return
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has sprung a few selection surprises after he confirmed his starting line-up to face France this morning, with Jamie Osborne, Jacob Stockdale and Cian Prendergast all starting.
Farrell’s side begin their Six Nations campaign against Les Bleus – the defending champions – at Stade de France on Thursday night and he is set to shake things up in Paris.
In the injury-enforced absences of Mack Hansen, who is sidelined for the rest of the season with a foot injury, and Hugo Keenan, who fractured his thumb in training last week, Osborne is set to start at full-back.
Jamie Osborne of Ireland is tackled by Demur Tapladze of Georgia Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
The versatile Leinster man has played 10 games at Test level, six of those in the No15 shirt.
After a brilliant autumn campaign, Leinster’s Tommy O’Brien is to hang on to the right-wing spot, while Stockdale’s strong form for Ulster is being rewarded on the other wing at the expense of James Lowe.
Garry Ringrose and Stuart McCloskey form an experienced midfield combination, while Sam Prendergast has done enough to retain his spot at out-half, with Jack Crowley having to contend with a spot on the bench. Jamison Gibson-Park is set for a showdown with Antoine Dupont at scrum-half.
Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Dan Sheehan starts at hooker, with Jeremy Loughman and Thomas Clarkson in at loosehead and tighthead, respectively. Farrell was already without the services of Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle for this championship opener, and Tadhg Furlong looks likely to join his fellow frontline props on the sidelines on Thursday night.
Farrell also handed a start to Cian Prendergast after the Connacht backrower produced a number of strong showings from the bench in November.
In a bid to counter France’s powerful bench forwards, Farrell may opt for a 6-2 split among his replacements bench featuring James Ryan, Jack Conan and Nick Timoney.
Jack Conan. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Jacob Stockdale’s recall has to be one of the major talking points coming out of this squad selection.
The 29-year-old burst onto the international scene in the 2018 Six Nations, and scored a record seven tries during that memorable Grand Slam campaign.
Stockdale struggled to match that form in the years which followed but he has thrived in a resurgent Ulster team over the past 12 months and Farrell is set to reward him with a first Six Nations start in four years.
Former Ireland captain Rory Best feels Stockdale has earned this big opportunity in Paris. ‘When he burst onto the scene in 2018, I was lucky enough to be in that team and everything he did just went right for him,’ said the former Ulster hooker, who made 124 appearances in the green jersey.
Ireland players, from left, Iain Henderson, Jacob Stockdale, Rory Best and Jordi Murphy after the Guinness Series International win over New Zealand in 2018. Pic: John Dickson/Sportsfile
‘Then through a bit of loss of form and probably more so injuries and the thing with injuries mentally, because he kept trying to come back and he’d come in and Monday morning he would run and it wouldn’t be right, and then there’s nothing else we can do except try to rehab it and we’ll try again next week.
‘From a player, from a mental point of view, what you want is that this injury is going to be a month, six months, nine months, whatever it is, but when you don’t know, when you’re coming in every week going, hopefully this doesn’t break down, it does, it is just soul destroying for him.
‘So, for him to fight through that and then to come back, obviously because I’ve known him a long time, I’m particularly pleased for him these last couple of seasons, he’s been very good.
Jacob Stockdale of Ireland Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
‘And I really hope he gets a run at it. He has matured around the place, he’s now a husband, he’s now a father and that can change your outlook. You’re not necessarily just so focused on the match that it’s all or nothing. That maturity allows you to look at things differently, which can help you play better.
‘I would love to see Jacob starting and that’s the sort of, for me, that’s the kind of test that’s built for him where he can really muscle up with them.
‘He’s as good an athlete as they have, and what better way to show that the form that you’ve built with Ulster can translate into the international arena.’
