Devin Toner: Andy Farrell has picked an Ireland squad he trusts
Four years since the final bend into the last World Cup and some things have been turned on their head. As is the case now, Ireland tuned-up for for the 2019 gig as the world’s top-ranked team but with voices cracking after a worrying Six Nations. Andy Farrell’s version is purring beautifully as it makes for France on the back of a Grand Slam.
Leinster were league champions pre-Japan. This time it will be Munster players polishing the silver before the national selection congregates in Dublin later this month, and the curious case of Jean Kleyn is another example as to how some things have changed and changed utterly.
The Munster second row was one of two uncapped players drafted into Joe Schmidt’s 44-man preliminary squad back then with Connacht’s Quinn Roux the man losing out. Three months later and Kleyn was edging out Devin Toner in the squeeze for the official 31 places available.
It was a choice that generated a lot of heat, for the South African and for his Kiwi head coach. Four years later and it was Kleyn’s omission from the 42-man panel Farrell named on Tuesday afternoon that was one of the principal talking points thanks to the superb body of work the player had amassed in recent months.
Toner has shared his thoughts on his own 2019 exclusion before and there was never any element of self-pity. The same sense of realpolitik was evident yesterday when he was asked to revisit that disappointment, and to run the rule over the latest squad and it’s winners and losers.
Munster’s heroic URC final defeat of the Stormers in Cape Town three days before had spawned suggestions, and maybe some exaggerated hope, that players like Kleyn and John Hodnett would be handed golden tickets, but it wasn’t to be. The head coach went, in the main, with his tried and trusted.
Toner wasn’t in the least bit surprised.
“I don't think there is an argument on who he picked, to be honest. He has a lot of trust from everybody and he has a lot of trust in his squad. Him and his management team have delivered the goods over the last year or two so everyone will trust in him and the squad he picks.
“I don't think anyone has an argument against it. The argument is if something happens, if they don't get as far as they would like, but in my eyes I don't think there is an argument because he has picked a team he trusts and everyone in that squad has delivered in the last year or two.” The door hasn’t slammed shut just yet.
Toner was among those told to stay fit and keep his passport close by four years ago and, while he wasn’t ultimately required in the Far East, Jordi Murphy and Rob Herring were both parachuted into the tournament due to injuries after it had started to Jack Conan and Sean Cronin.
Injuries can move pieces around long before that point. The mind goes back to the likes of David Wallace and Felix Jones who both missed out on World Cup opportunities due to injuries picked up in warm-up games. The odds are that there will be similar sliding door moments over the summer to come.
Whatever about the here and now, Toner believes that both Kleyn and Hodnett will be granted chances to impress Farrell and the rest of the Ireland management further down the line if they can maintain their run of recent form into 2024.
The same applies for him in terms of Joey Carbery whose absence from the 42-man Ireland squad comes on the back of a season where he fell out of favour with Farrell and with Munster boss Graham Rowntree “I do feel sympathy a bit. He’s a class player, he will come back, he will get his form again. He just … I don’t know. That’s sport, that’s what happens, People get picked, people don’t get picked. It’s like Jack Crowley is playing class at the minute.
“You do feel for him a bit. But he’ll find it back again, you know. He is a class player,” said Toner. “When he played with us in Leinster, he was so skilful, he was so jinky on his feet. Obviously injuries haven’t done him well. He’ll be back.”
