Will Holmes
@willholmes.bsky.social
Can we stop picking Beirne in the back row and Doris at 7? With all the back row players Ireland have at their disposal, this shouldn’t even be a thought.
(Not doubting the chances of it happening, you could very well be right).
(Not doubting the chances of it happening, you could very well be right).
January 22, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Can we stop picking Beirne in the back row and Doris at 7? With all the back row players Ireland have at their disposal, this shouldn’t even be a thought.
(Not doubting the chances of it happening, you could very well be right).
(Not doubting the chances of it happening, you could very well be right).
I’d say Jude in particular has a great chance of getting capped looking at the centres picked in the main squad.
January 21, 2026 at 3:38 PM
I’d say Jude in particular has a great chance of getting capped looking at the centres picked in the main squad.
I’m both pleasantly surprised at how large the Ulster contingent is, and disappointed for Zac Ward and Postlethwaite (in particular) not making it into the main squad.
January 21, 2026 at 3:32 PM
I’m both pleasantly surprised at how large the Ulster contingent is, and disappointed for Zac Ward and Postlethwaite (in particular) not making it into the main squad.
The real question is what it’s going to take before the Republican Party feel the same way.
Because the fact they haven’t already is staggering to me.
Because the fact they haven’t already is staggering to me.
January 21, 2026 at 3:09 PM
The real question is what it’s going to take before the Republican Party feel the same way.
Because the fact they haven’t already is staggering to me.
Because the fact they haven’t already is staggering to me.
There is so much back row talent in Ireland there is no excuse for Doris to be the back up to JVDF at 7.
Same in midfield - there are so many guys who are great options if given the chance.
This squad selection will be very telling, and it will inform my opinion of him a lot.
Same in midfield - there are so many guys who are great options if given the chance.
This squad selection will be very telling, and it will inform my opinion of him a lot.
January 20, 2026 at 3:18 PM
There is so much back row talent in Ireland there is no excuse for Doris to be the back up to JVDF at 7.
Same in midfield - there are so many guys who are great options if given the chance.
This squad selection will be very telling, and it will inform my opinion of him a lot.
Same in midfield - there are so many guys who are great options if given the chance.
This squad selection will be very telling, and it will inform my opinion of him a lot.
I mean the LH prop issue is well documented, but I think that was more of an excuse 2 years ago than In the past 12 months, where he’s still flogged Porter too much.
Other positions? Madness.
Other positions? Madness.
January 20, 2026 at 3:18 PM
I mean the LH prop issue is well documented, but I think that was more of an excuse 2 years ago than In the past 12 months, where he’s still flogged Porter too much.
Other positions? Madness.
Other positions? Madness.
His options are: risk a heap of half-fit of his guys, or have to pick an almost brand new squad with very little experience.
This is a nightmare of his own making, but I fully expect him to just pick the same squad he always does.
Yes I’m being negative, but I’m fully out on Farrell at this point
This is a nightmare of his own making, but I fully expect him to just pick the same squad he always does.
Yes I’m being negative, but I’m fully out on Farrell at this point
January 20, 2026 at 1:29 PM
His options are: risk a heap of half-fit of his guys, or have to pick an almost brand new squad with very little experience.
This is a nightmare of his own making, but I fully expect him to just pick the same squad he always does.
Yes I’m being negative, but I’m fully out on Farrell at this point
This is a nightmare of his own making, but I fully expect him to just pick the same squad he always does.
Yes I’m being negative, but I’m fully out on Farrell at this point
Tadhg Furlongs career of late is calf injury interspersed with test matches for Ireland.
Farrell is consistently taking risks on his guys if they are half fit, regularly passing up opportunities to bring through other guys
The end result? He’s now In a position where so many of his guys aren’t fit
Farrell is consistently taking risks on his guys if they are half fit, regularly passing up opportunities to bring through other guys
The end result? He’s now In a position where so many of his guys aren’t fit
January 20, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Tadhg Furlongs career of late is calf injury interspersed with test matches for Ireland.
Farrell is consistently taking risks on his guys if they are half fit, regularly passing up opportunities to bring through other guys
The end result? He’s now In a position where so many of his guys aren’t fit
Farrell is consistently taking risks on his guys if they are half fit, regularly passing up opportunities to bring through other guys
The end result? He’s now In a position where so many of his guys aren’t fit
The current injury situation I believe is an indirect result of Farrell’s policy of sticking to a very small squad.
Like a fair few of the guys injured have serious wear and tear from the last few years.
If anything, it’s a great chance to experiment because you can hid behind the injuries.
Like a fair few of the guys injured have serious wear and tear from the last few years.
If anything, it’s a great chance to experiment because you can hid behind the injuries.
January 20, 2026 at 1:20 PM
The current injury situation I believe is an indirect result of Farrell’s policy of sticking to a very small squad.
Like a fair few of the guys injured have serious wear and tear from the last few years.
If anything, it’s a great chance to experiment because you can hid behind the injuries.
Like a fair few of the guys injured have serious wear and tear from the last few years.
If anything, it’s a great chance to experiment because you can hid behind the injuries.
I fear that what will actually happen is a load of half-fit guys will still get picked, and we end up with an even bigger injury crisis.
January 20, 2026 at 1:16 PM
I fear that what will actually happen is a load of half-fit guys will still get picked, and we end up with an even bigger injury crisis.
Maybe it’s not a good thing that Farrell consistently is picking guys who are coming straight off of injuries?
Like even if a bunch of them are fit again, maybe they should t be going g straight into the squad.
Like even if a bunch of them are fit again, maybe they should t be going g straight into the squad.
January 20, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Maybe it’s not a good thing that Farrell consistently is picking guys who are coming straight off of injuries?
Like even if a bunch of them are fit again, maybe they should t be going g straight into the squad.
Like even if a bunch of them are fit again, maybe they should t be going g straight into the squad.
It’s also the fact that even when they are injury ‘doubts’ they end up in the squad and often picked.
I’m surprised there haven’t been more injury issues already with how keen Farrell is to risk guys carrying knocks.
I’m surprised there haven’t been more injury issues already with how keen Farrell is to risk guys carrying knocks.
January 13, 2026 at 1:58 PM
It’s also the fact that even when they are injury ‘doubts’ they end up in the squad and often picked.
I’m surprised there haven’t been more injury issues already with how keen Farrell is to risk guys carrying knocks.
I’m surprised there haven’t been more injury issues already with how keen Farrell is to risk guys carrying knocks.
American sports leagues, the NFL in particular, are very socialist in nature. Which I find fascinating.
January 12, 2026 at 5:00 AM
American sports leagues, the NFL in particular, are very socialist in nature. Which I find fascinating.
I love those high quality, limited series (and of course I end up binging them), but I just think you need a bit of both.
My theory is the problem is the death of the TV star - when every big show is centered around Movie stars, you just can’t make a series every year.
My theory is the problem is the death of the TV star - when every big show is centered around Movie stars, you just can’t make a series every year.
January 5, 2026 at 8:58 PM
I love those high quality, limited series (and of course I end up binging them), but I just think you need a bit of both.
My theory is the problem is the death of the TV star - when every big show is centered around Movie stars, you just can’t make a series every year.
My theory is the problem is the death of the TV star - when every big show is centered around Movie stars, you just can’t make a series every year.
Yeah I always wonder about episodes like that. The ones that make me laugh in retrospect are the attempted backdoor plots that never end up getting made.
Some filler episodes I do wonder what the thinking was - and whether it is a case of ‘we need one more episode to hit our order’ or not.
Some filler episodes I do wonder what the thinking was - and whether it is a case of ‘we need one more episode to hit our order’ or not.
January 5, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Yeah I always wonder about episodes like that. The ones that make me laugh in retrospect are the attempted backdoor plots that never end up getting made.
Some filler episodes I do wonder what the thinking was - and whether it is a case of ‘we need one more episode to hit our order’ or not.
Some filler episodes I do wonder what the thinking was - and whether it is a case of ‘we need one more episode to hit our order’ or not.
It’s up there for me, though maybe not quite number 1.
I just miss the rhythm of network TV - 16-24 episodes, starting every September.
You don’t need to go and do a rewatch to remember what happened in the last season, and you actually get suspense from week to week.
I just miss the rhythm of network TV - 16-24 episodes, starting every September.
You don’t need to go and do a rewatch to remember what happened in the last season, and you actually get suspense from week to week.
January 5, 2026 at 8:39 PM
It’s up there for me, though maybe not quite number 1.
I just miss the rhythm of network TV - 16-24 episodes, starting every September.
You don’t need to go and do a rewatch to remember what happened in the last season, and you actually get suspense from week to week.
I just miss the rhythm of network TV - 16-24 episodes, starting every September.
You don’t need to go and do a rewatch to remember what happened in the last season, and you actually get suspense from week to week.
The VW bus episode of Lost is one of the most enjoyable bits of TV I’ve watched.
January 5, 2026 at 8:31 PM
The VW bus episode of Lost is one of the most enjoyable bits of TV I’ve watched.
Some of the filler episodes are the best episodes of some of those series to be honest.
Cutting out every ‘unnecessary’ episode also means leaving a lot of character development and world building out.
More than anything though, you can’t slash the number of episodes and triple production time, too
Cutting out every ‘unnecessary’ episode also means leaving a lot of character development and world building out.
More than anything though, you can’t slash the number of episodes and triple production time, too
January 5, 2026 at 8:29 PM
Some of the filler episodes are the best episodes of some of those series to be honest.
Cutting out every ‘unnecessary’ episode also means leaving a lot of character development and world building out.
More than anything though, you can’t slash the number of episodes and triple production time, too
Cutting out every ‘unnecessary’ episode also means leaving a lot of character development and world building out.
More than anything though, you can’t slash the number of episodes and triple production time, too
The thing that is killing TV is the inability to make series in a timely manner, for a decent length of series, that is released weekly.
We need the 20 episode per season shows back.
We need the 20 episode per season shows back.
January 5, 2026 at 8:24 PM
The thing that is killing TV is the inability to make series in a timely manner, for a decent length of series, that is released weekly.
We need the 20 episode per season shows back.
We need the 20 episode per season shows back.
Yeah I think you’re projecting your feelings about the situation onto the players, here.
I don’t think any of us know what they actually think. And nor will we.
In the same way I think it’s a stretch to assume Mo definitely wants to leave.
I don’t think any of us know what they actually think. And nor will we.
In the same way I think it’s a stretch to assume Mo definitely wants to leave.
December 11, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Yeah I think you’re projecting your feelings about the situation onto the players, here.
I don’t think any of us know what they actually think. And nor will we.
In the same way I think it’s a stretch to assume Mo definitely wants to leave.
I don’t think any of us know what they actually think. And nor will we.
In the same way I think it’s a stretch to assume Mo definitely wants to leave.
And we are playing to Mo’s strengths this season?
The problem with all these attacks on Mo is that they can be applied to others just as easily.
Disagree with him going public? Fair enough. But let’s not start with all these personal dogs at him.
The problem with all these attacks on Mo is that they can be applied to others just as easily.
Disagree with him going public? Fair enough. But let’s not start with all these personal dogs at him.
December 7, 2025 at 7:31 PM
And we are playing to Mo’s strengths this season?
The problem with all these attacks on Mo is that they can be applied to others just as easily.
Disagree with him going public? Fair enough. But let’s not start with all these personal dogs at him.
The problem with all these attacks on Mo is that they can be applied to others just as easily.
Disagree with him going public? Fair enough. But let’s not start with all these personal dogs at him.
Right, but these same conversations around Mo were happening at the end of 2023/24 season.
In fact, whenever he’s had a dip in form - fans and media cannot wait to stick a knife in.
Slot also talked about ‘rotation’ - didn’t admit to having dropped him when that was clearly the case.
In fact, whenever he’s had a dip in form - fans and media cannot wait to stick a knife in.
Slot also talked about ‘rotation’ - didn’t admit to having dropped him when that was clearly the case.
December 7, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Right, but these same conversations around Mo were happening at the end of 2023/24 season.
In fact, whenever he’s had a dip in form - fans and media cannot wait to stick a knife in.
Slot also talked about ‘rotation’ - didn’t admit to having dropped him when that was clearly the case.
In fact, whenever he’s had a dip in form - fans and media cannot wait to stick a knife in.
Slot also talked about ‘rotation’ - didn’t admit to having dropped him when that was clearly the case.
Yeah this isn’t at all what is happening…
December 6, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Yeah this isn’t at all what is happening…
That is not the only measure of output… but based on that, is he really the only one who should be getting dropped?
December 6, 2025 at 6:29 PM
That is not the only measure of output… but based on that, is he really the only one who should be getting dropped?