After the close shave against Argentina last week, Ireland play Fiji in their third game of the 2024 Autumn series with Australia left to play on Saturday week in a game that will mark the IRFU’s 150^th anniversary.

The game this week will offer Andy Farrell a chance to bring in some of the members of the Irish squad that haven’t seen game time against New Zealand or Argentina. Fiji followed up there win over Wales with a game vs Spain last weekend.

That game like Ireland offered Fiji coach Mick Byrne the chance to look at certain players within the Fiji set up that may not have faced either Scotland or Wales. Fiji will come to Dublin full of confidence and knowing that Ireland haven’t been there very best this autumn they will sniff a big opportunity of a win in Dublin.

From an Irish perspective, it is time to put in a full 80 minute showing which has not happened as yet over the first two games. Ill-discipline and poor set piece have hampered Irish efforts this November. Andy Farrell knows he only has two games left before he leaves to take up his position as British and Irish Lions head coach and he will leave the Irish job in the hands of Simon Easterby along with Paul O Connell and John Fogarty along with the other coaches within the management team.

There will be changes this week, but a complete overhaul of the 23 won’t happen and you can be sure the spine of the team for Saturday will be experienced.

Men like Doris, Henshaw and others will most likely keep their places. Guys like Nick Timoney and Dave Heffernan may be drafted in from the outside of the immediate 23 to get places on the bench. Only time will tell of course…

I will put on my selector hat and select my 23 to face Fiji on Saturday with a 3.10pm kick off time.

15 Jamie Osbourne

14 Jacob Stockdale

13 Bundee Aki

12 Robbie Henshaw

11 Calvin Nash

10 Sam Prendergast

9 Craig Casey

8 Caelan Doris

7 Nick Timoney

6 Cormac Izuchukwu

5 James Ryan

4 Joe Mc Carthy

3 Tom Clarkson

2 Dave Heffernan

1 Tom O Toole

–

16 Ronan Kelliher

17 Cian Healy

18 Tadgh Furlong

19 Tadgh Beirne

20 Josh Van Der Flier

21 Conor Murray

22 Ciaran Frawley

23 Garry Ringrose

There is my 23 to face Fiji and it would give Farrell but particularly Simon Easterby a look at certain options with an eye on the 2025 6 Nations and beyond….

After a 10 point loss to New Zealand in Dublin on Friday evening, Ireland re assembled in camp yesterday to prepare for the visit of Argentina this Friday evening with another 8.10pm kick off. Ireland will know that discipline will need to drastically improve over the next few weeks along with improvement at set piece and line out time. Although the Six Nations was won last March along with a win down in South Africa over the summer. The issues at the set piece and line out have continued and again as was seen over the weekend you need a solid set piece and line out to keep at pace with most teams.

Andy Farrell and Paul O Connell have work to do alongside the players to solve the problems that have occurred in the last few months. You cannot give away penalties in a game but you can cut our repeated penalties and that is a thing this group will have to work hard to rectify in the next few weeks.

The players will know that they will be under pressure to turn things around this week but in the long term the search for term successors to Tadgh Furlong, Cian Healy in particular will need to go into over drive.

The HIA for Tom O Toole on Friday was cruel on him as I think he might have made an impression at scrum time as Ireland were in dire need of change of fortune in the aspect of the game. Oli Jager is injured at the moment and it will be interesting to see will Ireland look for reinforcements for the game on Friday at tight head, Tom O Toole will most likely miss out so there are openings for others to step up to the plate.

I know he has switched over the loose head but can still cover the tight head side on occasion if need be and this weekend, Ireland will be hoping for a change in fortune this week. We may just have to wait and see where Andy Farrell may go with selections later in the week.

Will Tadgh Furlong be deemed fit to step in to the 23 or will someone like Jack Aungier or even Sam Wilson of Ulster be called in to the squad. Aungier for his part played well for Emerging Ireland on the 3 game tour in South Africa and this is the very situation that tour was designed for…

Ireland may also look to make alterations on the bench and freshen things up, players like Ryan Baird, Cormac Izuchukwu may be brought into the 23 and others like Robbie Henshaw may get onto the bench. As I say time will tell and while wholesale change isn’t required maybe a few changes may still be warranted as Ireland need a reaction this week.

I will now select the 23 I would like to see face Argentina.

15 Hugo Keenan

14 Jamie Osbourne

13 Garry Ringrose

12 Bundee Aki

11 James Lowe

10 Jack Crowley

9 Jamison Gibson Park

8 Caelan Doris

7 Josh Van Der Flier

6 Cormac Izuchuwu

5 Tadgh Beirne

4 Joe Mc Carthy

3 Finlay Bealham

2 Ronan Kelliher

1 Andrew Porter

–

16 Gus Mc Carthy

17 Jack Boyle

18 Jack Aungier

19 Ryan Baird

20 Iain Henderson

21 Craig Casey

22 Ciaran Frawley

23 Robbie Henshaw