It might be time for Andy Farrell to relocate Jacob Stockdale

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The search for Rob Kearney’s successor as Irish fullback remains one of the key problems Andy Farrell must solve. The position is under extreme scrutiny as it was Farrell himself who made his desire for change clear by failing to include Kearney in his first team meeting last Christmas, a decision that effectively removed the rugby player Test.

Kearney held the position of fullback for more than a decade, making his Test debut in 2007 and ultimately winning 95 games for Ireland.

Putting on your boots was never easy, but Farrell quickly discovered that the list of potential heirs to the throne is not as rich as it seemed.

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In his early days at Leinster, Joey Carbery was felt to be a better operator as a fullback than in the middle, but his own determination to become Ireland’s first 10, combined with a cruel streak of injury setbacks, means any suggestion Carbery’s as Ireland’s fullback is at least on hold for the foreseeable future. Simon Zebo has been out of the international circuit since trading Munster for Paris, while Andrew Conway is thriving since Munster used him almost exclusively on the wing.

Other options, such as Will Addison, Mike Haley and Tiernan O’Halloran, have been held up by injury or not activated enough to be seen as test-level options for the time being.

So where is Farrell looking now?

On Saturday, Jacob Stockdale’s name was put back on the hat thanks to an effective performance when Ulster was defeated 28-10 by Leinster.

Stockdale has been used primarily as a winger for both Ulster and Ireland to date, but has increasingly found himself operating at the province’s fullback position this season, with promising results.

The player himself recently admitted that he enjoys the position as he tends to see the ball more, he led the way with 85 yards scored against Leinster, but that won’t be enough for Farrell to relocate him.

With his 28 starts in Ireland on the wing, he’s not fully proven in the test stage as a fullback.

It’s worth remembering that Farrell isn’t the first coach to try to find a successor for Kearney. At the 2019 Six Nations, Joe Schmidt gave Robbie Henshaw a surprise start at fullback only for the Leinster man to endure a rough night against an England team who were more than happy to target him. The experiment was not reviewed.

Farrell will be wary of a replay if he opts to try a new face as a fullback.

Robbie Henshaw had a difficult experience as a fullback against England last year. (Getty)

The argument boils down to what Stockdale offers and what Larmour does not offer.

The most obvious advantage Stockdale has is his extra height. At 6’1 ″, Kearney was able to make his presence felt in the air, making it one of his key strengths. Larmour is recorded at 5’10 “while Stockdale is at 6’3”. The high ball remains a problem area for Larmour, and no matter how hard he works on his passing game, he can’t add inches to his frame.

Stockdale is by no means the finished item when it comes to being competitive in the air, but it certainly offers a ready-to-go framework for Farrell to work with.

The Ulster midfielder also brings speed, although Larmour can hardly be accused of dragging his heels, power and a valuable kicking option, as demonstrated in the loss to Leinster on Saturday.

So what about the Larmour case?

For starters, it appears Leinster’s coaches Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster have come to the decision that fullback is the 23-year-old’s best position, and he also looks increasingly comfortable at the test level.

Of his eight starts in all competitions for Leinster this season, seven have come with 15 behind him. Compare that to last season, where he started eight of 17 games per wing. Stockdale, on the other hand, has started six games as a winger and only four as a fullback this season. Only one of his 11 starts last season was in the 15 jersey, although he looked remarkably comfortable as a last line of defense against Connacht and Leinster. Stockdale regularly played the position at the U20 level, but the player himself acknowledges that senior rugby is a different game. At 24, you have a lot of time to learn.

Not only is Larmour more experienced at the position, perhaps there is no player in Ireland who is as exciting with the ball in hand. Against Munster two weeks ago he made nine 46-meter runs, beating five defenders, and his dazzling footwork allows him to find his way out of the narrowest holes.

Other players could also influence Farrell’s thinking, and Larmour could be a victim of his own versatility. Leinster’s James Lowe becomes eligible to play for Ireland later this year, preferring Stockdale’s current left-wing position on Farrell’s team.

Would Farrell push Stockdale to 15 to accommodate Lowe on the wing? It certainly seems like an attractive prospect, especially given the versatility and quality that Larmour could offer off the bench to fill both positions.

It’s also worth noting that after a dizzying start to his career in Ireland, Stockdale’s hit rate has plummeted. In 2018, he scored seven memorable attempts in his first Six Nations campaign, a new record, and was being touted as a potential all-time try scorer in Ireland. Since then, he has made five attempts in 19 appearances.

Perhaps now is the right time for Stockdale to relocate.

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