Andy Farrell rubbishes Irish media claims that 'useless' Wales are ripe for a thrashing
Andy Farrell has rubbished claims in Ireland that Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations opener versus Wales in Cardiff will be easy. A media spat fired up earlier this week when it was claimed by one Irish media pundit that the Welsh were rubbish and would be easily beaten.
“They have fallen so far in the stocks of this show that they don’t even merit a mention on the week where we are going to thrash them,” claimed Off The Ball show host Ger Gilroy.
That boast was taken to task by Adam Jones, the ex-Wales prop now coaching at Harlequins, who retorted: “It’s disrespectful to say we are going to get thrashed by a team which hasn’t won a Grand Slam in a while. That sort of thing does p*** me off a little bit.”
Now Ireland coach Farrell has weighed in on the heated debate surrounding this meeting of his team – which has a six-wins-from-nine record from 2020 – going up against a Wales team that has a three-wins-from-ten record under Wayne Pivac.
“I don’t believe that for one second,” said Farrell when quizzed on whether Wales were as poor as they have been made out to be. “Our boys are very familiar with everyone that is in the Welsh squad. They play against them all the time.
The rookie Ireland winger hasn't played a match of any kind in 1️⃣1️⃣ weeks #WALvIRE #SixNations
https://t.co/2XVo5LKa0M— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 5, 2021
“Some of them are good friends and we know what top performers they can be when they are under pressure. This is the start of a new competition and they will be wanting to right some wrongs. They are an experienced side that has been in good positions before and difficult positions before. The slate will be wiped clean at the start of a competition and this is a huge game for both teams.”
Farrell’s response was wise in the sense that Ireland’s three away performances last year – defeat twice in England and another in France – were poor under his command while a standout statistic as they head to Cardiff is how they have not beaten Wales away in the Six Nations since 2013, ex-coach Joe Schmidt’s team beaten there in 2015, 2017 and again in 2019.
“I suppose that’s the way of the world, we’re realists and understand that is what happens,” said Farrell about some of the media narrative surrounding Sunday’s match. “But within the two camps we know the truth, we know it is going to be a war of attrition at the weekend.
“We know that we haven’t won there since 2013, which says a lot, and we are expecting Wales to be 100 per cent at their best. We have played them at their best before and come unstuck, so we are preparing accordingly.
“Listen, I suppose it doesn’t really matter what goes on in the papers or on the news in the coming days. The game will still be the same. Both teams will kick-off and both teams will try and gain the ascendancy… it means a lot to both sides so we expect it to be a tough old battle.”
Stephen Ferris says Ireland's back row should be licking their lips at the prospect of playing Lydiate. https://t.co/qTG7qRonsq
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 5, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was changing too much with teams trying to role the dice drawing fouls. Would be better if scrums and the adjudicating problems were resolved but this is a good immediate fix.
37 Go to commentsLike many here I am encouraged by this post. Our forwards are where the real rewards and improvements must come from. With a 50/50 pack against any opposition, our backs could ensure more than 50% of the games will be won. We need Valetini at 6 and Cale at 8 to make the most or a good tight 5, McWright will add to the effectiveness of the pack BUT must get a very good tight 5 out there first.
97 Go to commentsThe key point I think that is missing is that if Joseph wants to guarantee a Lions spot, he really has to play wing in his first year. He is easily going to nail down whatever he wants to do, but with just half a season, how much of a factor he proves to be in the Lions series could be dictated by this initial choice of playing position.
8 Go to commentsthe game was 2 weeks before the challenge cup final. I really don’t believe they needed to rest that many players.
1 Go to commentsI really feel like neither of the Vunipolas is given the respect they deserve. I would have liked to see both of them get a few more caps than they have gotten in the past couple of years, but unfortunately the fact that they both peaked young has meant that for a number of years they have been perceived as disappointments. When they are both retired, in the cold light of day they will be recognised as two of the best players of their generation of any nation.
2 Go to commentsthis generation of saracens players could produce some really incredible coaches. When Farrell retires he could walk into any premiership team as a defence, attack, or kicking coach. Itoje could make it as a defence or a lineout coach, and Jamie George as a lineout or scrum coach. The problem the Vunipolas are going to have is that its not clear what their coaching speciality would be. Neither are great in the set piece, and while they were good in attack and defence, they were never tactical masterminds. Perhaps contact skills would be their ideal brief? Mako perhaps could work in strength & conditioning, but Billy has a bit of a reputation for not taking that side of the game seriously.
2 Go to commentsA very good player.We are finally getting some balance in our team. Plummer..Heem ..Lam a solid..experienced combo who take the sensible options consistently. Clarke was a grt impact of the bench option until Lam moved to 13 to replace an injured Reiko. Cotter is doing a grt job building his team. .
1 Go to commentsSaturday was last straw. Terrible record in Premiership since Jan 23. Capitulation against Bath at home. There are 3 conclusions. Players aren't good enough. Coaching team aren't good enough or combination of both.
2 Go to commentsAs you say in your article Brett, the point was Hamish and his vanity - plain and simple. The crazy bit is that sua’ali’i has to be probably twice the player of mark N, no easy feat, just for RA to get their money's worth!?! And as you say, tahs aren't short of wingers, props on the other hand id like to see $1.6m spent on. I still shake my head at the absolute carry on in the media and comments section around the boon of getting sua’ali’i and the revenue it'd generate. It was all such hogwash imo and short sighted, real sugar hit stuff. And wasnt Waugh (and others) on the board at the time this money was spent? You say silver bullet, I'd say sugar hit but without the flavour.
8 Go to commentsNZR should play hard all a bit with some of these players and make them sign up to the next world cup. If they won’t, offer it to someone who will. Because what happens is the NH (especially France) swoop on a bunch of nz players coming off contract, weakening their depth, and nz scrambles less than 2 years out trying to get replacements up to speed.
1 Go to commentsNo thanks. Savea almost always leaves easy points out there and goes for the corner, no matter how many times it’s not working. He claimed he took “the learnings” from this when he kept making the same mistake against the Boks a few years ago. Then went out the very next week and did the same thing and SA snatched victory because of it. Years later he still does it, right up to and including the world cup final. Great player, not so great rugby nous.
10 Go to commentsIt certainly wasn't a rhetorical masterpiece coming from big E …. (just as a side remark: Eben is the better player, Siya by far the better talker - maybe that's why they don't seem to like each other very much) …. but could we please move on?
65 Go to commentsMan who wasn't there and hasn't held a conversation with those who were present weighs in on dead rubber debate and is presented as representative of the Irish Rugby Union’s spokesperson on subject he has no apparent knowledge of whatsoever.
65 Go to commentsanybody who bends at the waist when they tackle
4 Go to commentsThe evidence is not strong that this is necessary. Mounga choked on clutch kicks in the WRC final and lost the match by not performing his core goal kicking role to the level required. He also choked in the Semi final against England and was targeted as the weak point in the defence allowing them to score. Not a test great frankly. Why bend the rules for a player that is competent but not brilliant at test level?
11 Go to commentsDear Robbie, Please return to the Crusaders next season. Sincerely, Scott
1 Go to commentsDid the big E call the Irish the ‘White Can’ts’? That would’ve been good
65 Go to commentsDalton Papalii will be lucky to be selected on the Matchday 23. Ardie Savea, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, and Peter Lauki are all as good or better openside flankers
10 Go to commentsScott Barrett is a lock and they have a much longer shelf life than a loose forward. Far more likely that Barrett will still demand a starting position based on performance at age 33 at RWC 2027 than Savea, whose explosive athleticism will have declined and he will in all likelihood have been surpassed by Hoskins Sotutu, Wallace Siti, Peter Lauki and Brayden Iose.
10 Go to commentsExtremely frustrating to get yet more speculation over whether or not Eben actually counted 12 players or not, but honestly big respect to McCloskey for keeping it classy and not pointing out Etzebeth’s hypocrisy. The Irish are a popular team outside of Ireland because they do their talking on the pitch, and its honestly a PR masterclass that they’re keeping it that way following Etzebeth’s provocation.
65 Go to comments