Farrell defends picking an all-Leinster backline in an Ireland XV containing 11 players from the PRO14 champions
Andy Farrell has insisted he didn’t pick his latest Ireland with any bias towards Leinster after an XV to take on Italy this Saturday in Rome was named with a backline hailing entirely from the Leo Cullen-led province in what is a must-win game for the under-pressure Test coach.
Ireland have endured their worst start to a championship since 1998, losing their opening matches to Wales and France, and Farrell has now taken a scalpel to his selection, making seven changes following the defeat to the French last time out.
The shake-up means his starting selection includes eleven players from Leinster – including an entire backline – with only Munster trio Dave Kilcoyne, Tadhg Beirne and CJ Stander, along with Ulster’s Iain Henderson, getting a look in from provinces other than the reigning Guinness PRO14 champions.
It’s an eleven-strong representation for Leinster in the starting XV that is an increase of two from the nine players they had chosen in the XVs that started the previous February matches versus the Welsh and the French.
However, Farrell insisted he didn’t set out to purposely select so many Leinster players, claiming the team he announced was what he felt was their best side to take on Italy this weekend. “No,” he replied when asked had he chosen his team with a view to having Leinster as the only representation in the Irish backline.
Andy Farrell is going for broke with a reshuffled Ireland in Rome #SixNations #ITAvIREhttps://t.co/ts2bpAmyyA
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 25, 2021
“We play the game as it is in front of us and we have made the right decisions along the way hopefully. I never look at a team sheet and say how many are from any province whatsoever. It just so happens that this is the right team for this game this weekend.”
While Cian Healy, Andrew Porter, Rhys Ruddock and Josh van der Flier were four Leinster forwards to drop out from the XV that began the February 14 loss to France in Dublin, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, James Ryan and Will Connors have been included in the pack to ensure Leinster still have half the pack selection.
However, it is in the backline where Leinster have assumed total dominance for this weekend as fit-again skipper Johnny Sexton returns at out-half and Jordan Larmour is promoted by Farrell to a starting spot on the wing in place of benched Munster veteran Keith Earls.
That Leinster duo are joined in the Ireland backs by the repeat Farrell selections of Hugo Keenan, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park. “I have been around long enough to know that good players, dangerous players, can make something out of nothing and certainly Jordan is one of those,” said Farrell about the promoted Larmour before commenting on hamstrung scrum-half Conor Murray.
“We made a decision on Conor quite early because he is still got a few days to go. He is progressing well but we made a decision early with him so he hasn’t done that much training this week.”
Farrell added that IRFU contract negotiations are going well with Sexton, who quipped in a throwaway remark the other day that he might not be around at the next World Cup in 2023, by which stage he will be 38. “There is no difficulty from my point of view – and I’m sure there is not from Johnny’s point of view as well.
“Conversations are going on in the background and both sides are happy with those conversations. Johnny keeps being his bright self during the week and he has certainly been at the forefront of what has been a great week so far. As long as Johnny keeps on giving to Irish rugby, he will keep putting his foot forward to be in the equation, won’t he?
“He feels good at this moment in time, his appetite is as strong as ever. He is certainly one of those guys that makes the feeling in the group feel right and as long as that appetite stays, I’m sure we will keep moving in the right direction regarding that.”
Ireland beat Italy 50-17 in Dublin 18 weeks ago in a rescheduled 2020 Six Nations fixture and they are backed to provide Farrell with some breathing space by securing a win in Rome to lift the gloom surrounding their poorest start to the championship in 23 years.
“We have to go over here with the right attitude,” said Farrell. “A couple of years ago I didn’t feel we got the blend right over there and it came across as sloppy at times. Last year at the Aviva I thought our attitude was spot on and we can hopefully do the same in Rome.
“I certainly feel that they [Italy] are good enough to stay in the competition long-term because I can see the progress that Franco (Smith) is making with them. They are certainly heading in the right direction. There’s a newish group there that he is starting with which takes some time and he has already seen the fruits of that. They are strong, they are going in the right direction and with different combinations that take time to gel, they are only going to get better.”
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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 25, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments