‘THIS IS US now’, says Andy Farrell. The chosen 31 have been unveiled, the last of the front-liners will get their hit-out this weekend, check-in looms for the long-haul flight to Japan and Wales pose a very steep final warm-up obstacle before the World Cup.
The future head coach wants to see his side bounce through it.
The absence of Devin Toner from this Ireland squad is a signal that they now wish to bring about a high-tempo playing style with the more-mobile Iain Henderson and James Ryan ascending to the top of the second row’s pecking order. Whether they have left themselves enough runway to instill that style will become clear over the next six weeks.
The personnel named for tomorrow’s clash with Wales at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 2pm) promises forceful impacts as well as tempo. Ryan will get an important chance to call the line-out with Jean Kleyn slotting in along side him. And the big-hitters keep coming in the back row, where Farrell hopes to see markers laid down by Josh van der Flier, CJ Stander and Jack Conan.
“A bit of punch, a bit of grunt, of taking our game towards them both sides of the ball,” Farrell says of the selection theory on the back row.
“Getting back our best as far as our breakdown work is concerned.
“They’re pretty mobile and in very good nick, all three of them, so we expect them to show that ability and that energy around the field.”
“We want to play the game the way we want to play the game. We want to play it with a high tempo. We want to play with better accuracy than what we have done both sides of the ball in the last three games and we want to see that fighting spirit really.”
The defence coach shrugs off the suggestion that Ireland must make a statement this weekend, saying that the “perfect performance” doesn’t exist. This group constantly speak of how they work within “the bubble” of Carton House, the inward focus supposedly shielding them from all the flak Kleyn has been subjected to this week while also ensuring they dig deep for a landmark day for coach and captain.
“Rory will understate it being his last game,” Farrell says with the skipper seated next to him, “but it does mean something to us.
“That it is Joe’s last game and Rory’s last game. How do we use that emotionally? We grab hold of it, we use it to focus a bit better and hopefully we will get that accurate performance we are looking for.”
Talk of markers, statements and trying to raise the tempo approaching the World Cup is, of course, against the backdrop of the stinging loss to England at Twickenham a fortnight ago. As defence coach, seeing an opposition cross the try-line eight times is a painful experience – whether they are your former employers or not.
“It is nothing to do with being an Englishman. It is being a defensive coach at that and being on the end of a scoreline like that you can have all the excuses in the world but it is not acceptable.”
Short, sharp appraisals like that are a reason that this group don’t feel embattled by criticism for their performances. They get enough friendly fire from inside the team room to keep them busy.
“Criticism is something that people have a right to their own opinion but the criticism within the group… is even stronger. We think it’s unbelievably positive to be honest with each other, and I’ve never seen a more honest environment.
“It’s open and people are able to say what they think, and we’ve put a lot right in the last couple of weeks and hopefully we’ll see that in our performance on Saturday.”
Farrell didn’t exactly go into specifics about what more he would like to see put right this weekend before the squad set off. But the little details go a long way.
“Those type of bits that we’ve been renowned for in the past haven’t been quite as cohesive in the last three games.
“But having said that it’s the warm-up games, you know?
“This is a proper Test match. Why? Because Wales are coming full bore and I’m sure that they’ll want to get on the plane with a lot of confidence.
“And we’re exactly the same.”
Murray Kinsella, Gavan Casey and Bernard Jackman make the case for Ireland winning… and tanking at the Rugby World Cup, as we gear up for Wales again:
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