THERE WILL BE a different feel to Ireland’s Six Nations campaign this year as Andy Farrell steps aside to focus on his role as head coach of the British and Irish Lions.
With the man who steered Ireland to back-to-back Six Nations titles in 2023 and 2024 letting go of the reins, defence coach Simon Easterby has been promoted to interim head coach.
Speaking at the Six Nations launch in Rome today, the former Ireland international admitted he has big shoes to fill.
“There is no pressure is there!” said Easterby.
“I don’t think there is a huge change other than obviously Faz not being with us. But we have had consistency of selection this time around. We have got good youngsters coming in, we brought them in during the Autumn, and there is a lot of experience in the group as well.”
Ireland head to Portugal for a pre-tournament training camp this week before hosting England in Dublin on 1 February.
“The challenge is to stay ahead of the pack and prepare as well as we can and try and play as well as we can when it comes to England in 10 or 11 days’ time,” added Easterby.
“It is tough because every team in this competition will believe they can win it, and rightly so. There are so many good teams in it. It’s about on the day, and I guess part of winning the Six Nations is about momentum and what has gone before doesn’t account for huge amounts.”
Ireland captain Caelan Doris said the head coach transition will be eased by the fact Easterby has been part of the coaching set-up for so long.
“Si has been unbelievable for us for the last number of years, he took the lineout initially and then the defensive role,” said Doris.
“He has a tonne of respect among players in how he leads and the one-on-one time he puts in with players, so a lot you look for in a head coach, it’s been there, we’ve seen it in the last few years.
“Faz has obviously been a massive figure for us, but Johnny [Sexton] has been a massive figure for us in the past who left and instead of one person trying to fill the void it’s been a shared responsibility, so I’m sure the leadership group will take a little bit of that on too. But yeah, there’s a tonne of faith in Si, definitely.”
Ireland go into the Six Nations aiming to become the first team in the modern era to win three championships in a row.
“From the very first meeting yesterday it’s about our evolution and improving and the awareness that all these teams around us are very competitive, that’s the great thing about this competition,” said Doris.
“Each game, you can’t take anything for granted. For us, we’ve got England first up and it’s hard to look beyond that for now. But in terms of our preparation and our mindset generally, it’s one of needing to evolve and needing to improve collectively. It’s an exciting prospect but it’s game by game.
“There’s an awareness that if we don’t keep improving, someone else will take the reins.”
An amazing position to be in…going for 3 in a row. Although if an outsider were to read the comments sections here they’d likely be fooled into believing Ireland are a rag tag team who have won nothing coached by imbeciles who haven’t a clue what they are doing.
@anthony davoren: Agreed
@anthony davoren: Them guy’s even got a leinster page closed sad sad
@Raymond: I am not sure why anyone from Leinster would be reading the comment sections never mind paying any attention to them. It comes across quite soft to be honest.
@anthony davoren: Irish rugby has never had it better. I am old enough (now I feel old that I have made that statement) to remember annual wooden spoon deciders v Wales.
@Paul Ennis: agree and we still get the negitive bashers praising every other country bar ireland unreal some people are
‘Si’ – for some reason it reminds me of The Inbetweeners when he says that! Probably nit picking but the players referring to ‘Si’ and ‘Faz’ is a tad disconcerting. For the head coach, afford them some respect and call them by their name!
@Aidan Farrell: hi
@Aidan Farrell: was thinking the exact same, “faz” and “si”. seems all a bit too cosy and pally wally to me. should be a direct segregation between players and coaches. should be no friendly relationship. it should be im the boss and you’re an expendable commodity who’ll be cut from the squad if not performing to the required standards. once that line is crossed into some sort of “friendship” and calling “faz” or “si”, far harder to cut players or tell them their service is no longer required.
@Niall English: The experts got out again.
@Barry Moran: not really. maybe your not old enough to be working yet, but in most professional environments/companies the world over, it would not be common practices to be addressing your bosses by a nickname.
Good piece
@Teddy O neill: The “take the reign” ruined it.
Its great to be in the position to win three in a row,but our line out is still a concern two years on,and coaches telling us that players are going to be fit after injury I will take with a pinch of salt. Add on the amount of penalties we give the opposing sides is becoming a regular occurrence 13 a game. So favourites no but a chance yes,so come on Ireland
@Phillip Keohane: even with the list of things wrong we are still winning almost all our games. Going into a 6 nations as twice defending champions is some achievement