IRELAND HEAD COACH Andy Farrell admitted it’s a major boost to welcome back Hugo Keenan for Saturday’s Six Nations meeting with England [KO 4.45pm, RTÉ] after naming his team for the round four showdown at Twickenham.
Keenan missed the round three defeat of Wales with a knee injury but has recovered in time for Saturday’s clash in London – where Ireland could wrap up successive Six Nations titles.
While Ciarán Frawley impressed at fullback in Keenan’s absence against Wales, the Leinster player has established himself as one of the most important members of Farrell’s starting team – playing more minutes under Farrell than any other member of the squad.
“I think it would be a boost for any side in world rugby [to have Keenan back],” said Farrell, speaking in Dublin today before Ireland boarded their afternoon flight to London.
He’s a world-class fullback. It’s testament to him and it’s no shock to us that he’s been able to get himself back to this position to be involved this weekend as he’s been unbelievably diligent over the last few weeks to make that happen.”
While Keenan’s return is significant for Farrell, the Ireland boss will be without the services of second row James Ryan for this weekend’s encounter with England and next week’s home clash with Scotland.
Ryan has been involved in Ireland’s three opening wins, coming off the bench against both France and Wales and starting the round two defeat of Italy.
However the lock has been ruled out for the remainder of the championship after suffering a bicep injury in training yesterday.
He got injured yesterday in training, just a freak accident really, just a reaction, reaching out for a tackle that was non-contact and he’s injured his bicep.
“He won’t be available for the remainder of this Six Nations.”
Farrell also confirmed Garry Ringrose was available for selection, although the Leinster centre has been left out of the matchday 23.
Ringrose has yet to feature in this Six Nations due to a shoulder injury but was passed fit to return to action this weekend. However Farrell has stuck with Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki as his centre partnership, with Conor Murray and Ciarán Frawley providing backline cover in a 6/2 bench split.
“He’s fit and he’s well, he’s trained all week,” Farrell said of Ringrose.
“He’s done all the contact work necessary to be available. It’s just circumstances. Garry knows exactly… I had a chat with him yesterday and he was smiling in the fact that it’s just circumstances.
“He knows what I think about him as a rugby player and his comment to me was that he’s been on the good side of circumstances so many times as a player as well so he understands.”
The Ireland head coach has opted for a 6/2 bench split for the third time in this championship.
Farrell employed a 6/2 split for the first time in the opening round win against France, before reverting to a split of five forwards and three backs for the second round defeat of Italy. The Ireland boss then returned to the 6/2 bench for Ireland’s 31-7 win against Wales in Dublin.
Ireland will turn to the 6/2 again this weekend – with Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson and Frawley the three changes from the bench named against Wales – and while the move has proved highly impactful against both France and Wales, Farrell says the 6/2 remains a game-by-game decision.
“It’s where the squad is at, where the individuals within the squad are at and what benefits us against the opponent but more importantly what’s best for Ireland, so we take each game on merit and who’s fit and who’s not.
“The whole time you guys see a fit squad on paper but there’s always something going on in the background with niggles or gametime or he needs looking after, or everyone could be 100% fit and raring to go, but that’s not always the case, so you take each week, and each day really, as it comes.”
Ireland are strong favourites to keep their Grand Slam charge on track at Twickenham against an England team who have struggled for form across the tournament.
England edged games against Italy and Wales in the opening two rounds before losing to Scotland at Twickenham last time out, with Steve Borthwick’s side coming in for heavy criticism throughout.
“I don’t get involved with the criticism at all,” Farrell said.
“I don’t look at it, I look at the individuals the way that they’re playing, the coaching staff that they got, the plan that they’ve got, a fantastic side that is going to be preparing to give it everything they’ve got at the weekend so that makes them unbelievably dangerous, we just prepare for them to be at their best and if that’s the case it’s going to be one hell of a battle.”
