TOM FARRELL WAS barely a wet week in Galway when he made his Champions Cup debut for Connacht in January 2017, but now he is a full Irish international as he spearheads Munster’s opening foray in the competition away to Bath on Saturday evening.
Farrell was already on the road well travelled by the time Pat Lam responded to a mid-season injury crisis almost eight years ago by plucking the Dublin native from Bedford Blues, where he had ended up after spells in the Leinster academy and London Irish.
Farrell repaid Connacht over the subsequent years, scoring 21 tries in 112 appearances and when he was let go 18 months ago, Munster stepped in and the centre again delivered big.
The 32-year-old notched 11 tries in 26 appearances last term on his way to being Munster’s player of the season and became the oldest back to make his Irish debut in the professional era when he started against Japan last month, following up with a second cap against the Springboks.
Now he’s a key man for Clayton McMillan as the Kiwi prepares for his maiden voyage in charge of Munster, travelling on Saturday to take on the English champions coached by one of his predecessors Johann van Graan.
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Farrell is taking it all in his stride and is under no illusion about the task facing them at the weekend.
“They’re quite a complete team and can nearly put out two full 15s, which are high, high quality.
They have an unbelievable set-piece and the kicking game to go with it. And then, probably one of the best back lines in the Premiership.
“So, we’re under no illusions going into this, what a test it’s going to be,” said Farrell.
They suffered their first defeat of the season when going down to the Stormers at the weekend and Farrell reckons heading to The Rec gives them an immediate chance to bounce back.
Farrell made his Irish debut in the win against Japan last month. Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
“We just said it’s a great opportunity for us to bounce back, I suppose, and to go over to the Premiership champions and also the Challenge Cup champions and to put out our game there and to give our travelling supporters something to cheer about.
“Not much has really changed for us over these next couple of weeks. I think it’s a 10-game block. Our mindset and our attitude towards the block hasn’t really changed and going into this week, it’s no different.
“Obviously, a small blip over the weekend, a bit of frustration, but our mindset and our attitude were completely on course, to be honest.
“We had a lot of opportunities, particularly in the first half. We took a few of them but then we probably thought we’d get more and more in that second half, and they didn’t present themselves in that second half.”
Farrell said they want to hit the ground running in the Champions Cup with a first home game in the competition the following weekend when they take on Gloucester at Pairc Uí Chaoimh.
“Hopefully that loss will stand to us. We can take some learnings on how to close out games when we’re in pressure situations, how to deal with them, and how to manoeuvre our way through and things like that.
“Particularly now going into European rugby for these next couple of weeks, the chances are going to be even fewer and probably even more difficult to come by, so we need to make the most of them,” added Farrell.
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Farrell ready to lead Munster charge against 'one of the best back lines in the Premiership'
TOM FARRELL WAS barely a wet week in Galway when he made his Champions Cup debut for Connacht in January 2017, but now he is a full Irish international as he spearheads Munster’s opening foray in the competition away to Bath on Saturday evening.
Farrell was already on the road well travelled by the time Pat Lam responded to a mid-season injury crisis almost eight years ago by plucking the Dublin native from Bedford Blues, where he had ended up after spells in the Leinster academy and London Irish.
Farrell repaid Connacht over the subsequent years, scoring 21 tries in 112 appearances and when he was let go 18 months ago, Munster stepped in and the centre again delivered big.
The 32-year-old notched 11 tries in 26 appearances last term on his way to being Munster’s player of the season and became the oldest back to make his Irish debut in the professional era when he started against Japan last month, following up with a second cap against the Springboks.
Now he’s a key man for Clayton McMillan as the Kiwi prepares for his maiden voyage in charge of Munster, travelling on Saturday to take on the English champions coached by one of his predecessors Johann van Graan.
Farrell is taking it all in his stride and is under no illusion about the task facing them at the weekend.
“They’re quite a complete team and can nearly put out two full 15s, which are high, high quality.
“So, we’re under no illusions going into this, what a test it’s going to be,” said Farrell.
They suffered their first defeat of the season when going down to the Stormers at the weekend and Farrell reckons heading to The Rec gives them an immediate chance to bounce back.
“We just said it’s a great opportunity for us to bounce back, I suppose, and to go over to the Premiership champions and also the Challenge Cup champions and to put out our game there and to give our travelling supporters something to cheer about.
“Not much has really changed for us over these next couple of weeks. I think it’s a 10-game block. Our mindset and our attitude towards the block hasn’t really changed and going into this week, it’s no different.
“Obviously, a small blip over the weekend, a bit of frustration, but our mindset and our attitude were completely on course, to be honest.
“We had a lot of opportunities, particularly in the first half. We took a few of them but then we probably thought we’d get more and more in that second half, and they didn’t present themselves in that second half.”
Farrell said they want to hit the ground running in the Champions Cup with a first home game in the competition the following weekend when they take on Gloucester at Pairc Uí Chaoimh.
“Hopefully that loss will stand to us. We can take some learnings on how to close out games when we’re in pressure situations, how to deal with them, and how to manoeuvre our way through and things like that.
“Particularly now going into European rugby for these next couple of weeks, the chances are going to be even fewer and probably even more difficult to come by, so we need to make the most of them,” added Farrell.
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bath-time Champions Cup Munster Rugby Tom Farrell