Blade and Farrell ‘would do Ireland proud’ if selected, reckons Friend

Connacht coach Andy Friend said that his scrum-half Caolin Blade and centre Tom Farrell are fired-up and ready to answer Ireland’s call if Joe Schmidt includes them in his Six Nations squad today.

Farrell, who was drafted into Irish training camps in November and at Christmas, has played his way into contention with a string of impressive displays since being brought back to Ireland from second-tier rugby in England.

Blade, who admitted a couple of weeks ago that he didn’t know where he stood in the national plan and had not heard from Schmidt, has come into contention following injuries to Luke McGrath and John Cooney. A native of Monivea in Galway, the 24-year old has been superb for Connacht this season, especially when taking over when Kieran Marmion underwent surgery after the win over the All Blacks.

Farrell and Blade will hope to hear from the Irish management today and Friend said the pair are ready to step up.

Both have been outstanding for us this year. There has been a few others who have been pretty good too, so we’ll wait and see what Joe and his selectors pick. We’d be really, really proud if they get selected. They would definitely step up and they’d do Ireland proud,” said the Australian.

Farrell, who made his Connacht debut two years ago this week against Zebre, after being drafted in by Pat Lam to solve a mid-season injury crisis, is hoping for big news today. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t,” said Farrell. “Have I heard anything yet? No, but I have had previous exposure in November and again at Christmas for that short one- or two-day camp. It gave me a taste of it and a sense of what it would be like in there and made me a bit hungrier to get in there.”

A call-up by Schmidt would be a belated birthday present for the Dublin native, who was 26 last Thursday.

He came through the Leinster academy, but headed across the water for game-time, initially with the London Irish ‘A’ side and then Bedford Blues, before the call came from Lam to help out the then reigning Pro12 champions in January 2017.

Meanwhile Connacht Rugby last night confirmed the signing of prop Paddy McAllister from Gloucester. McAllister joined Gloucester from Aurillac in France, having previously made 44 appearances for his native Ulster. He has played for Ireland at Schools, U19, and U20 level.