Donal Lenihan: Six Nations woes could cost Irish players a spot on Farrell’s Lions squad

After a shaky Six Nations, Irish players must prove themselves before Andy Farrell finalises his Lions squad for Australia

GREEN-TINTED: Will Andy Farrell look at the selection of his Lions captain with a view to Caelan Doris' development in the role for Ireland? Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

It’s time to take stock. From a position of unprecedented strength, all of a sudden there’s a degree of uncertainty hanging over the state of Irish rugby. The most immediate indicator of the potential fallout from a wobbling Six Nations campaign may, ironically, stem from the hand of Andy Farrell. 

Initially in his role as an assistant coach to Joe Schmidt and even more pronounced when taking over the reins from the New Zealander as Ireland’s head coach, Farrell has been front and centre in everything good that’s happened to Irish rugby since coming on board following his release from the England coaching set up after the 2015 World Cup.