Andy Farrell's fix-ups: Extra muscle can't come at cost of cool heads

There is plenty to ponder for Ireland head coach Andy Farrell ahead of the 2021 Six Nations. Picture INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Put some hands up 

Once again Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has given opportunities to less experienced internationals to make an impression and lay down a marker for future selection. The clear advice is that they better take it.

Farrell has spoken about his curiosity to see how his younger players adapt to the higher tempo and greater pressure they will find themselves under at Test level and following a difficult evening in Paris three weeks ago, Jacob Stockdale finds himself back at full-back and needing to prove he is a viable candidate for the role as Ireland’s last line of defence. While Connacht prop Finlay Bealham has been asked to prove his worth as a loosehead rather than in his customary berth at tighthead. 

Another experiment worth looking out for is Tadhg Beirne’s deployment as a blindside flanker. Normally a lock, Beirne has been switched to the back row before, for both Munster and Ireland, where he last played in the number six Test jersey against Samoa at last year’s World Cup.

Cool, calm decision-making

Clarity under pressure. Head coach Farrell said he was happy with the improvement shown by Ireland in the physicality stakes at Twickenham last week but warned that extra muscle and aggression should not come at the cost of clear heads. Captain James Ryan also spoke of the need for calm minds.

“When we're a bit calmer at times we get into their 22, when we've got a bit more calmness about us, we're able to see pictures and play to the space as opposed to trying to run over them or run into them all the time,” Ryan said.

"They put pressure on us but for us as well, it's just making sure that we find that calmness in those moments."

Cut out the errors 

Creating try-scoring opportunities is one thing, turning them into points quite another and Ireland have been found wanting at crucial moments during this international window, particularly against France in the final round of the Six Nations and again last Saturday at Twickenham.

The head coach said this week that the best teams in the world convert 75 per cent of the chances they create into scores — against England last week it was nearer to 25 per cent as poor execution let Ireland down badly at Twickenham. There needs to be a more clinical and accurate approach tomorrow afternoon.

Fix the bloody lineout!!

Chief culprit in the poor execution debacle last weekend was the Ireland lineout, which squandered at least three significant close-range opportunities against England, with one malfunction on 22 minutes leading to a Jonny May try at the other end.

It is unlikely the Irish will come under the same type of set-piece pressure that was applied at Twickenham but there have been changes to the pack as Rob Herring returns at hooker and Iain Henderson comes off the bench to start alongside James Ryan in the second row. That Ulster pairing brings a familiarity and added certainty with Henderson able to assume calling duties, allowing Ryan to concentrate on both his nascent captaincy and his talismanic role among the Ireland forwards.