Italy offers opportunity for new blood to take stage for Ireland

Craig Casey was an unused replacement on Sunday but facing Italy could offer an opportunity for him to stake a claim at scrum-half, two and a half years from the World Cup

Ireland’s Craig Casey gets a pass away at the captain’s run in the Aviva last weekend. Casey was an unused replacement on Sunday but facing Italy could offer an opportunity for him to stake a claim at scrum-half, two and a half years from the World Cup. Picture: Inpho/Dan Sheridan

Brian O’Driscoll was not the only spectator peeved by the sight of Ireland’s forwards running into France’s expertly-constructed brick walls on Sunday. The frustration was shared by head coach Andy Farrell.

A second successive defeat of the 2021 Guinness Six Nations and the creativity deficit in their 15-13 home loss to the tournament favourites was the most alarming takeaway from a typically hard-nosed championship tussle.