Keep your phone on: Andy Farrell feels Lions call may yet come for some key men

The Ireland head coach has been full of praise for the likes of Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris who have impressed in the team's recent wins against Japan and the USA

Ireland’s Caelan Doris and Ruben De Haas of USA. Doris may yet end up in South Africa, Andy Farrell believes. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Andy Farrell has advised some of his main men from this summer’s Test series to keep their phones on in case Warren Gatland calls from South Africa.

James Ryan, Josh van der Flier and Ronan Kelleher have all been deemed as unfortunate to miss out on the British and Irish Lions touring party and all three were prominent as Ireland saw off Japan and the USA this last two weekends.

“If I was the likes of Josh, and even Caelan Doris, they’ll keep looking after themselves anyway," said Farrell. "They stay in shape.”

Doris’ chance of a Lions ticket, like that of Ryan, wasn’t helped by injury and unfortunate timing some months ago but these are players who have stepped up to significant leadership positions this month as new players have been integrated into the system.

None more so than Kelleher, maybe, whose four tries against the Americans on Saturday night did so much damage in a 71-10 win at Lansdowne Road which brought the season down in style for an unfamiliar and inexperienced national team.

“Ronan has had one or two starts for us before in big games,” said Farrell of a player who trained with the Lions in their Jersey pre-tour camp. “We have obviously looked at this window, he is top notch, he deserves his start.

“He is growing, his setpiece is getting better, his defence is a lot more aggressive. We know about his attacking display. Him being called into the Lions and training with them for a period was great for him.”

Farrell handed debuts to eight players on the night with three of them – Robert Baloucoune, Nick Timoney and Gavin Coombes – adding to the occasion by chipping in with a five-pointer each and in front of a 56,000 crowd at the Aviva Stadium.

“I am delighted for the new caps,” said the head coach. “To a man they all did extremely well and they should be proud of themselves. It doesn’t matter if the scoreline says 71 points or not, they should be proud of how they handled themselves.

“It was tentative at the start. We were trying to feel our way into the game. A couple of line outs went astray, a couple of sloppy passes. When you go from one negative to another, it can have a negative effect on the game.

“I was unbelievably pleased with how they gathered themselves, regrouped and got back into the game, how they held it there. They didn’t become sloppy after that. We saw last week (against England) how USA can get back into things and gather themselves. So I am pleased.”

It’s been a grueller of a season for all concerned. Fifteen of Ireland’s 23 who featured against the Americans were on duty when rugby returned after the first lockdown with a pair of interpro derbies last August and the pace has been relentless since.

The national side had two Six Nations games to wrap up from the 2020 tournament, an Autumn Nations Cup, another full Six Nations and now these two hastily arranged Tests after the tour to the Pacific Islands got cancelled.

The wins against Japan and the US follow on from an encouraging end to the Six Nations when England were put away so impressively and Farrell is hoping that this most recent window can feed into better and bigger things to come.

“I have been delighted first and foremost by the lads’ attitude. You never would think it has been a marathon of a season. I said it to them in the dressing-room that you would actually think it was the start of the season, not the end.

“The new caps have wanted that experience. Lads are growing into the leadership role. Lads who have never had been in there before have thrived on the experience. When we meet up again, we don’t want to take one step back before we go forward again.”