Andy Farrell loses Johnny Sexton but wins in the long-run

Jack Crowley’s promotion left space in turn on the bench and, with the No.22 jersey filled by Leinster’s Ross Byrne, two out-halves who had been little more than afterthoughts for those jerseys when the November series started.

ASSURED: Jack Crowley of Ireland and forwards coach Paul O'Connell after their side's victory over Australia in the Bank of Ireland Nations Series. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Andy Farrell has heaped praise on his unlikely pair of backup out-halves after Ireland scraped their way to victory over a gritty Australian side at the Aviva Stadium without the injured Johnny Sexton.

The veteran skipper felt something in his calf when he indulged in some kicking practise before the team’s collective warm-up on Saturday night and was duly replaced in the line-up by 24-year old Munster ten Jack Crowley who stepped in for a full debut.

Crowley’s promotion left space in turn on the bench and, with the No.22 jersey filled by Leinster’s Ross Byrne, Ireland faced a Wallaby touring side with two out-halves who had been little more than afterthoughts for those jerseys when the November series started.

Crowley has started just six games in the position for his province but has now been catapulted into the senior frame via his role on an Emerging Ireland tour, a run with the Ireland ‘A’s and the injuries this month to Joey Carbery, Ciaran Frawley and now Sexton.

Byrne had 13 caps to his credit before now but was, if anything, even further down the pecking order and hadn’t played for his country since bagging a single minute at the back end of a Six Nations win against England over 18 months ago.

The teams were level at ten points apiece when Byrne entered, Bernard Foley having converted Jordan Petaia’s try, and there were only four minutes to play when the replacement stood over a difficult penalty that proved to be the winner.

“It is awesome for him,” said Farrell. “I was absolutely delighted for him. Ross’s temperament is made for him, with that type of situation where it is deadlocked and it was a tough enough kick when the penalty came.

“But there was no doubt in Ross’ mind that he was ever going to do anything but go for the three points, so fair play to him. He has waited for that chance and he delivered it and it got us over the line.” Crowley’s full debut, just a week after his first cap against Fiji off the bench, was spent in the midst of a physically intense but stop-start game that spanned over two hours and he kept his equilibrium impressively enough when all things are considered.

Farrell stressed the benefits of this unexpected turn of events, not just for Crowley in terms of educational opportunities, but for the team as a whole and how they could rally around an inexperienced player in such difficult circumstances.

“That’s why it was such a good win for us as a squad,” said the head coach. “Nobody likes to lose their captain just before the game but it is great for us going forward and finding out about ourselves as a group.” Among those whose job it was to make the starting ten comfortable was stand-in skipper Peter O’Mahony although the Munster forward had no doubt but that his clubmate would stand up and meet the situation face on.

“No, look, we were all conscious that we wanted to make him feel a million dollars and sometimes that's just a little squeeze on the arm or a pat on the back and he knows then that you're there.

“The most important thing is your actions from a group, from a forward pack or from a leadership group. They probably weren't always up to scratch, but we always had his best interests at heart, definitely today, you know what I mean?

“It was a big ask for a young man to come in and play 70 minutes against a team as good as that, and then to come out on top. It's easy to see he is a good kid, he is hungry to learn, he is hugely ambitious.

“He has no fear of asking questions or saying the wrong thing. It's refreshing to see someone that age getting stuck in and enjoying it and putting a performance like that in. It's great for him.” The win brings to 12 the number of home games Ireland have now won on the trot, keeps them atop of the world rankings and allows them look back on a calendar year where they beat all three of the traditional SANZAAR nations.

New Zealand were beaten with a dazzling brand of rugby while South Africa and now Australia have been edged out on the back of two painfully attritional contests. What does that say about the squad at Farrell’s disposal?

“I think you find out on days like these,” he said. “There is a bit of illness going around the squad as well and a bit of fatigue even though we have had only three games but there are no excuses, no excuses when your captain goes down neither. It’s good for us as a group. We see where we are at.

“Again, we certainly weren’t at our best today and Australia deserve credit for that but when you are a decent enough side and things aren’t quite going for you decent sides tend to find a way and we might have had a bit of luck today but we have come out the right side and we can look forward to the Six Nations.”