Devin Toner never doubted Andy Farrell's Ireland project

Ireland huffed and puffed through Farrell's first three Test windows but Toner looks back now and says he could always see where the project was going

LEGENDS: Devin Toner at the launch of the Ireland v England legends charity match which will take place in Energia Park Donnybrook on St. Patrick’s Day in aid of rugby charities both in Ireland and the UK. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

The last of Devin Toner’s 70 Ireland caps was a 24-12 defeat to England in Twickenham just weeks before the pandemic kicked in. It was a scoreline that, if anything, underplayed the gulf between the teams.

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Your home for the latest news, views and analysis of this year's Six Nations Championship from our award winning sports team.

Andy Farrell was a wet week in the role of head coach at the time. It was another year and change before the doubts as to his, and his team’s, direction would be silenced with a superb win over the same opposition in Dublin.

Fast forward to the present day and Farrell’s Ireland is playing the best rugby ever seen by a team in the national shirt. A Grand Slam is within their scope as Murrayfield approaches on Sunday. All is good.

It is easy forget now how much hand-wringing was done in those early days for the regime. Ireland huffed and puffed through three Test windows but Toner looks back now and says he could always see where the project was going.

“Yeah, absolutely,” he insisted. “You're always confident and Faz is an unbelievable coach. I think he just needed a little bit of time to embed himself and get his philosophies and strategies in order.

“It's rare that a coach gets off to a flying start, you just need a bit of time. Yeah, I think everyone has the utmost confidence in him. They love him as a person and a coach and it's not surprising to see the success.” 

The doubts about Farrell centred on the fact that he had never held such an exalted and central role at this level before. That and the fact that he had been such an integral part of the Joe Schmidt era which had finished on such a low after so many highs.

Farrell, though, was made of different stock to the sergeant-major style favoured by his predecessor in that he is down-to-earth and amiable when off the clock but hard-nosed and demanding when there is work to be done.

The hair-dryer is turned on as required.

“He would, yeah, but if he shouted at you, it's for a reason and everyone is old enough and responsible enough to realise that he's not going to shout at you for no reason and it's for your own good and the team's good. He's not doing it just to shout at you, that's why he's a good coach.” 

Farrell’s squad makes for Edinburgh later this week with plenty to shout about as they chase that Slam and Toner feels Scotland will miss the lock Grant Gilchrist who will sit out the rest of the Six Nations for the red card he earned in the defeat against France two weekends ago.

Ireland are without their own second row in the injured Tadhg Beirne but, superb as the Munster man has been, Toner feels that the return to the team of Ulster’s Iain Henderson takes the onus on calling the lineouts off James Ryan and allows him freer rein to go about his business.

Ryan had endured something of a dip in form after an explosive start to his career with province and country. Hardly a surprise given the roll call of injuries, including head knocks, he took over a limited period of time at one stage. He appears to be past that now and his old teammate is impressed.

“He’s brilliant, I think he’s got better and better. This year in particular, he’s taken more on with lineout calling and he was obviously captain last weekend (against Italy) and stuff. He’s doing phenomenally well. He’s always had it in him. I’m delighted for him.”