‘Clunky’ performance leaves Farrell reasonably content

It was only when the Ireland coach was asked to share why it was that three rather than the more fashionable four warm-up games had been pencilled in to this month’s diary, that Andy Farrell seemed to be taken slightly off guard.

RIGHT FOR US: Ireland Head Coach Andy Farrell said that playing three pre-warm up games for the RWC is right for his side.

Ireland 33 Italy 17 

Andy Farrell cut a semi-contented figure late on Saturday night as he absorbed questions about the game just done and queries hoping to peel away the thinnest of layers into his thoughts about the potential make-up of his World Cup squad.

It was only when the Ireland coach was asked to rewind much further into the memory vault, to share why it was that three rather than the more fashionable four warm-up games had been pencilled in to this month’s diary, that he seemed to be taken slightly off guard.

“Because that's what is correct for this squad. We're a team that has been together for quite some time. We feel that that balance and with the plan of the training schedule in around that, it fits perfectly.

“Playing four, five or six, that's everyone's different preference of where they think they are at in their stage of development,” he explained. “We feel like three is right for us going into the Romania game.” 

What he couldn’t say was that the Pool B opener against the Eastern Europeans, well-beaten by the USA at the weekend, is a de facto fourth warm-up, but the notion that Ireland are comfortable in their skins and don’t need flogging has been a feature of this pre-season.

Players and coaches have spoken about a focus on evolution and tweaks and a realisation that they aren’t in the business of reinventing the wheel. They got the first of their three dry runs out of the way here without much in the way of fuss but it was equal parts good and rusty.

Farrell had aimed higher. He had dismissed the potential handicap that might come with a team featuring an assortment of unfamiliar(ish) faces, untested combinations and the fact none of them had played competitive rugby in months.

What he got was a fair facsimile of something approaching its best for a half-hour spell in the opening period when tries from Dave Kilcoyne, Caelan Doris and Start McCloskey undid the game and an Italian side reduced to 14 minutes for the second and third of those scores.

An Ireland team that had trained with rugby rather than endless running in mind looked lighter on their feet than some iterations of pre-seasons past, but the second-half was a scrappy sight as the benches emptied and the teams shared four tries equally.

“Clunky,” the boss said.

Trying to deduce what coaches are thinking and processing for future reference is a fool’s errand - and Farrell is both measured and practised when it comes to his public utterances - but he didn’t look best pleased in the coach’s box.

“Was I frowning? I’ll probably wake up tomorrow and go, well, what is it that you’re after really? I mean, the amount of times we had opportunities and didn't convert… I suppose that’s frustrating but, at the same time, am I being greedy in thinking we should have scored another four or five tries?

“If that's the case, if we find ourselves in that situation to do that, there has got to be some good in that as well. Yeah, it is a little bit frustrating, getting in our own way from time to time a little bit. On reflection, it is to be expected with a juggling of selection, being the first game etcetera.” 

The fluid nature of his XV here was only heightened by a trio of injury scares with Jimmy O’Brien (shoulder), Jack Conan (foot) and Craig Casey (back/hamstring) all hooked before the 46th-minute but, the initial diagnoses were all positive.

All in all, then, it made for a fairly acceptable first stab in a campaign where they are desperate to penetrate deeper than ever before and the optimistic fitness update was in stark contrast to the litany of problems Italy suffered in that regard at the weekend.

This sense of a side shaving the odd rough edge off a polished piece of furniture is embellished by the fact that this was an eleventh win in a row and a 15th on the trot in Dublin and they go to Portugal for the week now looking to maintain the same vibe.

England come to Dublin for the second hit-out in a fortnight but the window is already closing on those fringe players hoping to earn one of the 33 golden tickets with Farrell insisting that, while his mind remains open, he is no way wedded to the notion that all 42 have to be afforded a run.

“No. Just take it as it is, watch training, judge everyone accordingly, getting the right balance, ensuring that people have enough game time and that people that deserve a chance will get a chance. But it is about making sure that we prepare the 33 to be ready for the World Cup.” 

Ireland: J O’Brien; K Earls, R Henshaw, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J Crowley, C Casey; D Kilcoyne, R Herring, T O’Toole; I Henderson, J McCarthy; R Baird, C Doris, J Conan.

Replacements: C Prendergast for Conan (36); C Frawley for O’Brien (HT); C Blade for Casey (45); T Stewart for Herring, C Healy for Kilcoyne and T Furlong for O’Toole (all 52); T Beirne for Henderson (56); C Nash for Henshaw (62).

Italy: T Allan; P Odogwu, I Brex, T Menoncello, M Ioane; P Garbisi, S Varney; D Fischetti, G Nicoreta, M Riccioni; D Lamb, F Ruzza; S Negri, M Zuliani, L Cannone.

Replacements: S Ferrari for Riccioni (10); L Pani for Odogwu (23); P Buonfiglio for Pani (35-39) and for Fischetti (60); M Lamaro for Zuliani (40); A Fusco for Varney (HT); N Cannone for Lamb (46); L Bigi for Nicotera (56); G Pettinelli for Negri (74).

Referee: M Reynal (France).