Andy Farrell on Ireland's Six Nations: 'We were the hunted, now we're the hunters'

The Ireland head coach has given a number of injury updates and spoken about young Connacht loosehead Billy Bohan after his call-up on Sunday

Ireland's Caelan Doris and head coach Andy Farrell joined rivals from all Six Nations unions at Edinburgh Castle to celebrate the start of the Championship. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland

Andy Farrell has played down injuries fears over an Ireland team that, he agrees, has morphed from hunted to hunters in the upcoming Six Nations.

A difficult November, following on from a third-place finish in last year’s Championship, has fed into some hand-wringing over the national side’s chances in a tournament that they will kick-off away to France next Thursday week.

A raft of injuries to the three main looseheads props – Andrew porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle – has only added to the concerns, but Farrell isn’t one to betray any worries of his own in public. Crisis? He insists on calling that opportunity.

“Yeah, we were the ones that were being hunted, we're hunting it ourselves now, aren't we? So it is what it is,” he said at the Six Nations launch in Edinburgh on Monday and ahead of a flight to Portugal for pre-tournament camp.

“I understand why people would be of such an [opinion], but none if it is relevant to us really. All that matters is how we go about our business and prepare well to hit the ground running hopefully in Paris.” 

Dan Sheehan, one of the world-class players at his disposal, has accepted that Ireland have regained the role of underdog that was long their lot in days gone by. Farrell doesn’t compute that way. Not being favourites is not a weight off his shoulders.

“No, I mean that's what we want to be. We don't want to be scared of being favorites. Why wouldn't we want to do that? We want to be the best that we can be and we realise there's always going to be some differences every single year in regards to people retiring, loss of form, injuries, etc.

“Sometimes an injury toll is 100% to be expected, but sometimes it's larger than what it normally is and so therefore the dynamics of your group do change a little bit. But all those experiences will stand to you hopefully in the here and now. Those experiences have to stand to you.” It’s not like Ireland are alone in counting the numbers in casualty.

Every other side in this tournament is ruing the absence of players and Fabien Galthié was still digesting the loss of some of his own after the weekend’s run of Top 14 games. Farrell, of course, lost Boyle in that Connacht-Leinster game in Galway.

“Gutted for him because he was disappointed not to get a game in the autumn and he took it the right way. He went back to his province and played the house down, really showed great character.

“So he would have been hoping for this type of chance with the injuries to Ports and Paddy. So it’s devastating for him, and for us, because we would have loved to have seen him take his chance.” As for Billy Bohan, who was promoted from the XVs to the senior squad on the back of all those misfortunes at just the age of 20, Farrell was understandably emphatic about the road the inexperienced Kildare man has covered to date.

Andy Farrell speaks to the media at Edinburgh Castle.  Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

“Magnificent story. It might have come a little earlier than he or others would have expected but he’s certainly a talent. We have watched his progress with the 20s and he comes from good stock there with his grandad (Mick Doyle).

“He is a student of the game and he had a big game for Connacht Rugby at the opening of their new stand against Leinster. To be the starting prop there says a lot about where he is at at this point in time.” Of his three injured looseheads, the only name Farrell mentioned when asked if any could play some part in the competition was Porter’s. Boyle and Paddy McCarthy will be watching the lot of it from the stands or further afield.

Farrell has also provided some updates on others. Finlay Bealham is good to go after his recent knee issues, Tadhg Furlong “has got a few more things to tick off” while the other main question mark hangs over Hugo Keenan who hasn’t played this season.

“He's got to be fit. We think he's going to be fit and able. Obviously, he's got to get through this week. Timelines would say that that's what could happen, as in being fit for selection, but at the same time, he's back training now with the guys at Leinster.

“That's not been solidly for the last month, has it? So, he's still progressing. He needs to get to a stage where he's just all rugby and the injury's done and dusted now and is back fit, the same for Caelan when he came back [in November].

“So he's certainly right down the path as far as that's concerned. Him and Jamie [Osborne] would be pretty similar.”