Andy Farrell’s latest Irish selection is probably not as radical as might be suggested by the headline statistic of nine changes to the starting XV for Saturday night’s meeting with Joe Schmidt’s wounded Wallabies at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 8.10pm). But nor is it without a shake-up either.
In making those nine changes, as well as a couple of enforced positional switches, Farrell is restoring five of his Lions contingent who were rested or on the bench last week.
Yet, picking 22-year-old Paddy McCarthy for his first Test start, while also restoring his former Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam teammate Sam Prendergast at outhalf, certainly looks like it should be energising. Similar can be said of Farrell’s decision to select Mack Hansen for a first Test start at fullback after just one outing since his Lions tour was derailed by a recurrence of a foot issue.
Furthermore, the fit-again Stuart McCloskey returns, with Robbie Henshaw shifting to outside centre after his strong showing last week against Japan. Caelan Doris moves to openside, while Thomas Clarkson, Cian Prendergast and Nick Timoney, who have just 20 caps between them, are named on the bench.
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Not all of this would have been foreseen at the outset of the November series, all of which seems to indicate Farrell felt a need to further refresh the side.
Ireland’s unconvincing Japan job
“Well, obviously it was freshened up last week,” the head coach said, “but I think when we made a few errors we went in on ourselves a little bit. Some players would have seen last week as a big opportunity and there’s a little bit of desperation that comes with that. And if it’s not going too well, you become a little bit supressed and all that.
“So, there’s learnings from that and if you look at the lads who you would think have got an opportunity this week, hopefully they’ve learned the lessons from what the team went through last week.”
Farrell has been blunt and honest about Ireland’s two November performances to date. “Yeah, too honest and blunt? I feel like I am sometimes,” he admitted.
“I always think if you’re not being honest, how are you helping people to grow? I think you have to say it is as it is, otherwise people ultimately don’t trust you as much.
“We’re always trying to chase some potential, probably that we don’t realise ourselves really, and that’s pretty exciting for us. So we’ve got to hold ourselves accountable to do that, otherwise what’s the point?”
Expectations on Ireland are at an all-time high. Farrell laughed knowingly when this was suggested to him, but said those expectations are also matched within the squad.
“It is 100 per cent, it is. Whether it’s shown last week or this week, it will continue to be that way, because it’s the only way to be. It has to be that way. We’re chasing something that is bigger than we all expect individually.”
As with Joe McCarthy, who made his debut at 21 against Australia three years ago, Farrell clearly likes the sheer power of his younger brother, Paddy.
Also a big lad who smashes people in defence, breaks tackles and scrummages hard, the younger McCarthy is possibly the more skilful and nothing seems to faze him.
“His temperament has been excellent,” said Farrell, citing McCarthy’s debut against the All Blacks a fortnight ago and his try-scoring cameo off the bench against Japan last time out.
“He came on and he didn’t just fit in, he added to the group.”
And sticking with the theme of younger siblings, Farrell also said the younger Prendergast, Sam, “deserved to start” at outhalf.
“Jack [Crowley] has done some good stuff and had three weeks there in the driving seat. Giving Sam an opportunity within a big game is pretty important to him, and to Jack as well.
“[Prendergast] came on and played pretty well, so giving him the opportunity to hold the reins on Saturday night is the one that we’ve gone with.”
On Prendergast’s ability in defence, Farrell said: “He’s honest. He knows where he’s at himself and it’s a work in progress. He continues to work hard at it and it will continue to grow.”
Asked whether fullback might be Hansen’s best position, Farrell laughed: “We will see on Saturday. I hope so. He’s come back in and he’s a good rugby player who gets it in many different ways.”
The head coach has never disguised his admiration for Connacht’s ex-Brumbies outside back. He said he’d never seen Hansen in better form than on this summer’s Lions tour.
“I think he’s got the bit between his teeth as far as what he learnt on that tour. He played his last game at 15 as well. He came in on Sunday night, got across his work Sunday and Monday and then trained the house down on Tuesday. He’s proved, not just to the coaching staff but to everyone else, that he’s up for this and ready and able.
“Every single time Mack’s played for us as a winger, he’s always covered fullback, he’s always been able to get across the work there, so we get to see that in action.”
By all accounts, and to their own frustration, Ireland have been training well but have not managed to reproduce these efforts on the field.
“We always say, don’t we, that preparation is absolutely key. It doesn’t always transfer but you’d rather it be that way, so that we can keep on pushing our own standards,” said Farrell.
“How you deal with the pressure of the live moments in international rugby is different gravy to what it is on the training pitch.
“Again, there’s been a determined bunch this week. It hasn’t been perfect for sure, with the weather that’s been around, but they’re a pretty determined bunch to put it on the field this weekend.”
