Andy Farrell predicts England’s approach to ‘one hell of a battle’ at Twickenham
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell feels there is a good chance that England could try to slow the game down with stoppages when they face off at Twickenham on Saturday.
Farrell’s men have been outstanding in the Six Nations this year and are on course to push for an unprecedented back-to-back Grand Slam.
They also boast a record-equalling 11-game win streak in the tournament, which they could take to themselves should they bag a victory this weekend.
Hard to beat
The Ireland boss expects a big challenge from the Red Rose and knows his team has to be on their game to get the win at Twickenham.
“I’ve no doubt that England would have loved to have put the best performance out against Scotland and come away with the victory there,” he said.
“But I’ve no doubt now that over the last two weeks that concentrates their mind to have another chance to have a crack at us.
“You expect them to be at their best and if they’re at their best you expect them to be as hard as anyone in world rugby to beat.”
England has had a decent tournament results-wise with only one loss to Scotland last time out as their only blemish this campaign. However, Steve Borthwick’s side have been criticised for their lack of attacking output during the tournament.
“I don’t get involved with the criticism at all,” continued Farrell. “I don’t look at it.
“I look at the individuals the way that they’re playing, the coaching staff that they got, the plan that they’ve got, a fantastic side that is going to be preparing to give it everything they’ve got at the weekend, so that makes them unbelievably dangerous.
“We just prepare for them to be at their best and if that’s the case it’s going to be one hell of a battle.”
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Stop-start
The last time these two sides met the game was a stop-start affair with England trying to break Ireland’s momentum wherever they could and Farrell, whilst admitting he is not certain, expects more of the same this time around.
“I’m not Mystic Meg, I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said.
“You take every game on it’s own course really and judge it and England did very well at slowing us down last year.
“There were a lot of stoppages within the game and it wasn’t just errors, the game was slow.
“Whether that’s a tactic of theirs or not, I don’t know, but we’ll have to expect more of the same I would have thought.”
Farrell is an Englishman himself having represented his country in league and union but he underlined that that means little when he takes his Ireland side to England’s hallowed Twickenham turf.
“It’s no different to any other game,” said Farrell.
“We, and certainly I, concentrate on the week ahead and this game is no more important than the first game in Marseille or no more important than the Italy game or the Wales game at home.
“It’s another chance for us to go out there and show the best of ourselves, albeit a tough old task.
“Everyone knows it’s a tough place to go and get a victory. But that’s the challenge in front of us every week.”
