Andy Farrell provides stark reminder to Ireland after ‘anti-climax’ claim
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has rubbished suggestions that this weekend’s Six Nations finale will be an ‘anti-climax’.
Following an agonising reversal at the hands of England on Saturday, they saw their hopes of back-to-back Grand Slams ended.
That 23-22 result was their first defeat in the competition since Round Two of the 2022 Six Nations and their first loss to anyone other than France since they succumbed to Wales a year earlier.
Looking for positives
Considering the dominance they have enjoyed so far in 2024, it was a hugely disappointing weekend for Ireland, but Farrell is looking at it differently.
Many still remember the disastrous 1990s, where they finished bottom of the table on several occasions, and the head coach states that they are currently in a privileged position.
“Anti-climax? How many times have we won the Six Nations,” he told reporters. “Everyone would love to be our position, we’ve got to make sure we are loving that challenge as well.”
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Ireland will be clear favourites for the title on ‘Super Saturday’ when they take on Scotland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
England’s victory has brought them back into contention and, with three wins and one loss, they have the same record as the leaders, but the Irishmen have picked up four bonus-points.
A triumph of any kind will therefore be enough for Farrell’s men to defend their title, and the head coach reckons the fans will rise to the challenge.
“I have absolutely no doubt that they will be 100% on song,” he said.
“Paddy’s weekend again, a chance to win a Six Nations, it doesn’t get… well, it could of been a little better.
“But these things, the Grand Slams are unbelievably hard to come by. Six Nations are hard enough, as anyone would vouch for.
“It’s good, isn’t it? Yeah. It’s about getting to the last week as we said at the start and we’re here, so making sure that we understand what’s it going to take to recover properly and analyse it properly.
“The Scots as well at the same time (lost to Italy), so it’s a proper Test match week.”
Deserved winners
Farrell reiterated his claim that England deservedly came out on top, but there could have been a ‘what if’ in his mind given the nature of the defeat.
Marcus Smith’s drop-goal with the clock in the red ultimately decided the contest and the Irish may rue that end to the match in the build-up to the Scotland clash.
“Well, I suppose you look at every game as far as that’s concerned,” the head coach said. “Everyone else can write or say or do what they want.
“We’re realists and we know we’re coming to Twickenham is always going to be a hard task, especially with England’s back to the walls etc.
“We expected a type of game like that and you don’t always come out on top.
“At the end of the day… I might sound stupid saying this, but I thought it would have been unjust if England hadn’t won the game.
“They played really well and they deserved it. Just because you deserve it doesn’t mean you get it, but that was the end result.”
