Ex-England star ‘not worried’ about Ireland as he delivers message ahead of Twickenham clash
Ex-England star 'not worried' about Ireland as he delivers message ahead of Twickenham clash
Former England fullback Ben Foden believes that Ireland are still serious Six Nations contenders, but claims that the squad needs an injection of belief if they are to challenge.
The men in green travel to Twickenham on Saturday to face England in what is promising to be a spectacular occasion at the home of English rugby.
Both sides will arrive slightly dented after a stuttering start to their campaigns. England comes off the back of another difficult defeat to their bogey team, Scotland, while Ireland were outclassed by France in the opening round and marginally squeezed through their second round encounter with Italy.
Speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest Six Nations odds, Foden said: “The big thing Andy Farrell is going to be saying is that Ireland are not out of the title race. They’ve got to believe that they can go to Twickenham and put themselves in the running.
“England have got to go to France and get a result, but France have still got to go to Scotland. Scotland is always a tough place to go. They’ve shown that they’re capable of beating good teams like they did at the weekend.
“Ireland are just thinking, ‘We’ve got to control what we can control, and that’s win all our games and hope that France mess up.’”
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“I’m not worried about Ireland”
Andy Farrell has a selection headache to manage. The impressive returns of James Lowe and Rob Baloucoune against Italy give him pause for thought on the wings, while Sam Prendergast’s continued uncertainty in the 10 shirt remains a cause of contention within the Irish fan base.
There’s no doubt that this is a transitional period for the national team, but the former England star doesn’t believe the big red panic button needs to be pressed just yet.
“I’m not worried about Ireland,” continued Foden. “I think they’ll bounce back. They’ve got injuries. I don’t think they’ll ever be like Wales in terms of having a complete reset and restructure, which could take years. Ireland might dip for a year, but they’ll be back pretty quick.
“Their talent pool’s pretty good. I like the way they play rugby, I like the way they approach the game. It might not be there this year, but I fully expect them to bounce back next. My message is, ‘Don’t write Ireland off.’”