Andy Farrell doesn’t do bulls**t – and the epic win over Scotland proves that once again

Tony Ward

Ireland's James Lowe and teammates celebrate after the match

March 13 2023 12:49 PM

Not for the first time I look no further than Andy Farrell for what I know will be the most balanced and pragmatic yet always humble take on what we have just witnessed in the name of Irish rugby at the highest level.

The man doesn’t do bullshit or what might have been and on Sunday at a loaded Murrayfield he might well have had reason. I refer specifically to the ‘switched ball incident’ before a point was registered but which resulted in a double whammy whereby Ireland were denied a try, for which they had no hand act or part in any misdemeanor in the build up, and one which resulted in the loss of one of their most influential players given his role and critical position in this electric Irish set up.

To be denied a try in which referee Luke Pearce, to be fair, merely executed the law as it stands to the letter was bad enough but to lose Caelan Doris to injury for an illegal play in which he and his team were the innocent party seemed unfair in the extreme and even more so now irrespective of the second half outcome. At the very least, given the fault lay with the feeding team on the throw, it should restart with a penalty to the non-offending side. And if I am missing something here then I am definitely losing it.

It could have been critical to the overall outcome in practical and psychological terms but as it transpired Farrell’s Ireland went on to produce one of the truly great second halves of Irish rugby on foreign soil. The main man labeled it “the best game he has ever been involved in” and I share that all encompassing view. Particularly so given the unprecedented injury hit circumstances.

To say the squad came of age would be stretching it to hyperbole, but in terms of facing adversity in the manner the head coach preaches this was a challenge to rate alongside tests two and three in New Zealand back in the summer and know we are not losing perspective or the run of ourselves at all.

With a one-point lead at the break and so many key players forced to give in to injury – and I do know what it takes to be forced to leave the field against your will at this level – we were on the rack and with the crowd all around us in Murrayfield sensing as much. However what followed was a second half of guts, of balls, of heart, of spirit and yet at the same time underpinned by a level of skill and never ever losing sight of the intended modus operandi or of the nerves of steel essential to execute it.

This Irish performance over 80 energy and brain sapping minutes was the ultimate test, at this point in time, of winning rugby in adversity and I defy anyone argue otherwise. The bench was superb with Jack Conan leading the way with a performance comparable to Doris at his most effective best and that is some statement given the status already achieved by the latter within this squad. Conan was sublime in impact with only Mack Hansen bettering him for influence on the ultimate outcome over the entire 80. He too was superb as indeed was James Lowe with the Mike Catt/Farrell inspired attacking instinct giving both wide men that all important license to roam.

The back three, as is becoming the norm, were united in purpose to a fault with Hugo Keenan’s try saving tackle on Duhan van der Merwe one of the game changing moments even though that play was eventually called back. Beyond that take your pick in terms of impact. Just how good was Jamison Gibson Park in terms of tempo and momentum change and that is no slight on Conor Murray, just a realistic reflection of the respective skill sets.

Every replacement contributed – with Cian Healy fast becoming a freak of nature given his seamless return to the middle of the front row and to his early school playing days at Belvo.

The solidity of that ‘three prop scrum’ having lost both hookers and the outstanding tight head in the global game was remarkable and yet fully indicative (along with Josh van der Flier’s remarkable throwing ability) of the ‘no stone left unturned’ approach of Simon Easterby, Paul O’Connell and John Fogarty in preparation.

In broken play the full court press was like a vice grip in that second half despite the number of injuries suffered. Everything, bar the line out understandably, improved in that uplifting second 40. It wasn’t one of Johnny Sexton’s better games in terms of confident assurance and yet the fire in the body, ice in the mind manner in which he slotted those two match-determining touch line conversions represented on-field leadership of the highest order.

Again I’ll emphasise that we’ll not lose the run of ourselves given what potentially lies ahead in a few days’ time, and for Richie Murphy’s remarkable under 20s too. But we are where we are with an immense debt of gratitude to Farrell most of all, and to David Nucifora too. Pinch yourselves but a first ever home Grand Slam in our rugby playing history is fast becoming a reality.