'My mother's going to go mad': Andy Farrell relieved as Ireland win 'proper Test match' against Italy
Andy Farrell insists Test matches should be anxious affairs after depleted Ireland survived a major scare to keep alive their Grand Slam hopes with an unconvincing 34-20 bonus-point win over Italy.
The world’s top-ranked nation were well below their fluent best in Rome and head coach Farrell was pictured biting his nails during a tense second half in which the fearless hosts moved to within four points.
Mack Hansen’s second try of the afternoon, following scores from stand-in skipper James Ryan, Hugo Keenan and Bundee Aki, ultimately extinguished Azzurri resistance nine minutes from time.
Head coach Farrell was satisfied to avoid an upset and remain in contention for a Guinness Six Nations clean sweep but conceded it was far from plain sailing.
He said: “Was I biting my nails? My mother’s going to go mad. I shouldn’t have done that. It was a tough match. It was a proper Test match.
“You know when they get the field position that they’re craving that they’re going to be unbelievably dangerous.
“Which Irish fan wouldn’t have been biting their nails when the cross-field kick (from Ignacio Brex at 27-20) went in and bounced very close. That’s what Test matches are all about and that’s how it should be.
“To come away with the bonus-point win, we’ll take that and move on.”
In-form Ireland arrived in the Italian capital seeking to build on impressive wins over Wales and France but without a host of star names due to injury.
Swathes of green jerseys packed the terraces, with scores from Ryan, Keenan, Aki and Hansen ensuring a bonus-point was in the bag by half-time.
Yet, sparked by the mercurial talents of fit-again fly-half Paolo Garbisi, who kicked 10 points, and full-back Ange Capuozzo resilient Italy refused to roll over.
Pierre Bruno’s fine intercept try just before the break, adding to an early score from scrum-half Stephen Varney, ignited fresh optimism of a first Azzurri home win in the championship since they defeated Declan Kidney’s Ireland 22-15 a decade ago.
Garbisi reduced Ireland’s lead to 24-20 in the 56th minute, leading to some challenging moments for the visitors before man-of-the-match Hansen eventually put the result beyond doubt.
Lock Ryan, who captained the side in the absence of the injured Johnny Sexton, admits performances must improve moving on to March appointments with title rivals Scotland and England.
“We made it quite difficult for ourselves at times, particularly in the first half,” he said.
“That’s still a positive for us in a way because we’re three from three, top of the table, but there’s still a lot more for us.
“We have a good two weeks to get ready for Scotland and we have to be better.”
Perennial wooden spoon winners Italy are proving a far greater threat in this year’s tournament but, despite plenty of positives, slipped to a third successive loss, to the frustration of head coach Kieran Crowley.
“We don’t want to become a team that gets pats on the back because we’re playing well and showing good style – we want to get over the line,” he said. “We’re absolutely gutted about that result today.
“Yes, they’re the number one side in the world but we thought we could really give them a crack and we gave them a crack. We just weren’t accurate enough in certain areas.”
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
26 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
26 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
48 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
26 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
26 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
26 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
26 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
26 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments