The French tactic that was 'little bit surprising' to Andy Farrell
Andy Farrell strode into his Aviva Stadium media briefing full of the joys of spring after his Ireland team had defeated France 32-19 in a Guinness Six Nations classic. A frenetic half, which ended with the home side 22-16 ahead after thrill-a-minute exchanges, gave way to a much cagier second half where scores were at a premium until a 72nd-minute Garry Ringrose try decided the outcome.
Ireland ultimately trumped the French on a four-one try count, restricting the visitors to just three points in the entire second half, but the royally entertaining first half was jammed with attacking action, including a tactic that left the Irish coach somewhat startled.
“It was a little bit surprising how they [France] went about their game in the first half, to be honest, as far as how much ball they played in and around halfway,” he explained with the dust having settled on a vibrant afternoon at Lansdowne Road that ended with Ireland on 10 points on the Six Nations table, ahead of second place Scotland on points difference.
“They are normally very pragmatic as far as that is concerned. I don’t if that is anything to do with it [alleged French sloppiness] but wow, when you say they’re sloppy, I don’t necessarily agree with that term. You are always five seconds from someone doing something remarkable.
“As far as (Antoine) Dupont and the two wingers are concerned, I don’t know if anyone tackled them throughout the full 80 minutes, to be honest. Even I was exhausted – and I didn’t play the game. It was a top-end Test match. It was what everyone wanted and everyone got that. We are fortunate to come out on the right side of the scoreboard.”
The victory was Ireland’s 19th in 21 matches since they lost to France in round two of the 2021 championship, justifying their No1 world ranking in the process. What most impressed Farrell about his team in getting the job done? “The character more than anything,” he enthused. “If we are talking about the bigger picture stuff, the fight, the want to cover each other’s back, to show the togetherness and the spirit that we know we have got.
“To show it to everyone else in world rugby, it was there to be seen. We could talk for hours in that regard of instances and people not playing too much rugby and coming back and putting in performances like that when the chips are really down in big games, it shows a lot of character.
“The first half was wow, just end to end to stuff. We all hoped it would be like that and it certainly was end to end. Even though I thought field position-wise we controlled it pretty well in the end, it’s not over until it’s over, probably until the 78th minute or something like that when you’re thinking we have won a titanic game in that respect.
“Unbelievably proud of the lads, what they have been through the last three weeks. They dug in hard. It meant a lot to them today and they certainly showed that.”
Ireland had their squad depth tested by the need for their bench to bring the win home and it left Farrell recalling a conversation he had with skipper Johnny Sexton in Portugal when they were preparing for last weekend’s round one win over Wales. “I remember Johnny in Portugal, we got up to speed after a week and we had a training session, 15-on-15.
“The team was already picked and he got the lads in after the session and said, ‘You wouldn’t know which is the first team, the Irish team that is playing at the weekend’. That is where we are at, so therefore the belief is real and you actually get to a point where you are pleased that people are able to get an opportunity to see whether they can take it or not.
“That is the stage we are at, we’re trying to find out about each other. So in that regard, there are a few injuries and a few people pulled out. But at the same time look at the strength of the bench coming on today. It’s a mark of where we are as a group.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments