Ireland target Triple Crown as Farrell hails squad unity before Scotland test
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell believes a collective sense of ownership within his squad is driving their bid for a Triple Crown against Scotland on Saturday.
The Men in Green have recovered from an opening-round defeat by France to secure three consecutive victories in the Six Nations.
A hard-fought 27-17 bonus-point win over Wales has set up a tantalising finale at the Aviva Stadium this weekend.
Farrell has utilised 33 players throughout the championship, a testament to the depth currently available to the Irish management team.
“You’ve got to find out about people but these [caps] are not freebies – we’ve given starts and the chances out to people who deserve it,” said Farrell.
“It just shows that the whole of the squad is hungry to be part of it, and grow the squad.”
“It’s nice to feel that the whole squad thinks it’s their team and that they’re all trying to contribute to us pushing forward.”
Backing up big performances
The head coach was particularly impressed by those who maintained high standards following the emphatic victory over England at Twickenham.
Farrell highlighted the contribution of Ulster winger Robert Baloucoune, who retained his place after shining in London.
“For people to back up good performances at this level that haven’t had that much exposure, that’s pretty impressive,” he added.
“We’re probably talking about Robert Baloucoune. To have a performance like he did in the last game and then to back it up this week is what you want.”
There was also praise for Jack Conan, who returned to the starting XV after missing the England clash through illness.
“I thought Jack Conan, he’d have been a bit peeved off, so to get his start he showed up really well.”
The impact of the replacements, including Josh van der Flier and Joe McCarthy, was also noted as crucial to the team’s consistency.
Refining the exit strategy
Despite the positive results, the coaching staff have identified the exit strategy as a key area requiring attention before the Scottish test.
Farrell admitted the team struggled to clear their lines effectively under pressure against the Welsh.
“I thought we didn’t exit quite as well as we did in the past,” Farrell admitted.
“They obviously pressured Jamison [Gibson-Park] quite a bit and got some rewards from that.”
The hosts were guilty of overplaying inside their own territory rather than establishing field position.
“Sometimes you have to respect what the opposition are doing well, and they were defending pretty well,” said the 48-year-old.
“A bit of territory is what we needed to take the pressure off I would have thought.”
Farrell insists the players will take the lead in the video review sessions to correct these tactical oversights before Saturday’s kick-off.
“We’ll obviously review it and talk about it, but they will come up with it themselves,” he concluded.
