Andy Farrell happy with raised standards to kick off ‘tough’ November

Facing into another three games of what he described as “a tough old month” in the wake of Friday’s 42-12 win over Argentina, Ireland head coach Andy Farrell is unlikely to risk any of his walking wounded for next Saturday’s meeting with Fiji.

There may well be a medical update from the Irish camp on Monday after Sean Jansen, Josh van der Flier, Mack Hansen and Robert Baloucoune all sustained injuries against the Pumas. Farrell will also contemplate further rotation, with back-to-back world champions South Africa coming down the track. The Springboks showed their form in retaining the top spot of the Nations Championship southern hemisphere group with a predictably ruthless 66-7 win over an injury-ravaged Italy in Turin on Saturday.

With that in mind, Ireland’s selection for the Fiji Test will not be straightforward. “Weighing up the injuries and how that lies as well, because four games on the bounce at this stage of the season, you’ve got to manage that properly, creating competition along the way as well,” said Farrell. “We know that international games are unbelievably taxing no matter who you’re playing, so the balance has got to be right for us over the course of the month.”

Farrell said Ireland lacked such ruthlessness against Argentina, particularly towards the end of both halves, although he made some allowances given it was the first Test of the series.

“No matter what, there was never going to be any excuses anyway, because we’re not that type of team, but that’s the first game of that type of intensity for many players at the start of the season. So, that’s done now.

“It’s a good win. We move on. We’ve got a tough old month coming up, but the aim is to improve and keep pushing those standards.”

Overall, he felt Friday’s performance was a good launching pad for the remainder of the month. “I suppose it’s raising the standard to be as good as we possibly can. I think the good thing about a good win like that is you’re able to double down on what you said you were going to do and how you were going to go about it and make sure that we learn the lesson.”

It could well transpire that Fiji, despite their 54-17 defeat to France in Lyons on Saturday, will be tougher opponents than Argentina, with Farrell wary that this could be one of the best Fijian sides to ever come to Dublin.

“To get a win in Japan [last month], we all know how tough that is, but with half a squad, and [now] they’re coming over full-bore.”

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The likelihood is that Jamison Gibson-Park and van der Flier, presuming he’s fit, will come back to the starting line-up for Saturday’s return to the Aviva. Farrell’s relatively surprising choice to start Craig Casey and Nick Timoney against Argentina was certainly justified by their performances.

“Craig took responsibility, as he did during the week. He played nice and quick, certainly from the base. He was a threat, and his kicking was pretty good as well, so, yes, a good night for him, and for Nick, obviously.

“When you’re feeling on the side of a ball, it helps when you’ve got somebody with the speed of Nick to be able to punch a hole through the gap. So, yes, pleasing.”

One of the highlights of Ireland’s performance was the edge provided by the back three of Robert Baloucoune, player of the match Hugo Keenan, and Mack Hansen, playing in his first Test since last November.

Between them, they had 40 carries, made 236 metres and nine line breaks, beat 11 defenders and gave Ireland the upper hand in the aerial duels. For his part, Keenan also scored his first international hat-trick, taking his Irish tally to 18 tries in 49 caps, in his first home Test since March last year.

“He’s my favourite player to play with,” Hansen said of Keenan. “He just makes your job so much easier with his comms, his work rate, everything like that. I think he gets a good bit of credit, he’s getting more now, but I don’t think people understand how good a player he really is.”

[ Ireland coaches earn their supper with perfect read of Argentina’s defensive frailtiesOpens in new window ]

“And then the other side of that, Rob – I thought he was outstanding,” Hansen added. “He came up to me and said: ‘Oh Jesus, feeling tight enough after that first half’. And no doubt, like he had pretty much all the high balls ... I thought he went after them really well, attacked the air, and then he just showed his pace and his skills and how silky he is when he’s got the ball in hand. He looked really dangerous when he had the ball.

“So for me, I kind of felt like, ‘Jeez, these guys are playing so well, I’ve got to add something here’. Because, again, like Tommy [O’Brien], Jimmy [O’Brien], Jacob [Stockdale], Jamie Osborne – they are some good players waiting in the wing, so you can’t afford to have a bad game.”