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Andy Farrell resists calls for fresh faces as Ireland name 36-man squad to play Italy

Ireland's James Ryan and Johnny Sexton. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Andy Farrell has named an unchanged Ireland squad for Saturday’s game against Italy, ignoring calls to introduce some fresh faces in light of back-t0-back Six Nations defeats. The Ireland head coach has gone with the same group selected for the defeat to France, with Johnny Sexton, James Ryan and Conor Murray all named after missing that game through injury.

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Ed Byrne, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan are all retained, with Quinn Roux and Caelan Doris having dropped out of the original squad named for rounds one and two due to injury. Peter O’Mahony also misses out through suspension.

Having lost their opening two fixtures there were growing calls for Farrell to experiment with his team for Saturday’s trip to play Italy, but the head coach has resisted the temptation to change things up.

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That means there is no place for Leinster out-half Harry Byrne or Connacht 10 Jack Carty, despite Ireland’s struggles with the position, as Farrell has instead kept faith with Billy Burns and Ross Byrne alongside captain Sexton.

There is also no room for Munster’s in-form backrow Gavin Coombes, who had been part of the initial squad before being replaced by Jack Conan ahead of the France game.

Murray is also named after missing the France game with a hamstring problem. Jamison Gibson-Park and the uncapped Craig Casey also return, ahead of Leinster’s Luke McGrath, Connacht Kieran Marmion and Ulster scrum-half John Cooney.

In now looks likely that Farrell will go with a familiar looking team for Saturday’s game, as Ireland look to get back to winning ways.

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IRELAND (squad to play Italy)

Backs
Bundee Aki (Connacht) 30 caps
Billy Burns (Ulster) 5 caps
Ross Byrne (Leinster) 12 caps
Craig Casey (Munster) uncapped
Andrew Conway (Munster) 24 caps
Shane Daly (Munster) 1 cap
Keith Earls (Munster) 90 caps
Chris Farrell (Munster) 14 caps
Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 7 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster) 49 caps
Hugo Keenan (Leinster) 8 caps
Jordan Larmour (Leinster) 26 caps
James Lowe (Leinster) 4 caps
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster) 4 caps
Conor Murray (Munster) 88 caps
Garry Ringrose (Leinster) 32 caps
Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) 96 caps

Forwards
Ryan Baird (Leinster) uncapped
Tadhg Beirne (Munster) 19 caps
Ed Byrne (Leinster) 4 caps
Jack Conan (Leinster) 17 caps
Will Connors (Leinster) 7 caps
Ultan Dillane (Connacht) 18 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) 46 caps
Cian Healy (Leinster) 106 caps
Dave Heffernan (Connacht) 5 caps
Iain Henderson (Ulster) 60 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster) 18 caps
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster) 8 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster) 40 caps
Tom O’Toole (Ulster) uncapped
Andrew Porter (Leinster) 34 caps
Rhys Ruddock (Leinster) 27 caps
James Ryan (Leinster) 33 caps
CJ Stander (Munster) 48 caps
Josh van der Flier (Leinster) 30 caps

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O
Oh no, not him again? 1 hour ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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