Andy Farrell did not hide his frustration after Ireland's heavy defeat to France in Paris, a performance he described as lacking intent. The Ireland coach, speaking to ITV, said: 'I'm obviously very disappointed. We had a bit of a lack of intent in that first half – missed tackles, losing the scraps on the floor or the fight in the air. It's just intent. And if that's lacking you're not going to win any international game, never mind one in Paris.'
Captain Caelan Doris acknowledged the team left themselves too much to do. 'We don't want to be a team that is chasing,' he said. 'We left ourselves too big a mountain to climb.' Farrell demanded players come in with a 'proper opinion' when they reassemble ahead of round two, placing the onus on the squad to identify and address problems.
Ireland were without 12 injured players, a prop crisis, and Bundee Aki's suspension, but Farrell refused to use that as an excuse. 'I think you make your own luck in this game,' he said. France dominated aerially and on the gainline, exposing areas where Ireland struggled.
There is concern that Farrell's impending British and Irish Lions sabbatical may have come at the wrong time for a squad needing regeneration. While England and Scotland developed younger players on tough tours, Ireland faced Georgia and Portugal last July, which may not have been ideal for assessing Test readiness.
The divergence in strategy between Ireland and Leinster has also been noted, with players from other provinces facing steeper challenges. Edwin Edogbo, a highly talented lock, might have debuted in Paris had he been more familiar with the Irish camp, but Farrell felt he was not fully up to speed.
International rugby is evolving towards quick strikes in transition out of kick contests, an area where Ireland are not necessarily strong. However, France's improved aerial performance shows such issues are solvable. Ireland's next challenge will be to address these shortcomings quickly.
