Ireland head coach Andy Farrell feels that the team has had to find new ways to blood young players in order for them to reach their potential.
On Thursday, the Irish boss took a more radical approach to his team selection for Saturday’s clash with Fiji.
After mostly sticking to the same players for the Tests against New Zealand and Argentina, Farrell has now made a raft of changes to take on the Pacific Islanders.
Ireland Rugby Captain’s Run, Aviva Stadium, Dublin 7/11/2024 Head coach Andy Farrell. Pic: INPHO/Henry Simpson
Sam Prendergast is in for his maiden start while the likes of Gus McCarthy and Cormac Izuchukwu landing their first caps.
Farrell’s tenure to this point has been more about incremental changes rather than major overhauls.
Against Fiji, however, the English coach says he wants the players to get the kind of exposure that is not on offer in the URC.
Sam Prendergast of Ireland before the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
‘We’re trying to find exposure for those players and that’s important. We always talk about the cream at the top, the big games and playing against the All Blacks, the Argentinas or whatever.
‘What’s just as exciting for us is our plan with the “Emerging” starting, a game in the Six Nations, the summer games against Georgia, Portugal and maybe one more.
‘It’s the exposure of these games that gets us excited. It’s needed, again. We used to get that exposure – because of the nature of PRO12/14/URC that’s changed now, we’ve got to find other ways.’
The URC has changed now, Andy Farrell admits. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan
‘When we expose these guys, we get to know them personally and what their characters are like and whether they can deal with this type of exposure. The lads that we’re seeing against Fiji, they epitomise that.’
The likes of Jacob Stockdale and Jamie Osborne have also made returns to the team, while the Prendergast household will be double excited to see Connacht’s Cian Prendergast among the replacements.
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