Andy Farrell believes a win against France on Friday night would rank among “one of the great” Irish victories, as his side prepare for their Guinness Six Nations opener in Marseille.
The squad will arrive in the south of France later today ahead of their first game since the Rugby World Cup, with the 8pm Friday night kickoff expected to generate a raucous atmosphere at the Orange Velodrome, home of Olympique Marseille.
Preparations for the game have been disrupted with Garry Ringrose ruled out due to a minor shoulder injury, which the Irish coach is hopeful will clear up before next week’s visit of Italy, while Farrell has made a bold call in picking Joe McCarthy over James Ryan in the second row, with McCarthy in line for a Six Nations debut.
“I think so, would you?” Farrell said, when asked if a win on Friday would rank among Ireland’s greatest.
“I think so, as in we all realise it’s a huge game. It’s mouth watering, isn’t it?
“It will be a great game to watch, there’s no doubt about that and the stadium, the atmosphere, it being the first game of the Six Nations after a World Cup, if you can’t get excited about that as I keep saying, you’re in the wrong place.
“For us, it’s just living up to our own expectations, we expect to perform on the big stage and it doesn’t really get any bigger than this one.”
Calvin Nash will also make a first championship appearance on the right wing, and Jack Crowley (above) earns his 10th Test cap at out-half, in the first game of the post-Johnny Sexton era.
And Farrell is backing his squad to be “brave” against a French side who will also have a point to prove after a similarly disappointing World Cup exit.
“The exciting thing for me is are we brave enough, have we got enough courage to go and do what we said we’re going to do and obviously we’re playing against a world class side,” he added.
“But taking your opportunity and being the best version of ourselves is the expectation that we have of ourselves, so living up to that is going to be demanding for us.
“But if you want to be successful, if you want to try to be the best, then you’ve got to beat the best in places like this and the occasion doesn’t get much bigger.
“We’ve got to relish those types of occasions and go after them.”
The decision to select McCarthy (above) over Ryan is a major call at lock, and Ryan is among a 6:2 split of forwards to backs on the bench, as Farrell looks to combat the French physicality.
He said: “It’s what we feel is the right thing for this game.
“We all know it’s going to be a war of attrition, setpiece is premium in any game that you play against France, they’re big men, the size of their pack, and they’re very accurate as far as the set piece is concerned.
“Not just that, with where we’re playing, the conditions and the type of game that France can also play in the broken field.
“We think it’s going to be a fast game as well, so if you look at our bench, the power and pace that we’ve got within that pack to come on and finish the game strong is something that we think will work in our favour this time around.”
Very few would dispute McCarthy’s place in the side, with the 22-year-old kicking on further since the World Cup and earning multiple player of the match awards for Leinster this season.
And Farrell believes he’s earned his opportunity to impress, not just from what he’s done in recent months.
“It’s not post-World Cup, it was during the World Cup as well and before that actually,” said Farrell, who took charge at the end of 2019.
“It’s what we see in training and progression etc, and what the other lads see also.
“He’s a young fella that’s on a mission, he’s there to take his chance and his opportunity when he can, and he tends to do that most days.”
Nash (above) is included on the right wing where he will earn his second cap, coming into the side after injuries to Mack Hansen and Jimmy O’Brien.
The 26-year-old has had to be patient for chances both at Munster and with Ireland in his career to date, but has been one of his side’s most impressive performers this season.
And Farrell says his opportunity against France has been hard-earned.
The Englishman said: “It’s a reward for him coming into camp, understanding what that job looks like for him within our team, and going away and working on those bits, and he’s been very good at improving most parts of his game, actually.
“I mean it’s a given, isn’t it, regarding his work rate? His work off the ball and his work with ball in hand and finding a way to make a difference and be that extra link in attack has really come on leaps and bounds.
“Again, all you need in life is an opportunity, and it’s a big one for Calvin.”
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Follow a live blog on France v Ireland in the Guinness Six Nations on Friday from 7.30pm on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
Watch Wales v Scotland in the on Saturday from 4pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player