World Cup nights at France’s Stade de France have truly raised the standards when it comes to the intensity and spectacle of the game. However, when it involves the Six Nations, there’s no venue that Irish fans find more rewarding to triumph at, or more devastating to lose within, than Twickenham.
The impact of Ireland’s performance typically correlates to the audible presence of the ‘Green Army’. A victorious try often serves as the cue for applause and cheers from the thousands who possess tickets. A couple of years ago, four successful tries became the turning point to silence the home audience, their enthusiasm mounted by Charlie Ewels’s opening red card in the second minute and kept ablaze by continuous scrum penalties, until the roars shifted to ‘The Fields’ song reverberating across southwest London.
The influence of Irish supporters, significantly boosted by the vast diaspora in London, doesn’t go unnoticed by the team or coaching staff. The former England player and current Irish head coach, Andy Farrell, acknowledged the invaluable role the fans play, as he prepared his team in Dublin for their upcoming game against England at Twickenham.
He confessed to a strong recall of the remarkable backing shown by Irish supporters when Munster played a European match at Harlequins’ stadium. He was amazed to see a sea of red shirts in support of Munster, consternation rising from the fact that Harlequins’ fans had likely resold their tickets for a significant sum. This, he notes, is testament to the lengths Irish fans are willing to go to back their squad.
Establishing an impressive, unbroken record of 18 home-game victories, this squad have truly made their mark on Irish rugby history. Even when on foreign grounds, the team’s performance remains unyieldingly strong, as illustrated by their achievement of 23 wins in a total of 25 Tests played since their last defeat to France in the Six Nations, February 2022. Their successful games span across many renowned stadiums such as Twickenham, Wellington’s Sky Stadium, Dunedin’s Forsyth Bar Stadium, the Principality Stadium, the Stadio Olimpico, Murrayfield and the Stade Vélodrome. The team seems to remain undeterred, no matter where they play under the guidance of Coach Farrell.
Our coach shared some insights into the steady mentality adapted by his team during away games. He expressed that understanding the mindset that puts players in the best possible form for the performance is more critical than comprehending the stadium atmosphere. The main objective is to execute the game plan, which in turn lessens the importance of the arena’s ambiance to the players. He mentions they should embrace the atmosphere instead of feeling overwhelmed and using up their energy unnecessarily while entering high-energy venues like Twickenham.
Farrell emphasised the importance of managing the individual and collective energy throughout the day to focus it rightly just at the kick-off time. This way, the players can leverage the full potential of their all-week training at the crucial time.
He confirmed that Hugo Keenan is fit again to play against England, overcoming his knee injury that kept him out of the victorious game against Wales. Consequently, Ciarán Frawley, who held the fullback position, will now serve as a utility cover at number 23, alongside a 6-2 bench. Finlay Bealham is back on the replacements list, replacing Oli Jager. Additionally, Iain Henderson joins the squad, replacing James Ryan, who unfortunately sustained a suspected bicep tear during Wednesday’s training.
Ireland’s depth is illustrated by turning to the seasoned talent of Henderson, boasting 80 caps, while treating Garry Ringrose, who has made a recovery from a shoulder injury and has 57 caps under his belt, as a non-match day travelling member for the team. Despite Ringrose reportedly being match-fit following his six weeks off, his omission, as well as that of Stuart McCloskey, is due to the tendency to preference a 6-2 split, applied for the third of the last four games. This approach aims, at least partially, to capitalise on the form of player Ryan Baird.
Farrell acknowledged the impact of this dynamic, pointing out the importance of adaptability and recognition of the evident need for change. He pointed towards both individual players and team configurations as areas of focus.
Contributing to team strategy is the progressing talent and adaptability of Frawley, important not only as additional strength in the squad but also as a utility player, capable of covering both outhalf and goal-kicking positions. Farrell praised Frawley’s significant experience gained within the squad over the past year and a half to two years, noting his versatility provided increased options for the team.
Drawing on his personal experiences as a former team-mate of Steve Borthwick, both on England’s squad and at Saracens, and later as a co-assistant coach for the 2017 Lions’ tour in New Zealand, Farrell spoke highly of Borthwick’s transition into coaching. Referring to his move as a “resounding success”, Farrell indicated that Borthwick’s determination as a player and captain, and his focus on comprehending the unique dynamics of a team, were clear markers of his potential as a coach.
The line-up for Ireland consists of Hugo Keenan from Leinster/UCD and Calvin Nash from Munster playing beside Robbie Henshaw from Leinster, Bundee Aki from Connacht, and James Lowe from Leinster. The squad is further strengthened by Jack Crowley from Munster, Jamison Gibson-Park from Leinster, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy from Leinster and Tadhg Beirne from Munster. Peter O’Mahony from Munster, who is captain, will be playing alongside Josh van der Flier and Caealan Doris from Leinster. For substitutes, Ireland has Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, and Ciarán Frawley all from Leinster, with the addition of Finlay Bealham from Connacht/Buccaneers and Conor Murray from Munster. Iain Henderson from Ulster/Academy will also be on the bench.
England’s team includes George Furbank, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, and Tommy Freeman, who will be joining Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence on the field. In addition, George Ford and Alex Mitchell will bring added force to the team. Ellis Genge and Dan Cole join captain Jamie George, with Maro Itoje and George Martin adding depth to the squad. Sam Underhill, Ben Earl, and Ollie Chessum will also be on the field. Substituting for the team will be Theo Dan, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Chandler Cunningham-South, Danny Care, Alex Bombrandt, and Marcus Smith. Elliot Daly will be ready to step in when needed.