“WOO WOO!”
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Grandparent, frequently Declares
Cry of relief
Latin eyes
Lotion ingredient
Jeans name
Highly pleasing
Land of blarney
Pump purchase Georgetown athlete Practical, as a plan Performer
Harmless cysts
Sizzling
Small trash receptacle Wreckage on the sea bed Greek alphabet letter Take to a soapbox Old-fashioned pitcher Welcome words
Scat queen Fitzgerald Heats a bit
Toward the stern
Witch’s incantation
Indigo or henna
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Handle difficulties
Line for hoisting a sail
Uncle Sam feature
Long hauler
Be a contestant
Nondairy topping
Chemistry between two people Cubist Joan
Boxing victory
Hops-drying kilns
Record store category
Biblical paradise
Hangman’s necessity
DOWN
Durango maker
Humpback habitat Second-largest city in Oklahoma Whitney the inventor
“You said it!” (in ’60s slang) Mythical reveler Communications “A”
Who 52-Across wants
Individual beings
Offerer’s request
Marjoram or mint
It’s not a good thing
Bouquet source 18 23 25 26 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 41 43 45 46 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 59 60
Owl sound
Division word
Place to learn some manners Place for a sash
Hint of a fragrance
Hay block
“___ do” (faint praise)
“Hud” co-star Patricia
Like a dirty old man On vacation
Richard of “Runaway Bride” Rub the wrong way? Promenade for Plato Microchip material
Slow on the ___ (not smart) Bear in a fairy tale
Bird with an S-shaped neck Mail boat
Mob doings
Like Archie’s pal Moose
Male turkeys
Literary collection
Lima locale
Eyelid inflammation
Wee bit
Lao-Tzu’s creative force
IRELAND coach Andy Farrell has urged his backs to show the ‘X-factor’ quality he believes they possess during the remainder of a 2021 Six Nations Championship that has started so badly for his side.
Even with a lion’s share of possession, Ireland have struggled to make inroads into opposing defences during recent defeats by Wales and France.
Ireland, partly as a result of that blunt cutting edge, now head to Italy in a fortnight having lost the opening two matches of a Six Nations campaign for the first time in their history.
By contrast, the attacking play of France scrum-half Antoine Dupont and Wales wing Louis Rees-Zammit has been central to their teams making an unbeaten start to this edition.
Dupont was at the heart of France’s 15-13 victory over Ireland in Dublin on February 14 and Rees-Zammit was named man-of-the-match for his twotry performance as Wales beat 14-man Scotland 25-24.
Ireland finished a modest third in last year’s Six Nations but ended that Championship as joint-top try-scorers with 17.
But two games in 2021 have yielded just two tries in total, both scored by forwards.
“It is something I keep talking to them about,” Farrell told Irish media after the France match.
“It is something that rose up at halftime, certainly to the backs, that sometimes for all your best-laid plans it can be about somebody grabbing hold of the game and making something happen,” the former dual code international added.
The Englishman, however, is confident Ireland do have men capable of equalling the likes of Dupont and
Rees-Zammit when it comes to producing ‘X-factor’ moments of matchturning brilliance.
“Have we got those players? I think we have,” he said.
“You see Garry Ringrose cutting through time and time again, you see Hugo [Keenan] is making good strides there, we know what Keith Earls has certainly done in the past for Ireland.
“Robbie [Henshaw] is in sensational form and you have Jordan [Larmour] who is able to break any defence down.
“So yeah, I think we have.”
‘Upward curve’
Farrell’s results in his first year in charge had been judged “acceptable” by the Irish Rugby Football Union.
Although the 44-year-old can point to extenuating circumstances for both defeats this season, nothing less than a convincing victory over perennial strugglers Italy will help ease the mounting pressure.
Tough matches follow, with a trip away to Scotland before Ireland complete their campaign at home to England.
While Ireland’s title hopes have all but evaporated, Farrell wants them to finish with a flourish.
“Three victories and that’s what we expect of ourselves,” he said.
“We’ll have to show our character now. It is full steam ahead for Italy as they are the first up.”
Farrell said Ireland were making progress but that poor finishing meant the improvement had yet to be reflected in their results.
“I think more of our game is coming together,” he insisted.
“It was quite pleasing in the first half our set-piece, and I think our breakdown has come along a hell of a lot as well.”
Farrell said he was not sure if France had moved ahead of them after several years when Ireland could claim to be the stronger side.
February 14’s result meant the French had beaten the Irish in successive Six Nations for the first time since 2010-2011 and Farrell reckoned his side could learn from Les Bleus when it came to closing out a match.
“They [France] are on the upward curve aren’t they regarding their performances and they are gaining a bit of confidence,” he said.
“They are learning how to grind games out . . . They came out on the right side [against Ireland] and obviously that’s something we need to address.”