Bigger things than finishing Six Nations, says Ireland’s Farrell

Ireland coach Andy Farrell said there were bigger things than finishing the

Six Nations competition as the Irish government considers a renewed call by the country’s health chiefs for a second national lockdown due to the spread of Covid-19.

Ireland are due to resume their Six Nations campaign at home to Italy in eight days’ time before finishing the tournament that has been delayed by seven months in France on October 31.

The Italy game can go ahead under Dublin’s current Level 3 Covid-19 constraints and also if the measures move up to Level 4. However Ireland’s top doctors have called for a jump to the highest stage, Level 5, which would ban elite sport. “There’s bigger things than finishing the Six Nations,” Farrell, who took over as Ireland coach after last year’s World Cup, told a news conference on Friday.

“If that (national lockdown) is what the government feel is needed for the health and safety of the country, we’ll be more than happy to follow that. “But obviously, we’ll be doing everything to keep our side of things nice and clean and we’ll wait for the advice.”