FARRELL: SHAPE UP OR ELSE

Toner admits they were Farr from

A MATCHDAY that had started so differently to the Joe Schmidt era ended so differently, too.

During the Schmidt years, the Ireland players became accustomed to popping over from the Shelbourne Hotel to St Stephen’s Green for a walk-through of what would happen in the white heat of Aviva Stadium battle.

In keeping with his promise to take best practices from the provinces and build on them for Test success, new boss Andy Farrell (left) took a different approach on Saturday.

“We just chilled out all morning,” explained Devin

Toner. “He said he wanted to prepare as we normally would for a game at home.

“He didn’t want us to get too riled up, too quickly. It was good. I’m kind of chilled anyway, watching cooking videos on Youtube all day long!

“We arrived a bit earlier here, did a walk-through out on the pitch, walking through what we’ll do at certain stages.

“Then we came back in and started getting hyped up.

“A lot of lads stepped up (in the dressing-room) – Sexto (Johnny Sexton), James Ryan, Tadhg Furlong, Pete (O’mahony). All those boys. The last word would be Johnny.”

That sense of calm was quickly abandoned after kick-off, however. And, in the final minutes, Ireland found themselves furiously defending the seven point lead built via the boot and hands of new skipper Sexton.

Fired-up Scotland may have deserved more to be denied by CJ Stander’s brilliant late, late poach on his own line – but then their own captain Stuart Hogg had earlier thrown away a gilt-edged try.

Had he scored and Adam Hastings made what would have been a difficult touchline conversion, the sides would have been level.

Farrell, in his first game in the

ON THE RUN Ireland centre Garry Ringrose try-saving tackles and turnovers to deny the physical, direct Scots – no more so than CJ Stander’s 78th minute poach on his own line. When Ireland’s line was breached, Stuart Hogg somehow dropped instead of grounding the ball for a try at a crucial second half juncture. It was an underwhelming though victorious start, but later Farrell pointed out that while players might have suggested Ireland would immediately adopt a more attacking game plan, he has not. “The players might have, but the game has always been about doing the right thing,” said the 44-year-old. “It’s always been about decision-making, seeing more spaces, playing the game how it should be played – playing what’s in front of you. “Decision-making is a part of that. We need to get better at that.” Wales, who hammered Italy 42-0, will be a more dangerous proposition under their attackminded new supremo Wayne Pivac. “They obviously play a wider, more expansive game, and we know how the Scarlets have played over the years,” he said. “They’ve got some great players and I’m sure they’ll be cock-ahoop coming into this week. “We started really well against Scotland. We lost a number of collisions early doors, but we hung in there, which was fantastic,” he added.