Six Nations titles so hard to win, insists Farrell
times have we won the Six Nations? Everyone would love to be in our position. We’ve got to make sure we’re loving that challenge as well.
“I’ve absolutely no doubt that they (Ireland supporters) 100 per cent will be on song. Paddy’s weekend again, with the chance of winning a Six Nations. It could have been a little bit better, but Grand Slams are unbelievably hard to come by. Six Nations are hard enough, as everyone would vouch for.”
No team has won successive
Grand Slams in the Six Nations era, with France the last side to achieve the feat in the 1998 Five Nations.
Ireland were seconds away from remaining on course to snap that statistic thanks to two James Lowe tries and four Jack Crowley penalties, but Marcus Smith’s dramatic addedtime drop goal earned England a deserved 23-22 victory to keep alive the title race, raising question marks over Ireland’s game management in the final minutes.
“I thought we could have kicked longer and out,” said Farrell. “Those are small bits that matter in the end.”
England have named three uncapped players in their squad for the upcoming Women’s Six Nations.
Exeter pair Maddie Feaunati and Lizzie Hanlon, and Vicky Laflin, of Trailfinders, have been included in John Mitchell’s 35-player party.
Zoe Harrison, Emily Scarratt and Abbie Ward all feature in an England tournament squad for the first time since the 2022 Rugby World Cup, but Sarah Bern, Claudia MacDonald and Nancy McGillivray are out injured.
The Red Roses will be looking to win a sixth consecutive Six Nations title and fifth straight Grand Slam following their successful campaign under Simon Middleton in 2023.
England kick off their campaign with a trip to Italy before they welcome Wales to Ashton Gate the following week.
Captain Marlie Packer, the Somerset-born Saracens flanker, is expected to win her 100th cap against the Italians on March 24.
Mitchell said: “We have named a squad where competition for a place in the match day 23 exists in every position. There is a hunger to stay the best, but we must earn the right to win Test matches.”