IRELAND’S REGRET AS CROWN & SLAM SLIP TAMELY AWAY
later made a half-hearted apology for his latest wind-up.
“Probably a throwaway line mate,” he said of his comments. “I probably need to apologise for it again. Sorry, sorry, sorry.
“I know you’re not allowed to say anything that’s a little bit different here. So I apologise. I apologise for making a comment that is not in the rugby sense. Apologies.”
Asked what was the most disappointing aspect of Ireland’s performance, 45-year-old Farrell (inset) replied: “For me, the first half in general. We were coming here to try and win a Triple Crown and they were trying to fight to stay in the championship.
“We can try and assess all the bits, all the technicalities and ramifications of accumulative errors, refereeing decisions or whatever but the reality is that they came out the box hard, got on the front foot and we took a few sucker punches from them.
“And it’s up to myself for that. Were they up for it more? And us going for a Triple Crown?
“That’s my responsibility to make sure that shouldn’t happen. I’ve got to look at myself first and foremost.
“I asked the players at half-time about having some proper belief. You get to be at your best when you’re rolling forward and you’re winning collisions etc. We came off second best really for large periods of that first half.”
Skipper Johnny
Sexton, who had an off-day, said: “Faz will always say that. Look, as players, I think we were in the right frame of mind. At 7-0 down, I didn’t deal with the chip through. “We missed a shot at goal. Another chip through and we’re 14-0 down. A couple of chances, a couple of decisions against us and then we’re chasing.
“I was proud of the lads in the second half, proud of the way we stuck in and fought back and we could have got another score or two maybe.
“We were trying to chase to get that bonus point. We should have been better and it’s going to be a tough few days but then we need to bounce back.
“We’ve got a couple of tough sessions towards the end of the week and then we’re into another Test match against Italy.”
Farrell is expected to make changes for the penultimate game against Italy at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday week before the final clash against Grand Slamchasing France in Paris.
Conor Murray is now under pressure from
John Cooney while Caelan Doris and Ronan Kelleher also staked a claim as replacements made an impact late on.