WE’RE FARR FROM DONE AFTER JUST ONE DEFEAT

ANDY Farrell insists the Six Nations remains wide open for Ireland despite their opening loss against Wales.

England’s loss at home to Scotland blasted open the door to their main rivals and while France looked the part against Italy on Saturday, Farrell is adamant Ireland can stake their claim this weekend after the disappointment of

Cardiff.

The Ireland boss (above) said: “The competition is back on, isn’t it? Massively.

“The Welsh will go to Scotland next week and try and win there, so somebody’s record will go – and it normally does that over the course of a Six Nations.

“The lads will be 100 per cent up for the week ahead once we dust ourselves off and understand the reasons behind Sunday’s performance.”

Pleased with plenty of aspects of the display of the 14 men once Peter O’mahony was sent off, Farrell was especially encouraged by the form of those who were returning after a long absence through injury.

“I thought they were excellent,” he said. “Everyone will ask questions and rightly so about game-time. But some guys play really well fresh. You can see on the training-field they’ve got a spring in their step and the composure regarding the pressures of international football... some people either have it or they haven’t.

“Iain

Henderson has been out for a hell of a long time, he’s not done much training whatsoever.

“He’s been through all sorts of protocols regarding his knee, he’s only been out of a brace for about two weeks I think and I thought he was excellent.

“Tadhg Furlong coming on, we saw some of the trademark runs and his set-piece has been solid as well. We saw during the week and he’s not played for a year.

“James Lowe has had hardly any training whatsoever, but you saw just how important his left boot is.

“Tadhg Beirne taking over the lineout, playing the way that he did... he was cramping up for the last 20 minutes. He was immense.

“Another guy that’s always there in CJ (Stander), when we’re down to 14 men he’s always a person who will put his hands up.”