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Farrell at the indoor arena today. Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Farrell says Ireland players were deflated to hear of France postponement

The squad trained in Abbottstown today believing they are well in the hunt for the Championship.

LAST UPDATE | 9 Mar 2020

IRELAND HEAD COACH Andy Farrell says his players were deflated to find out this weekend’s match away to France was postponed.

Farrell was listening with as keen an ear as anyone when updates were being given about the status of other matches before he fielded questions from the media in Abbottstown today.

He was sanguine and understanding of the call to postpone, but after running his squad through a session in Dublin, he could see the disappointment in players as their efforts turned out to be for an objective months in the future rather than days.

“You can’t do anything but the right thing,” Farrell said of the decision to put the game back.

“The reaction of the players when we’ve come off the back of a good day’s work was one of deflation. Gutted.”

“We were literally on the training field going through our prep for this afternoon and tomorrow. We had some good chat setting up our week nicely and we’ve come off the indoor training field and we get the news.”

He added: “We had a joke. We said let’s just forget about those three hours’ work. No, it’s al good. It’s all in the bag isn’t it, that last couple of weeks’ preparation, we shall make sure we harness that and then we’ll catch up on the bits we’ve missed out on in the not too distant future.”

The head coach also welcomed the prospect of re-fixing the matches for late in October, with Halloween mooted as a likely date for the Championship to conclude.

With Ireland scheduled to play November Tests against Australia, South Africa and Japan on the following three Saturdays, Farrell said he was ‘very open’ to an October finale.

After beginning with talk of deflation, the upbeat tone from Farrell continued when the Championship permutations were mentioned. France’s loss to Scotland means Ireland can now win the title if they claim maximum points in matches against Italy and France.

“We’re more than in,” Farrell said, “we’re in control of our destiny. The Six Nations is unbelievably difficult. Everyone judges on performance but we’re two from three as other teams are.”

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    Mute Noel Doherty
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:22 PM

    but I’m still heading over……

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    Mute Cortiss
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:31 PM

    @Noel Doherty: wouldn’t want to mess with you Noel, not even the hardest Noel on the platform

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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:32 PM

    @Noel Doherty: But how might you be heading back?

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    Mute Noel Doherty
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:46 PM

    @Cortiss: not possible I’m the hardest, hardiest hard man around so I am

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Mar 9th 2020, 2:06 PM

    Funny that might be end of six nation road for one or two players in the squad.

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    Mute Robb Stark
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    Mar 9th 2020, 2:10 PM

    Over 3,000 people have died worldwide due to this deadly virus.

    Farrell moaning over a postponed match – and claiming that the players are “gutted” – is disappointing. “Gutted” is losing a relative to Covid-19.

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    Mute Robbie Graham
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    Mar 9th 2020, 3:10 PM

    @Robb Stark: Mate… it’s not. Gutted is a synonym for being disappointed and so in this case is appropriate. All he said was that he was disappointed to hear of the postponement but also says that “you can only do the right thing”. Gutted but what can ya do?

    No to be a semantic fool but you’re reading too much in it. He’s well aware of what the priority.

    I’d certainly be more than “gutted” if I lost a family member.

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    Mute Harry O'Callaghan
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    Mar 9th 2020, 6:22 PM

    @Robb Stark: calm your tits Robb

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    Mute Cortiss
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:31 PM

    Hopefully the champions cup games are called off too, I think divide out the tournament prize pool among the teams that qualified for the quarter finals, and have no winner. Health has to come first, (p.s, not just because I’m a Munster fan)

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    Mute Declan Keane
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:38 PM

    @Cortiss: more likely that they award the cup to the team that finished higher in group stages, ie Leinster

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Mar 9th 2020, 2:05 PM

    @Cortiss: would you be in favour of giving it to the top quallifed team after the league stages?

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    Mute baw baw
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    Mar 9th 2020, 3:06 PM

    Might be able to get a fit and firing 10 together by October.. Or at worst patch up carbery and have him available.. Eitherways his fly half stocks should be thickened out which can only be a good thing

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    Mute Niall James Fergal McCormack
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    Mar 9th 2020, 4:15 PM

    @baw baw: Jim demps

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    Mute Harry O'Callaghan
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    Mar 9th 2020, 6:24 PM

    @baw baw: face palm

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