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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 #JUSTICE4NOEL
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    Mar 30th 2020, 7:48 PM

    Dan Leavy returning soon will be huge for Leinster and Ireland. The best forward in the country when healthy and a challenger with Underhill and Curry for those 2 lions flanker positions.

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    Mute Sean Fahey
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    Mar 30th 2020, 10:20 PM

    @#JUSTICE4NOEL: I’m very excited to see him come back too and, sadly, will be hopeful that he is the same player when he gets back.

    The Leinster medical team are excellent at managing rehab, very few if any players with recurring injuries, I’m optimistic that he will be.

    Will Conners might be focused on as a 6 such is the depth at 7.

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    Mute Carmine Lorenzo
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    Apr 1st 2020, 12:09 PM

    @Sean Fahey: Leavy could be a highly effective 6 too. He’s not a renowned jumper in the lineout but he can do everything else, and offers serious balance to any backrow, in similar ways that SOB did in previous years. Touch wood he comes back as the same player, as you said, the Leinster medical team have a good track record. Keen to see where Leavy and Conan will fit from an Irish perspective now Doris and Deegan have got their breakthroughs aswell.

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    Mute Jamie Bent
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    Mar 30th 2020, 6:57 PM

    That drop still haunts me. Better team lost that day!

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    Mute Sean Fahey
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    Mar 30th 2020, 7:13 PM

    @Jamie Bent: Ulster were immense that day but every now and then you either ride your luck a little bit or run out of it completely. It’s up there with Fofanas bicep alright.

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    Mute Kevin
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    Mar 30th 2020, 10:04 PM

    @Jamie Bent: I’d dare say it still haunts stockdale too. He hasn’t been good since.

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    Mute Oval Digest
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    Mar 31st 2020, 9:34 AM

    Two things stand out to me from a Leinster POV re-watching this -

    It’s such a shame Adam Byrne has never really kicked on. Immense physical gifts but just seems to be lacking something to really cement his place. Rumours that he’s off at the end of the season too.

    Secondly, Ross Byrne really is a big game player. Might not have the athleticism of his bro or even Sexton, but he never lets Leinster down in Europe. He has had by far the better outcome from the Carbery move so far.

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    Mute Kingshu
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    Mar 30th 2020, 7:42 PM

    It was a great performance for year one, of a 3 year plan. Year 2 and in play off spot in league, and Q final in Europe is nice showing, who knows where it will end, but certainly on target to be in finals and aiming for silverware in year 3.

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    Mute acallkelly
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    Mar 31st 2020, 11:54 AM

    I hope Dan Leahy will be given time to get to his own high standard, Leinster supporters will give him the space, not sure about the rest of chattering classes though !

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    Mute PScald
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    Apr 1st 2020, 5:16 PM

    @acallkelly: you’re right Leinster supporters are just superior people.. I heard theyre close to a vaccine

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