ANDY FARRELL SAYS he can understand the surprise which met Joey Carbery’s shock exclusion from Ireland’s 37-man Six Nations squad.

The decision to drop Carbery was the headline news from last Thursday’s squad announcement, with Farrell instead opting for Johnny Sexton, Ross Byrne and Jack Crowley as his three out-half options.

Speaking at today’s Guinness Six Nations launch event in London, Farrell explained the thinking behind the decision to leave the Munster out-half out of his squad for Ireland’s first block of fixtures.

“I understand it (surprise) because it’s not as though he has been playing poorly,” Farrell said.

His form has been pretty good, as in he played pretty well yesterday (for Munster). But there has been a bit of feedback, like we would do with a lot of players who didn’t make the squad and Joey understands that.

“There is another guy there, Ross Byrne, who has been getting feedback for the last couple of years and couldn’t get into the room.

“He has improved on the things we have been asking of him, so he gets the chance to see if that can convert to the international stage, and we know that’s a different level, but he has earned the right to be able to do that.

“100% Joey will be working away hard to get back in and then we’ve got Jack Crowley there who has got a lot of potential going forward, so we need to put a bit of time into him as well.”

Farrell was asked if the decision was based more on how Byrne and Crowley have been playing for their provinces, rather than Carbery’s recent form.

“A little of that, a little bit of both. Everyone has some improvement in them. Johnny (Sexton) is at the top of the tree obviously, as far as his career is concerned, but he would be the first to tell you that he’s got things to work on.

So, everyone has (room to improve), but at the same time, we have got a bit of depth, got a bit of competition and people fighting to want to be part of this Irish squad. It’s where we want to be.”

Farrell’s squad head into the Six Nations as the number one ranked side in the world, but are looking to win the competition for the first time since 2018. 

Ireland’s main ambition this year is to finally go beyond the quarter-final stage at the World Cup, but Farrell insists his team are also targeting silverware in the Six Nations as they look to carry the momentum generated last year into 2023.

“You focus on what’s in front of you. We meet up tomorrow as a squad for the first time, so the focus will be nothing but on ourselves and getting ready for the Welsh game and then it’s a progression, being honest with yourself and making sure that the realisation of where you need to take your game to.

“I think we’ve got a pretty hungry group to be able to do that.”

Farrell also echoed his message ahead of the November internationals by calling on his players to embrace the pressure of being the world’s top-ranked team.

“It’s just about a realisation of where you’re at again, to improve on what you’re about and trying to achieve. That’s where we want to be.

“We want to be tested as much as you can, and if you’re up there and playing decent rugby, then people are trying to chase you down. That’s a different type of test for us but it’s something that we want and we’re going to cherish it and get after it more.”

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