YOU MAY HAVE missed it in between the big wins against New Zealand and South Africa, the handing out caps to players still unproven at provincial level and the push to expand opportunities for young players through endeavors such as Ireland A games and the Emerging Ireland tour, but Andy Farrell has a ruthless streak. 

It’s scribbled all over the teamsheet that will be handed in ahead of today’s Autumn Nations Series clash with Fiji [KO 1pm, live on Virgin Media and Amazon Prime] at Aviva Stadium.

That ruthless streak is the reason why a host of players who underperformed for Ireland A against the All Blacks XV last Friday will watch the game from home having been cut loose earlier in the week. It’s why there’s no recognised second row among the replacements today, even though there are plenty of fit locks a phone call away who would relish the opportunity.

It means big hitters run out for the second week running, even if the likes of Tadhg Furlong, Caelan Doris and Garry Ringrose might have been expecting a day off.

As Farrell said himself this week, “Test matches are not gimmes.”

Yet there’s another side of Farrell on display today too, the one that is willing to back players regardless of their age, experience or where they stand in their club careers. We’ve known about that side of him ever since he pushed Jamison Gibson-Park as his starting scrum-half when the same player was struggling to shake off Luke McGrath at Leinster.

Munster prop Jeremy Loughman was a surprise inclusion on the summer tour to New Zealand having started most of his provincial outings on the bench last season. Today he scrums down alongside Rob Herring and Tadhg Furlong in the Ireland front row to win his first Test cap.

Cian Prendergast, Jack Crowley and Jeremy Loughman. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

In the second row, Kieran Treadwell wins his 10th cap having come off the bench in all three summer Tests against the All Blacks and continuing that role against the Springboks last week. Like Loughman, Treadwell saw plenty of the Ulster bench last season but Farrell backed him in New Zealand and he returned home as one of the big winners of the tour.

Jack Crowley is another example. The 22-year-old is currently third in line for the Munster 10 shirt but today, he’ll make his Test debut if sprung from the bench. Crowley has just 19 Munster caps to his name but the minutes don’t matter as his profile clearly appeals to Farrell. In Farrell’s eyes, Crowley has earned it through his displays on the Emerging Ireland tour and the way he has applied himself in the senior camp. 

Show Farrell that you’ve got something about you, and he’ll give you your shot. 

However, with such a limited number of international fixtures in the diary between now and the World Cup, the players also know that when your chance comes, you’ve got to take it. 

“Just by the nature of what we’ve got between now and the World Cup, there isn’t that many opportunites, so they understand that this weekend presents that,” explains Ireland defence coach, Simon Easterby. 

Jeremy starts his first game and he’s done a huge amount of work to get to this position. Cian [Prendergast] and Jack are on the bench, who have yet to be involved in a Test match, so those guys have an understanding of what is at stake, but we’d like to think we can keep progressing with those guys, and it’s not giving out caps because there’s injuries or just giving out caps, because they have to earned it and they will have earned it come Saturday afternoon.”

The Fiji game is the most low profile of Ireland’s three autumn internationals, but it’s an important day for a number of Farrell’s squad, not just those wearing green jerseys for the first time at Aviva Stadium.

After starring off the bench against the Springboks, Jimmy O’Brien is relocated to fullback, a position Hugo Keenan has made his own with no obvious challenger. O’Brien’s versatility and quality can make him a genuine contender for the matchday squad going forward.

This is the type of game where Robert Baloucoune should be afforded more opportunites to showcase his attacking talents out wide, while Stuart McCloskey has recovered from a nerve injury in his arm to put together back-to-back games at international level for the first time. Patience pays off.

Head coach Andy Farrell, defence coach Simon Easterby and attack coach Mike Catt. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

The last time Joey Carbery lined out against Fiji, he lit up the Aviva Stadium before fracturing his wrist and heading down a long, unfortunate path of injury troubles. This is Carbery’s sixth November window as an Ireland player but just his 12th start. Every minute on the pitch is an important one for the Munster player.

A much-changed Ireland pack won’t be tested in the same ways they were against South Africa so it’s an opportunity for Farrell’s forwards to be dominant and decisive.

Fiji’s real strength lies across their backline, and they present an interesting challenge for Easterby as Ireland’s defence coach.

“I think we can predict a certain amount but you can’t predict everything,” Easterby continued.

It’s the same last week (against South Africa) but, yeah, they are predictably unpredictable I guess at times and that’s the strength of them as a team. We need to make sure we don’t give them an opportunity to be too unpredictable.

“We worked hard this week. We feel like last week there was a really good standard set but there’s more in us. Certainly defensively there would be things last week we felt we could do better and there will be things this week that we want to put into practice against the Fijians when the game does break up a little bit. When the game is a little bit looser, that’s where their strengths are so we need to make sure that we don’t allow them that time and space to do it.”

Fiji’s display against Scotland last weekend won’t have gone unnoticed, while head coach Vern Cotter’s claims that Ireland will view today’s contest the same way they would ‘a training session’ will have raised a few smiles at the Shelbourne Hotel last night.

Nonsense. These Ireland players know that less than a year out from a World Cup, they’ve got to seize any opportunity that comes their way.

IRELAND: Jimmy O’Brien; Robert Baloucoune, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Mack Hansen; Joey Carbery, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jeremy Loughman, Rob Herring, Tadhg Furlong (captain); Kieran Treadwell, Tadhg Beirne; Caelan Doris; Nick Timoney, Jack Conan. 

Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Tom O’Toole, Cian Prendergast, Max Deegan, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Garry Ringrose.

FIJI: Setareki Tuicuvu; Jiuta Wainiqolo, Waisea Nayacalevu, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Vinaya Habosi; Teti Tela, Frank Lomani; Eroni Mawi, Sam Matavesi, Manasa Saulo; Isoa Nasilasila, Ratu Leone Rotuisolia; Albert Tuisue, Levani Botia, Viliame Mata.

Replacements: Mesulame Dolokoto, Livai Natave, Lee-Roy Atalifo, Apisalome Ratuniyarawa, John Dyer, Simione Kuruvoli, Ben Volavola, Adrea Cocagi.

Referee: Mathieu Raynal [FFR].

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