CONNACHT CENTRE TOM Farrell says his time in the Ireland camp during the Six Nations has made him an even better player.
The 25-year-old admits he was disappointed not to earn his first Ireland cap over the competition, but he still has ambitions of cementing his place in Joe Schmidt’s squad before the World Cup later this year.
The former Leinster underage player has been the star of Connacht’s midfield this season and his six tries from 12 starts have been a big reason behind Connacht being in the hunt for the play-offs. He is also Connacht’s top ball-carrying back in the PRO14 (135) and the league’s leading offloader (26), but he is hopeful of adding to his success in the remaining four league games after a learning experience with Ireland.
“It was brilliant. It was probably an eye-opener as to the standard that’s required.
“I went up there and I knew it was going to be a step up but I probably didn’t realise the size of the step up, the speed of things and the intensity of it all,” said Farrell, who joined Connacht from Bedford Blues two years ago.
It’s definitely improved me. The speed of my reaction time, my decision-making under pressure. Coming back to Connacht, it’s not a massive step down, but I feel that I have that bit more time on the ball now.
“There is a lot of rugby to be played before the summer, and hopefully (I get a chance), it’s an aim in the back of my head. Not getting picked in the Six Nations was obviously a bit disappointing but you have to trust Joe’s decisions. He knows the combinations, personnel who have a lot of caps between them and are tried and tested, and you have to respect that decision.”
Farrell was not in Cardiff to experience the anguish of Ireland’s loss to Wales, and instead he returned to Connacht on the day the Ireland squad flew out of Dublin. He was straight back to training with Connacht on Friday.
And while the loss to England was hard to stomach for all of the squad, Farrell thinks they coped well with the setbacks.
“I didn’t know what it was like previously because I am quite new to the whole thing. I wouldn’t have said the wheels fell off the wagon or anything at all like that. The first loss was put to bed and we moved on pretty quickly.
“In the Six Nations you don’t get time to rest on past performances because it’s all next game focused. The lads were in good spirits, as well as they could have been after losing the first game.”
On Friday, Connacht host Benetton Rugby at the Sportsground, where a win could see them pull clear of Conference A’s joint third-placed Cardiff Blues, who face a tricky Welsh derby with Scarlets. Farrell feels it’s all to play for.
“But it’s great to be back in Connacht. This time last year we were that bit further down the ladder, which made it quite difficult for ourselves.
“Now we’re in a real good position on both fronts, so hopefully we can keep pushing on in the next few weeks and finish the season on a high.”
Terrific player and has from the get go being absolutely class for us in every game he’s played and only gotten better with each minute played. Schmidt missed an opportunity there I think, but less said of that eh …
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣: Class player for us but there are very few players that just drop into a JS team its just not his way. There must be some amount of technical stuff they have to master before they are brought in as you can see with Taidgh Beirne even, he’s been in training squads a good bit before he’s getting his chance and even then I doubt he’s nailed yet.
We mightn’t agree with it but that is what has gotten JS results in the past so we should back him for the last few months of his reign, there isn’t really any alternative as b*tching about how he does things isn’t going to change anything.
@Dino: I’ve said for a good few years JS doesn’t use his bench or back ups half enough. Never was entertained by his game plan, though successful it is no longer relevant as everyone has it sussed out. Connacht’s winning season and after is evidence that you have to continually evolve both in game plans AND personnel and I just think JS doesn’t apart from a few forced tweaks in players. Ireland has enough talent now that we don’t have to behave off old and stick with players , they’re paid professionals they know the score they know they’re not indispensable BUT under JS too many think they are.
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣: Schmidt has introduced and used more players over the last few years than any other 6 nations coach (bar maybe France I guess…).
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣: last year people were jumping on Jones and saying he was a fraud and England had been worked out. They appear to be back were they were now, every team has blips, I fully expect the joe show to be back in full swing come the WC, just the same as I expected England to come good again after a few poor results.
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣: Bit harsh on JS imo. Personally I think he should be giving more players chances from the bench and in starting combinations too but there must be a reason all of our international managers end up going down the route of sticking with the players they know.
I think it might be because of the time spent together the incumbent players have a bank of knowledge that JS struggles due to time constraints with the players to instill in the newer players coming in.
To say he hasn’t evolved style is wrong too imo as he reintroduced box kicking and the whole world followed and that was after he reintroduced the garryowen.
Also if you look at his Leinster team they played an awesome brand of offloading rugby but he was with those players day in day out and could work on that kind of game plan. I seriously think he has simplified things to work for a group of players coming from different philosophies in their own clubs so they can gell as a unit with Ireland.
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣: a Connacht fan blasting the only coach we have ever had who caps Connacht players. A team who over the past 3 seasons have been in the bottom half of the pro 14. Some people are never happy.
@Chris Mc:
I must say I did not expect complaints from any Connacht fan after the amount of caps and game time he gave to their players . The good part of it is they all did their part in the games they came on . On his other posts he mentions their wining the league about 5 times :: nothing about the recent form (this year looking like the year is going to be good) Connacht doesn’t have a special place, different then the other province. I would say there is not an Irish fan who would not be hoping they will make the HCCup next year. Good manager and the base of a good team ::
I’d love to see 10 Carbery, 12 T Farrell, 13 Ringrose playing for or against the barbarians. All 3 are so entertaining.
@Rudiger McMonihan: that would be an exciting 10/12/13 combo having said that Tom has only made 3-4 appearances at 12 this season and when Aki is in the team Tom always plays 13. Since Daly came to Connacht he has being playing 12 when Aki is not in the squad or since Robb has returned from his injury he’s being playing at 12 with Tom at 13. 13 is definitely imo his best position as he has that bit more space to exploit and can utilize his offloading game better at 13. He can certainly do a job at 12 no doubt just not sure at an international standard compared to what he could do at 13. Would love to see him capped in the summer tho. We need to build as much depth and combinations as possible.
An important point made by Farrell there about the big jump in speed and intensity from provincial rugby to Irish squad levels. And that’s just training, the actual heat of a full test in Cardiff for example would be another notch up again.
A lot of posters here would do well to remember that when clamouring for a guy like O Halloran for example for automatic inclusion in our test side because of good provincial form.
It takes time to adjust to test level and not all are capable of making the jump. No mind the whole raft of information needed to participate in a new coaches game plan and set moves
@Aaron Buckley: to be fair I don’t anyone has been any clamoring for TO’H to be in the squad in over a season…at this point I don’t think he is even Connacht’s first choice fullback, or at least it’s a level playing field between himself and Leader, but I get your overall point.
@Aaron Buckley: amm nobody was clamouring for TOH to be included. He’s been average for Connacht this year.
@Anthony: People used to though, even though he was given a chance.
@Sam Harms: I think it’s harsh to say “he was given a chance” perse. He was given 4 minutes off the bench in SA, then started the next game and was taken out in the air after 7 minutes and out for some time. His next cap against Canada, and only that November, back from injury he scored two tries and was MOTM. He kept his form up but wasn’t included in squads when Kearney had maybe his poorest season. Hardly a decent chance. And why many on here were barking for inclusion at that time.
Farrell’s one serious prospect & will be the perfect back up to Ringrose, who realistically can’t play every game. Doubt he’ll fit into Joes RWC plans at this stage, but will be interesting to see Andy Farrells gameplan. If it’s a less structured more free flowing game, Tom Farrell’s made for it.
Can you imagine the stick he’s gonna get over that first line: “I’m EVEN BETTER now” – Farrell
@Ben Cooper:
Yea he will get hit over the head for that. But he comes across as a good lad. Hope he keeps going because he is a good Footballer and with good hands. I think he has more to offer then his name sack::