The Albany Gazette - Farrell's Ireland look to future after Japan experiment pays off

The world number three faced a stern test against a team ranked nine places below them, but proved clinical at the death to win 36-20 on neutral territory in Newcastle on Saturday.

Farrell made nine personnel changes for the clash and handed out four debuts. That, coupled with a number of new combinations, meant they sometimes struggled.

He is expected to revert to a full-strength starting XV for their blockbuster showdown with New Zealand at Eden Park next weekend.

"What stood out, it was far from perfect, a good few errors out there, but we stayed at it. We kept on squeezing them until the end," said Farrell.

"You know, we didn't convert some of our chances, but we stayed in the fight. Played at the right end of the field when it mattered, at the end of the game."

There were some notable firsts on the night, with Tadhg Beirne captaining his country for the first time and Connacht No.8 Sean Jansen scoring a try in a man-of-the-match performance on his debut.

There was also plenty of punch provided by the Irish bench, with Sam Illo, Billy Bohan, and Bryn Ward all getting game time to kick off their international careers.

Farrell said he was excited about where the newly capped quartet can go from here.

"You look at the four debutants. How Sean Jansen actually attacked the game, as a debutant, it's a learning for everyone," he said.

"To be able to get the man-of-the-match and play as he did first up is a massive credit to him, so that's great learnings for anyone coming in.

"And then, for the set-piece to be under pressure, the scrum, for Sam and Billy to come on and to feel and cope with all that. Some good, some bad, but the learnings that they get from that is absolutely priceless.

"It's always a risk doing this but a calculated one that's going to pay for us whether we won or not," he added. It just so happens that we got a bonus point win and we roll on to a special week next week."

(B.Smith--TAG)