DUBLIN — Andy Farrell on Tuesday included five
uncapped players in an extended 40-man squad for the coming tour of
New Zealand
which, given possible changes to the world rugby calendar, could be the last of
its kind for Ireland.
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The 47-year-old head coach said the three-Test tours like
the one to New Zealand were essential for finding out about players and how
they coped with being abroad for long stints.
But it has been widely touted that there will be an overhaul
of the international calendar in the coming years.
"I am yet to experience what is coming down the
line," he said.
"I have grown up on three-Test tours and I love it.
"With three games you can be one down and see the
pressure building for the second game.
"Those tours are not just about performance but also
the ability to move around the country and see different places and get a feel
for what it is like abroad.
"If you are bouncing from one country to the next you
stay in your bubble and all that goes out the window."
Leinster trio Ciaran Frawley, Joe McCarthy, Jimmy O'Brien
along with Munster prop Jeremy Loughman and Connacht lock/back-rower Cian
Prendergast are the five uncapped players in a side, captained by Johnny
Sexton, that is making its first tour since the 2018 series win over Australia.
"A number of players selected in the squad have massive
potential to flourish under extreme pressure," said Farrell of the new
faces.
"This tour is brilliant for this and this is what
touring is all about you get to find out about players, how they live away from
home, and are they good at fitting into the squad.
"We also have some players with 20 caps who have yet to
tour due to COVID.
"Walking around Wellington and
Dunedin is different to
Dublin with people winding their window down and telling you how good you
are."
Ireland will play three Tests against New Zealand in
Auckland, Dunedin, and Wellington as well as two fixtures against the Maori All
Blacks.
Sexton is one of five players, along with Cian Healy, Peter
O'Mahony, Conor Murray, and Keith Earls, who featured in Ireland's last tour to
New Zealand in 2012.
Robert Baloucoune, Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, and Ronan
Kelleher were ruled out of the tour through injury.
Ireland won the Triple Crown in this year's Six Nations,
finishing second behind Grand Slam winners France.
The Irish have won three of their last five encounters with
the All Blacks but have never beaten them in New Zealand.
Farrell dismissed suggestions that Ireland risked being
out-muscled by the All Blacks just as Leinster were in their Champions Cup
final against La Rochelle.
"A lot gets said about Ireland, 'are they playing like
Munster and Leinster?'," said Farrell.
"Well we are our own team and we play our own way.”
"We have come up against big teams and been their
match.”
"It is not about physicality, it is how you front up
how you get across the gain line and be aggressive.”
"I think we have done well of late in that
scenario."
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