Lord of the Dance
Andy Farrell: 'Frawley deserves the chance to slot in at 10'
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Andy Farrell: 'Frawley deserves the chance to slot in at 10'

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has claimed that Ireland's match-winner, Ciaran Frawley, deserves his chance to stake his claim as the country's outhalf after his heroics in Pretoria on Saturday.

The Irish and the world champions, South Africa, played out a humdinger of a game on Saturday, with both sides exchanging blows at various stages.

Andy Farrell's side was heading for their second consecutive defeat in a week, but Frawley of Leinster attempted his second successful drop goal in the dying moments, and it sailed over the posts for a last-gasp Ireland win in South Africa.

Frawley has played as a fullback, centre, and outhalf for Ireland and Leinster due to his versatility, but Farrell believes that the Leinster and Ireland star deserves his chance at 10.

"He's been a bit-part at 10, bit-part at 15, filling in at 12, etc. He deserves the chance to slot in at 10," said the Ireland head coach.

"There was a bit of Jack in him, actually, from the cross-field kick that went out on the full; he could have crumbled there, but his strength was his mental ability to dare to dream."

It takes serious guts to attempt a drop goal in the world champions' backyard, not once but twice. Farrell added that he was happy to see the second "ugly" drop goal sail over in Pretoria.

"You are actually thinking, "Go one more, get us a little bit closer," but he went early and gave himself room. He knows distance is not a problem. It was ugly, the second one; the first one was beautiful. We will take it," he added.

Ireland ended the series with a 1-1 scoreline in terms of results. Some fans have requested a third game, which won't come. Farrell also claims that he and his players will be happy with the win regardless of whether the series is tied.

"I actually feel for South Africa as well, because I'm sure that they thought in their coaching box that they had won it. It’s hard to take when it's so close and it's over like that. You can imagine the excitement in our box.

"Look, it's a 1-1 series draw, if you call it a series. But it is a win away from home in our last game, which we'll be delighted with."