Andy Farrell has laid down the gauntlet to Thomas Clarkson and Sam Prendergast after both received their first Ireland caps on Friday night.
Prendergast replaced Jack Crowley with 20 minutes left of the 22-19 contest, while Clarkson came off the bench twice during the game. He first replaced Josh van der Flier for about five minutes while Finlay Bealham was in the sin bin during the first half, before returning to the game after 53 minutes.
Farrell, speaking on Monday, admitted that both players making their Ireland debuts were "huge." However, he emphasised that it’s not just about earning one cap but about building on it and staying motivated to improve.
“It’s huge,” Farrell told The42.ie. “You’ve seen the characters throughout training, and you know they’re ready for that type of occasion, a pressured occasion.
“I said to them in the changing room that they came in well-prepared because of the form they’ve shown this season.
Congratulations on your debut in green, Sammy! 🙌#TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/fsu7h6Vy79
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) November 16, 2024
“And it’s not about one cap, is it? It’s what you do with that one cap and how hungry you are to kick on and gain from that experience.”
After this Autumn Nations Series, Farrell will temporarily leave his Ireland role to lead the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia. When pressed by reporters about whether the Lions campaign is a distraction, Farrell dismissed the suggestion, reiterating his commitment to improving the Ireland team.
“Honestly, I try to make sure that there are no distractions, and there haven’t been,” added Farrell.
“It’s full steam ahead for me.
“This is a great window for us to improve as a group going forward.”
Ireland’s next game will be against Fiji on Saturday, November 23, followed by a match against Australia for Irish rugby’s 150th Anniversary Test on Saturday, November 30 (kick-off 3:10 p.m.).
All of these matches will be broadcast live on Virgin Media in the Republic of Ireland and TNT Sports in the United Kingdom.
