Ireland have ‘zero excuses from here on’ – Farrell

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has demanded complete accountability from his players after their 26-13 defeat to New Zealand in Chicago.

Farrell calls for responsibility
In his first game back after leading the British and Irish Lions during the summer, Farrell watched his side surrender a 13-7 lead with 20 minutes to play at Soldier Field. The match turned early when Tadhg Beirne was sent off in just the third minute.

Before the clash, there were concerns about Ireland’s match sharpness, with several players short on game time. Farrell, however, made it clear that such reasons no longer apply. “There’s zero excuses from here on,” he said. “We need to buckle down. If we can’t stand up to the challenge, then we shouldn’t be here.”

Focus turns to home fixtures
Ireland will now look to regroup for their upcoming home Tests against Japan, Australia and South Africa. The return to Chicago, the venue of Ireland’s historic 2016 win over the All Blacks, made the defeat sting more for Farrell, but he remains confident of a turnaround.

“We know how important this autumn is, especially the next game,” he said. “Facing Japan carries huge significance in terms of world ranking points. It’s about being honest with each other and learning properly from our setbacks.”

Crowley and McCloskey impress
Farrell also backed fly-half Jack Crowley, who contributed eight points and showed composure despite conceding a key penalty. “He controlled the game pretty well,” said Farrell. “His decision-making was good; it was just about execution. He’ll only improve from this.”

Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey was another standout before a groin injury forced him off in the second half. “He went very well, a real handful,” Farrell said. “It was unfortunate he had to come off, but he had a strong game.”