Andy Farrell has always placed great store in any of his players achieving landmarks in their careers and milestones abound in the match-day squad he has chosen for this Saturday’s Nations Championship game against Japan in Newcastle (kick-off 8.10pm/11:10am Irish).
With four debutants, a first-time captain and another hitting a half-century of caps, Farrell is as excited as anyone to see how the recalibrated side fares after last week’s 33-31 win over the Wallabies.
Sean Jansen will make his first Test start at number 8, while Billy Bohan, Sam Illo and Bryn Ward are a trio of young forwards who will make their international debuts off the bench. As well as delivering fitting performances individually, Farrell wants their landmark day to be a motivation for their team-mates as well.
“It’s always a special occasion when you give one person a debut, never mind four,” said Farrell from the squad’s new base adjacent to the port in Newcastle, having made the transfer by road two hours or so north of Sydney.
“I’m really looking forward to how they apply themselves to attacking the game, first and foremost, because that’s the roles they’re able to add to the team and the performance behind all that.”
“But making sure that the rest of the team are there to support them and for it to be a special day for them. So, yeah, huge congratulations to the four of them. It’s business time now. They need to rip in.”
Tadhg Beirne has captained Munster for the last two seasons and Farrell turned to him when choosing a captain for the British & Irish Lions in two tour matches against New South Wales Waratahs and an Australian/New Zealand Invitational XV last year.
Beirne also led the Ireland side after Rónan Kelleher replaced Dan Sheehan last Saturday in Sydney but this is the first time he will formally captain the team.
“He typifies everything that we’d want within a captain of Ireland, how he goes about his job, how he understands what it is that we’re after as a team, driving standards, all of that. He typifies that, so he thoroughly deserves that. So, congratulations to him. Captaining your country is a huge honour.”
[ Eddie Jones expects Japan to ‘dominate’ Irish scrum in Nations Championship clashOpens in new window ]
As for Kelleher winning his 50th cap, Farrell said: “It’s something that we’ve worked hard to celebrate together over the last few years, and we’ll do that as a group tonight with the four debutants as well, because I feel it’s a huge honour to get to 50 caps in the Test arena. It shows just what level of consistency at the top level you’re able to produce. So, congratulations to him.”
In all, Farrell has made nine changes in personnel, including a first Test start at outhalf for Ciarán Frawley.
Talking specifically about the quartet of debutants, Farrell said of Jansen: “It is what it says on the tin. He’s a great lad. He’s obviously a workhorse. He’s a confident lad, in camp. I didn’t know him too much before all this but I’m super-excited to see how he has prepared to transfer into the international stage. I’m sure it’s a huge honour for him and his family.”
[ Ireland name exciting lineup for Nations Championship meeting with JapanOpens in new window ]