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Bench boost gets Ireland out of trouble but Andy Farrell's side struggle to shake off All Blacks blues

Updated / Sunday, 9 Nov 2025 07:51
Cian Prendergast (L) and Gus McCarthy made big impressions after coming on
Cian Prendergast (L) and Gus McCarthy made big impressions after coming on

Andy Farrell intercepted the question before it was even asked.

How do you prime your team, one reporter wondered, not to expect to win a game everyone expects them to win?

That everyone includes the Ireland players themselves; it's an age old mystery that has caught out many - not least the 2019 version that fell so spectacularly in Shizuoka six years ago.

In other words, how do you make them as ravenous as a Springbok or an All Black when they sense weakness in a prey? They never give a sucker an even break.

"Actually, I understand what you mean, but I don't think we have players in that frame of mind anyway," said Farrell, who couldn't have anticipated the half-asked question if it hadn't been rattling away somewhere in his own mind.

"But I understand what you mean, because the expectation from the outside is that you win these games, and you should win them well.

"But... the lads wouldn't think like that in the first place."

However, he couldn't really hide his disappointment in how his side went about their business in the first half.

Japan, who played 10 minutes with 14 players, could have expected to be closer than seven points but for some poor finishing and good Irish defence in the 22.

"In short, no, certainly not in the first half," was his immediate reply when asked if that was the response he must have spent the week following the All Blacks defeat asking his team for.

The final answer, and the one he wanted a bit earlier in the piece, came in the last half hour as Ireland calmed down at the lineout, went back to basics and took their chances.

Their upturn thanks largely, but not exclusively, to the bench press.

The first reinforcements arrived with just over 10 minutes gone in the second half. The brothers Prendergast, Sam and Cian, and Jack Conan relieved Jack Crowley, James Ryan and the impressive Nick Timoney.

Ten minutes later troopers Finlay Bealham and Gus McCarthy stepped in for Thomas Clarkson, who paved the wave for the first try, and Rónan Kelleher, who had been involved in three of seven lost lineouts in the first half.

Loosehead Paddy McCarthy came on with 12 minutes left to give workhorse Andrew Porter a breather.

Cian Prendergast ripped the ball off a Japan attacker close to the line just after coming on and took four lineouts.

"Yeah, and not just the bench, everyone else [in the second half]," he told RTÉ Sport when asked about the impetus provided by the reserves.

"Again, that's the pleasing part of the game. They got over themselves and made good inroads into the game, but the bench certainly helped that, especially a couple of young lads.

"I thought Gus was great as far as his intent set-piece-wise and how he went about his business. He's a young lad trying to find his way at international level, so that's pleasing.

"Paddy, his first home game and his second Test, two pick-and-gos in quick succession and scoring the tries, pleasing.

"And then time in the saddle for Tom Clarkson and obviously the performance of Tommy O'Brien getting man out of the match. He's certainly well-deserved here."

Japan coach Eddie Jones was also impressed with Ireland's substitutes who contributed 14 points, from a try each from the McCarthys, and two Sam Prendergast conversions, while Ireland's improvement in the last quarter was very evident.

"Yeah, they brought a lot of energy," he said.

"Particularly in their carry, they brought a lot of impact in their carry, and for most of the game we were able to stop Ireland getting quick ruck ball.

"We know Ireland are a team that needs that quick ruck ball to play their organized attack, and their carriers, particularly in that last 20 minutes, were very impactful and created a lot of quick ruck ball which then created opportunities for them to attack on the outside."

With Ireland reduced to 14 players at the start of the second half, Jones was left to lament something of a missed opportunity.

"We put ourselves in a position to win the game in the first half, probably went into half-time with a little bit of momentum, Ireland had [Jacob] Stockdale in the bin," said the Australian.

"But we didn't take advantage of the sin-bin and then – whether we got disappointed in the game – we just faded badly in the last 30 minutes and gave Ireland a lot of the ball in good positions and they looked good."

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