‘Nobody held back’ in Ireland’s post-France review

Ireland boss Andy Farrell said “nobody was holding back” when his squad addressed last week’s humbling Six Nations defeat by France.

Farrell’s side were blown away in the first half, and while they fought back after the break, Les Bleus eventually won 36-14 to deal a crushing early blow to Ireland’s title hopes.

Ireland hope to bounce back when they host Italy in Dublin on Saturday (14:10 GMT).

“We’re very happy because nobody was holding back,” said Farrell.

“There was a lot of honesty and no excuses. We tried to get back to simplifying things down and to understand what we stand for as a team.

“You always think that preparations are going right, but until you get a smack in the face like we did in Paris then you find out about yourselves.”

When asked how his team need to grow, Farrell said: “The trajectory of every team is always learning and there is good and bad in that.

“This type of experience, it is never nice first game up, and to come second best by quite a stretch.

“It is how we bounce back and move on from that.

“These experiences are going to continue to happen, but I believe [with] the squad and the wider squad we have it’ll stand us in good stead.”

Farrell has handed Six Nations debuts to Ulster pair Cormac Izuchukwu and Robert Baloucoune in two of six changes from the France game.

On Baloucoune possessing more than just “sheer pace”, Farrell said: “He is a great defensive winger, he has gotten a much better understanding of how to get himself in the game from his wing and he can break a tackle. He is not just quick, he can offload the ball.

“Things are getting better as far as that is concerned, he just needs an opportunity to do it again on the big stage.”