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11th-hour Ireland cover call-ups for John Cooney and the uncapped Harry Byrne

(Photo by Getty Images)

Andy Farrell’s Ireland are leaving nothing to chance in the build-up Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations round two meeting with France, calling John Cooney and Harry Byrne into the squad as specialist cover at half-back should any of their four players selected in that area pull up lame ahead of kick-off. 

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A Saturday afternoon tweet by the IRFU read: “John Cooney and Harry Byrne have linked up with the Ireland squad ahead of Ireland vs France to provide additional cover for specialist positions.”

With long-established duo Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray ruled out of the game due to respective concussion and hamstring issues, Farrell is starting Billy Burns and Jamison Gibson-Park at half-back. It’s a daunting task for the duo who have just three starts and ten Test caps between them, Burns starting just once in his four-cap career and Gibson-Park a started only twice before in his six-cap career. 

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      Sunday’s bench back-up is also hugely inexperienced as Ross Byrne has eleven caps, just two as a starter, and he is joined in the replacements by Craig Casey, the 21-year-old uncapped scrum-half from Munster. In total the four matchday half-backs have just 21 caps between them, seven less than the 28 which French scrum-half Antoine Dupont has to his name alone. 

      For fear of getting caught short if any of Burns, Gibson-Park, Ross Byrne or Casey pull up lame before the Sunday afternoon kick-off, Farrell has summoned Harry Byrne, the uncapped younger brother of Ross, and the popular Cooney.

      The Ulster scrum-half had been ignored by Farrell since making three appearances off the bench last February as the matchday back-up to the starting Murray in the opening games of last year’s 2020 Six Nations. Ireland assistant coach Richie Murphy didn’t touch on the 11th-hour cover call-ups when speaking at the Ireland captain’s run, but he said: “It’s pretty exciting to get the guys in [Burns and Gibson-Park].

      “Losing Johnny and Conor Murray is a big loss for any team but we are really excited to see Billy and Jamison take the field. Those guys have trained really well over the last few weeks and we are hoping for a big performance from both of them.”

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      SK 31 minutes ago
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      That fighting Aussie spirit really served them well last week when they were down 24-5 early in the second, to rally back to 27-19 and dominate the last quarter was really impressive. I dont subscribe to the thought that the Lions took their foot off the gas. The Lions are not flawless. This group goes through periods in matches where they run riot and then through other periods where their game almost devolves as they try to play too much and lose all momentum falling flat. The strongest most consistent part of their game is their defence. I feel like the weakest part could be their set piece especially that creaky scrum which really should be doing better against Australia. If this Lions side was playing against the Springboks or All Blacks they would not be winning collisions and their set piece would be under serious scrutiny. Australia must try to do better in the collisions and put more pressure on the Lions set piece. They must bring line speed and power to their defence. They cannot afford to give up any soft tries and they must bring urgency at the start of the game. They need to force the Lions to play on their terms and to play from behind. If the Lions race out to an early lead all bets are off, if they keep momentum for a protracted period the game will be up. Australia must spoil, harass, frustrate and compete in every ruck, maul, scrum and lineout. Its time to face the Lions head on.

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      Hellhound 53 minutes ago
      Steve Hansen: The Boks are 'rolling the dice and so far they’ve got away with it'

      As I said, always blame the ref. The Boks can't win unless the ref helped. It was a hooker and not a prop. You don't even have your facts straight. You just confirmed what I said idiot. Blame the ref for the try😂As for hate? I don't hate the AB's, just some of their fans like you. You don't look at the whole picture. All you see is AB's players. You don't look at the opposition. No, you see what you want to see and then open your mouth, spew drivel and then get heated up about it screaming hate. Yes, the Boks haven't won in NZ in awhile. Boo hoo, cry me a river. That will change. A very strong AB's side barely beat a weak C French team and you think they are in such a good place. I would not bleat such prowess if I were you. The Boks played against much weaker opposition and they were very disappointing. Lots to work on. However, we know what these Boks are capable of. We know what the youngsters are capable of. We know the depth we have and that depth is extreme. Lots of new youngsters bleeding through too. Better than most of the current AB's. Have you watched the URC? No. Japan league? No. English Premiership? No. You watch SR and you are awed by what you see. You think the world will fall at the AB's feet, that they will smash everyone in front of them(couldn't do it to a C French team). You are blind. Foolish. Big mouth and overhyping a team that is already out of time for the WC. At the most 17 Tests left to give players time to shine. Razor doesn't even have a full A team yet. Prospects yes. Possible future stars, yes. The Boks have about 3 teams, and about 3 teams with star studded youngsters that can shift up. What will the AB's do when there is injuries? Red card bans? AB's are good. They always will be. However, they are wafer thin in the talent department. As I said, I love the AB's, just not all its arrogant supporters of which you are one. You get good supporters, not you, and then bad woke idiots, that's you!

      31 Go to comments
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