The China Mail - Farrell keeps the faith in Irish still being at rugby's top table

Farrell struck an upbeat tone despite a second successive heavy defeat by the French -- they lost 42-29 in Dublin last year -- illustrating the yawning gap that has grown between the two teams that have dominated the championship in the past four editions.

The manner of Thursday's defeat will only add to the impression the Irish are a team in decline and a shadow of the side that achieved the 2023 Grand Slam and came heartbreakingly close to reaching their first ever Rugby World Cup semi-final later that year.

Farrell, though clearly unhappy with the performance, said he was confident the Irish would be competitive with the leading rugby powers with the next World Cup in Australia in less than two years.

The French defeat comes after disappointing performances against both New Zealand and world champions South Africa last November.

"I am, because I know the people that we've got," he replied when asked was he confident the gap could be closed.

"I know the good people that we've got, the good players that are not just here but who are at home as well.

"I know that there's a determined group to make sure that we are constantly up there at the top of world rugby to be able to compete and that will always be the case."

- 'Better showing' -

Farrell has to not only restore battered morale but also make some tough selection calls with a vastly-improved Italy due in Dublin on February 14. Ireland won last year's encounter 22-17 in Rome.

His room for manoeuvre on changing the starting XV is already limited with several key players injured.

Farrell said the Irish had to move on from Thursday's eye-opening defeat, "otherwise, the disappointment stands for absolutely zero."

"We have to be honest with each other and say it as it is," said the 50-year-old Englishman.

"We're all up to work on it next week and make sure that this stands for something.

"We need to use it, not just individually but collectively, to make sure that we give a better showing of ourselves during the rest of this competition.

"Obviously, starting with Italy next week."

Two things Farrell and his fellow coaches will be working on is tackling, they missed 38, and also winning the 50-50 balls. Often seen as a strength, they won just four of the 19 contested.

Farrell said if there was a positive to take from a depressing night, it was a wake-up call to the players.

"We learned a lot about the team and the individuals and I suppose these type of occasions, these type of events, are a first for quite a few of our group," he said.

"Every game that you play for your country, whether it be a big win or a tough loss, there has to be a learning curve and we have to take those learnings from that.

"As a group and as individuals, we need to use it in the right manner and move on."

However, the former British rugby league great implied that what had taken place on the training ground had not been transferred onto the Stade de France pitch.

"I felt that we had the right intentions with our preparation of how we wanted to play the game," he said.

"You cannot play the game at this level without having the right intention.

"It's an absolute must and it's the first thing that has to be on the list, to make sure that it's delivered every single time that we take a field."

U.Feng--ThChM