Brett Igoe

From ‘intent’ to ‘keyboard warriors’ in nine days: what attribution theory tells us about recent messaging by Andy Farrell. Meanwhile, unsparing data on the performance of his Irish players presents a different picture.

Remember when Ireland were the side that thrived in chaos? When the pace lifted, we got sharper. Now, when it speeds up, we’re the ones making the mistakes.

The stats say Ireland competed. The scoreboard — and the eye test — said otherwise. France’s 36-14 dismantling in Paris exposed an Irish side struggling for identity, cohesion, and conviction.

Ireland's reliance on Andrew Porter at loosehead prop is made painfully clear by appearance stats. The system has struggled to produce viable replacements and Andy Farrell is now paying the price.

The system has produced world-class players, but stories like Jerry Cahir’s and Joshua Kenny’s show why a broader, more scientific approach to talent identification is overdue.

As Andy Farrell, Leo Cullen and a host of senior coaches approach contract expiry after the next World Cup, Irish rugby is nearing a once-in-a-generation moment. Recent provincial chaos suggests the system that once excelled at succession planning will face an unprecedented challenge.

2026 must deliver greater coherence, alignment, and hopefully a few more trophies. However, this may require fundamental shifts in thinking and more difficult personnel decisions.

Fans are paying concert-level prices for European rugby’s biggest nights, only to be served shadow teams and strategic indifference. The Champions Cup’s biggest threat may be the clubs treating it as optional.

Irish players are getting penalised for actions that have been coached into them – deliberate, trained behaviours that are all about pushing boundaries. The problem is that referees now have their number.

Despite developing a fierce rivalry over the past 20 years, the Irish and South African teams are reflections of one another than opposites. The question is: who's copying whom?