Farrell’s decision to sacrifice one preseason game will allow players recover fully from their Algarve exertions
warm-up programme to four matches prior to the next three World Cups. The preparatory itinerary was trimmed back to three matches this time around, which must at least be partially due to learning from the mistakes of four years ago.
With a two-week gap to Ireland’s second warm-up game, similarly the squad went to their base in the Algarve for eight days of hard, warm-weather training, and have done so for six days this past week. Players have since spoken of their fatigue that weekend, of taking three-hour afternoon sleeps after the Friday captain’s run, and of being weary come matchday. The debilitating effects of warm-weather training were compounded by a scorching matchday in London, with temperatures in the 30s which was in stark contrast to the Baltic St Patrick’s Day of 2018 when Ireland sealed the Grand Slam in temperatures of minus five degrees.
“It was a litany of disappointing aspects and uncharacteristic inaccuracy from us today to be honest, that contributed to our own downfall, and we looked dishevelled,” said the Irish head coach. Admittedly, Ireland did overpower Scotland in their opening pool game, before a Johnny Sexton-less side lost to an inspired Japan.
Talk to most Irish players, never mind supporters, and the abiding memory is of a damaging World Cup build-up. It would probably surprise many to be reminded that Ireland actually won three of their four warm-up games, with a double over a good Welsh side which reached the semi-finals to follow. That is in large part due to the mental scars from that post-Algarve diversion to Twickenham.
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