Andy Farrell has urged his senior players to set an example to rookie power forwards Edwin Edogbo and Cormac Izuchukwu as he looks for Ireland to restore physical intent to their game when they face Italy in Dublin on Saturday.
The head coach has made six changes to his starting line-up from the one which allowed France to race into a 29-0 lead inside 46 minutes of a 36-14 defeat on the opening night of the 2026 Guinness Six Nations in Paris last Thursday week. He has handed championship debuts to Ulster duo Rob Baloucoune on the right wing and Izuchukwu at blindside flanker. Among the further changes of a bench of six forwards and two backs, Farrell has also put Munster lock Edogbo in line for an Ireland debut as a replacement for the sold-out Aviva Stadium clash with an Italian team travelling with confidence following their 18-15 victory over Scotland in Rome last Saturday.
Having declared himself satisfied with his squad’s efforts to “get back on the horse” in training this week as Ireland looked to regroup from their Stade de France and expressed confidence he will get a reaction from a side captained by Caelan Doris, whom he has switched to openside flanker from No.8, Farrell called on his more experienced leaders within the team to set the tone for both Edogbo and Izuchukwu in terms of the physicality they bring against Italy.
“People need to step up to show them the way of what it takes to be an Ireland international,” Farrell said on Thursday. “It’s up to everyone in the room, certainly our experienced guys, to show the way as far as that’s concerned. Because if that’s shown to them in the right manner, those two kids will follow that.”
The Ireland boss has also recalled James Lowe to the left wing at Jacob Stockdale’s expense, and is starting Craig Casey at scrum-half alongside fly-half Sam Prendergast as Jamison Gibson-Park drops from number nine to the bench.
Doris’s move to openside opens the way for Jack Conan to back up his bench impact against France with a start at No.8 as last week’s starting number seven Josh van Flier misses out entirely, and there is a change in the second row where James Ryan is also rewarded for a strong physical showing as a replacement with a start in place of Tadhg Beirne, who moves in the opposite direction.
Baloucoune, 28, replaces Tommy O’Brien on the right wing as the Ulsterman earns his first Ireland appearance since his fourth cap in November 2022 while 26-year-old Izuchukwu’s selection for his fourth cap sees Cian Prendergast drop out of the matchday 23. Explained his reasoning for including the three new faces in his squad to face Italy, Farrell spoke in glowing terms about 23-year-old debutant Edogbo, the Cobh Pirate who has impressed for Munster since returning last October from a second lengthy lay due to an Achilles’ tendon injury.
“Edwin – I mean, what a story. I mean, if you look at the story, it’s actually phenomenal, you know, to celebrate that with his family tonight (at Ireland’s jersey presentation ceremony on Thursday). It’s going to be a joy for all of us.
“Everyone’s talked about his potential but again, I would like to reiterate that he’s young as far as this type of experience is concerned, big game experience, even at Munster, etc. So it’s potential at this moment in time. This type of opportunity is going to be what he needs to kick on with his game. So we’re excited about that.”
As for the Ulster duo, the head coach continued: “Rob, the sheer pace that he’s got excites everyone. I mean, everyone loves a bit of pace within the side but it’s been a bit stop-start for him. You’ll remember him coming in and playing in a big game against South Africa, it’s been a bit stop-start with injuries and things like that and continuity has been hard work for him.
“But during that period from him coming in to start his international career to where he is now, he’s learned a lot about himself and his game has certainly come on. For example, he’s a great defensive winger, he’s got a much better understanding of how to get himself into the game off his wing and he can break a tackle. He’s not just quick, he can offload the ball.
“So things are getting better as far as that’s concerned, he just needs an opportunity like this to try and do it on the big stage again.” Farrell added: “And Izzy, a little bit like Rob, I suppose. Not as severe, but you know, he’s someone that we’ve earmarked for quite some time now.
“He’s been in our own camp and, you know, we’ve tried to give him game time, but it’s been stop-start for him with injuries as well. And, yeah, he’s been back in camp now for a couple of weeks, and for Edwin and Izzy we thought, last week was a little bit a step too far. But another nine days under the belt and he’ll be ready to rip in against Italy.”
