A lot of the setbacks have either been inherited or self-inflicted.
Bad luck in their opening game of this season’s Six Nations had nothing to do with Peter O’Mahony becoming the first Irish player since Willie Duggan in 1977 to be sent off in the competition, or Billy Burns’ inability to hit the basic requirement with that late penalty against Wales when he failed to find touch.
They are problems the players and coaches have to take ownership of.
But at a time when Farrell is still trying to find his feet after such a disrupted year since taking over from Joe Schmidt, he really could have done without skipper Johnny Sexton receiving another stray hit to the head against Wales. Ditto the head injury which vice-captain James Ryan picked up early last weekend which rules him out today, and the one which leaves promising back-rower Caelan Doris sidelined indefinitely.
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