Andy Farrell: Mental breakdowns cost Ireland against New Zealand

By PA Sport Staff

Andy Farrell bemoaned mental lapses in Ireland’s defeat by New Zealand in Chicago.

Ireland led 13-7 after an hour despite a controversial 20-minute red card for Tadhg Beirne, but the All Blacks hit back to claim a 26-13 victory.

“It’s what we talked about before the game, it’s mental switch-offs, mental sharpness, lapses of concentration for two or three seconds, and you get hurt,” said Farrell on the BBC.

“It’s something that we were aware of before the game, and it’s something that you learn over the course of a season to get better at, but, if you want to win big games like this, on big occasions like here in Soldier Field, that’s what it’s going to take, and we weren’t good enough.”

Farrell, back in charge of Ireland after his British and Irish Lions sabbatical, will now turn his thoughts to the remaining Autumn Internationals against Japan, Australia and South Africa in Dublin.

“I’m disappointed to lose any game,” he said. “When you play a top-tier side, a world-class side like New Zealand, you always want to judge yourself against that type of opposition, and then you put the occasion and all that together and it hurts a little bit more.

“Understanding why that happened is obviously key for us now, and addressing all that, and making sure that we move forward pretty quickly for what is obviously a pretty important autumn coming up.”