Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has opted for the in-form Jack Crowley at No 10 for Saturday’s match against the All Blacks at Soldier Field in Chicago. Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
This clash with the All Blacks is coming so early in the season that it’s hard to get a gauge on player form, but there’s a freshness to the team Andy Farrell picked that suggests he’s learnt lessons from last season’s defeat in the same fixture.
Seven of his starting pack were Lions last summer, six of them took part in the Test series, and while there’s a worry over their lack of game-time, there’s a lot of experience and class up front to bridge the gap.