Legendary centre Brian O\u2019Driscoll is perplexed as to why Ireland have become so \u201crisk-averse\u201d under Andy Farrell since the Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n
Farrell\u2019s side became renowned for their multi-phase rugby and it proved to be hugely successful as it secured a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2023 and a series victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand a year earlier.<\/p>\n
Although it didn\u2019t quite yield a deep run at the World Cup, they were not far away from beating the All Blacks in the last-eight, which would have opened the path to the final.<\/p>\n
Ireland\u2019s decline<\/p>\n
However, that has changed following the global tournament with 2025 and the start of 2026 being a particular struggle for the Irishmen.<\/p>\n
Several factors could be at play, including execution and an ageing squad, but O\u2019Driscoll<\/a> believes that Ireland<\/a> have fundamentally become a \u201cnegative\u201d side.<\/p>\n The game has changed somewhat with the removal of \u2018escorts\u2019 placing extra importance on the kicking battle, but the former captain insists that they can still be more adventurous.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve gone so negative. Do you not think we\u2019re never going to beat a team by just winning in the air? We\u2019ve got to think our way around beating the best sides and when you look back and reflect on our best rugby and kind of inspiring rugby, it wasn\u2019t about our kicking game,\u201d he said on Off The Ball\u2019s The Rugby Roadshow.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was about us backing ourselves to get soft shoulders, to get off-loads away, to take a few more risks. I think we\u2019re becoming increasingly risk-averse.<\/p>\n \u201c[Jamison] Gibson-Park, it\u2019s so unlike him to get to a ruck and almost just wait for the players to get into their shape. Screw the shape, if it\u2019s free, go! Because the defence isn\u2019t aligned either.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to play heads-up and see what\u2019s in front of you. I think we\u2019ve come away from that a little bit, about backing ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Ireland team: Winners and losers as Andy Farrell risks 29-year first with \u2018bold calls\u2019 while Sam Prendergast backed despite Paris \u2018mare\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n O\u2019Driscoll was joined on the panel by fellow ex-Ireland international Stephen Ferris, who believes that his former side Ulster have shown what can be done with a positive mindset.<\/p>\n Adventurous Ulster<\/p>\n \u201cIs that now why a lot of people are really enjoying watching Ulster? Ulster are playing with that intent,\u201d Ferris said.<\/p>\n \u201cUlster attack from everywhere. Yes, they have a half-decent kicking game but their skill set, this season in particular, has been really, really high.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s why everybody is getting massively excited about Ulster and why some of the guys should maybe be given more of an opportunity with Ireland.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Driscoll agreed with Ferris and also claimed that Farrell\u2019s side do not really have an identity.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople will go, \u2018not kicking the ball again\u2019, but if you get it back, it\u2019s like \u2018okay at least there\u2019s a result-based outcome here\u2019, where we\u2019re going to get territory, we\u2019re going to get position,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n