Farrell Says Conservative Approach Best For Six Nations Title Defence

Farrell has reflected that attitude in naming 34-year-old flanker Peter O’Mahony as captain in the wake of the retirement of Johnny Sexton following Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final exit last October.

Sexton is one of several greats of the game who will not grace the Six Nations this year.

France’s Antoine Dupont is taking time out to seek Olympic glory in the sevens, while Dan Biggar has retired from the Wales setup and England’s Owen Farrell has taken time out for mental health reasons.

Only Italy’s Michele Lamaro remains of the captains from the Six Nations last year.

Farrell, who since the World Cup has been named World Coach of the year and then British and Irish Lions coach for the 2025 tour of Australia, said he wants to grow the squad but not refresh it with a radical overhaul.

“I want the squad to grow but you do not achieve that by cutting the legs off and go again,” said Farrell at the Six Nations launch in Dublin.

“Competing for places is extremely important but I do not buy into the four-year cycle post World Cup as others do.”

Ireland perhaps face the toughest challenge to their hopes of repeating a Grand Slam in the first match against 2022 champions France in Marseille on February 2.

Even without Dupont and the disappointment of bowing out of the World Cup they hosted in the quarter-finals to eventual champions South Africa France head coach Fabien Galthie believes the team will grow from that.

“It is like going back to school, just as is every Six Nations, but we are not starting from scratch,” said Galthie.

For Alldritt — who replaced Dupont as captain — the scars of the Springboks defeat have been dealt with.

“South Africa was tough but we have digested it and analysed it and we will go forward from it,” said Alldritt.

Farrell’s former Saracens teammate Steve Borthwick enters his second Six Nations as England coach on the back of a surprising third-place finish in the World Cup.

Borthwick thinks having more experience in the head coach role — he was named in December 2022 following the sacking of Eddie Jones — will see an improvement on recent disappointing Six Nations campaigns.

“I want us to hit the ground running, which we have not done in the past few years,” he said.