#andy-farrell

#andy-farrell

Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is a new front row, a one-tonne scrum, a bomb squad if I'm extra good, and a solemn promise that I'll never again to subjected to a match that involves either Rassie Erasmus or Matthew Carley. Speaking of which, please don't send any more cards ...

Andy Farrell has launched a strong defence of his decision to select Sam Prendergast for Saturday's clash with South Africa, dismissing concerns over the Leinster out-half's defence.

Andy Farrell will avoid squad overhaul and trust his current troops to kickstart a stuttering season

Speak to anyone who has worked with Andy Farrell and they will tell you he embraces chaos and wants anyone in his teams to do the same.

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.

I'm judged every day by my accent,

Andy Farrell seemed to show his impatience during the press conference, wanting to focus on the upcoming match rather than the media's questions.