"Our rugby jury debate Ireland's performances in the Autumn Nations series and Andy Farrell's biggest issues ahead of the 2026 Six Nations, among other hot topics."
"Rúaidhrí O'Connor: They beat the teams they were expected to beat and impressed against Australia, but their second-half collapse against New Zealand and the way they were eviscerated physically by South Africa undermine their efforts. They're firmly back in the pack now. 5/10"
Ireland secured predictable victories and produced a notable performance against Australia. A second-half collapse against New Zealand exposed issues with game management and endurance. The team was physically overrun by South Africa, highlighting deficiencies in collision dominance and conditioning. These damaging results offset positive moments and reduced momentum heading into future competitions. The overall assessment of 5/10 signals concerns about consistency, physicality and resilience. Focus is required on improving conditioning, defensive structure, and squad robustness to restore competitiveness ahead of the 2026 Six Nations.
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