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Andy Farrell has guided Ireland to a Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam to cement his side’s position at the top of the world rankings after last year’s historic series success in New Zealand.
The 47-year-old stepped into the head coaching role after the 2019 World Cup, having previously coached defense under predecessor Joe Schmidt.
Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look at the Englishman and highlights some of his greatest strengths.
people management
Farrell, who has been part of the Irish setup since 2016, is still referred to as ‘Faz’ by most of his squad and operates an open door policy with players. He was praised for his emotional intelligence, while striking the right balance between humor and hard work without compromising his authority. On being accessible, the former dual-code international said: “What good is it that players can’t tell you what they’re thinking? You end up backtracking and going nowhere. I would be gutted if they couldn’t. He repeatedly urges individuals to “be themselves” and cares as much about players’ personal happiness as professional development.
Imperturbable mentality
Ireland overcame major hurdles to beat Scotland in the fourth round of the Guinness Six Nations (Jane Barlow/PA)
Farrell openly embraces adversity. When a star player is injured, he prefers to talk about the opportunity of a double. He wanted the roof of the Principality Stadium to be closed so his players would feel the full force of a boisterous Cardiff crowd. He welcomed the team bus challenge to arrive late to a game – as happened with Schmidt’s annoyance in Scotland in 2017 – to see how his team reacts. He laughed during half-time in last weekend’s chaotic victory at Murrayfield when his injured side watched the barrel of uncontested scrums fall to 14 men. The unapologetic mindset is a key attribute and has undoubtedly rubbed off on the players.
Selection
Caelan Doris, with the ball, made his Test debut in Andy Farrell’s first game as Ireland head coach and has gone on to become a world-class talent (Steven Paston/PA)
Farrell has not been afraid to experiment during his tenure. He made 30 international debuts but consistently upheld the ‘no cheap caps’ mantra and the selection became more consistent over time. His search for new talent unearthed a multitude of star names. Leinster trio Dan Sheehan, Caelan Doris and Hugo Keenan have become truly world-class players, while Jamison Gibson-Park and Mack Hansen have gone from relative unknowns to first-choice regulars. Farrell will leave the door ajar for potential World Cup bolters. Yet competition for places is already fierce and, with a squad in top form, his preferred starting XV will be hard to dislodge.
Change the culture
Joe Schmidt revolutionized Irish rugby but his reign was more regimented (Adam Davy/PA)
Players have repeatedly spoken of ‘bouncing back in the camp’ in recent years. While victories always lift spirits, there is no doubt that individuals feel liberated after the more regimented reign of Schmidt, a man who revolutionized Irish rugby. Farrell changed the culture, encouraging players to ask questions and contribute to team meetings in a more relaxed and expressive environment. His fine-tuning included the appointment of performance guru Gary Keegan in a bid to address previous mental failings. The move has been identified as a major boost by many and Ireland look better equipped to deal with the pressure of being world number one than they did ahead of the last World Cup.
Tactical
Paul O’Connell is a key member of the Ireland coaching staff (Donall Farmer/PA)
Early in Farrell’s tenure, a definitive style of play was harder to discern. But, under his leadership, a clever system of short, quick interaction between forwards and backs, with multiple dummy runners, evolved. His surprise elevation from Gibson-Park to first-choice scrumhalf epitomized the desire for a fastball. Bringing former Ireland captain Paul O’Connell on board as forwards coach was a pivotal moment, marrying the strengths of Farrell and Schmidt. Farrell regularly spoke of “rugby heads held high” when he took over. His team is doing it now. They regularly win and generally entertain.
After that ?
Farrell, right, is the heavy favorite to succeed Warren Gatland as British and Irish Lions head coach (Brian Lawless/PA)
Ireland won a Grand Slam in Dublin for the first time with a win over England. But there’s no way Farrell will allow his team to rest on their laurels. Ireland have beaten every major rugby nation over the past 18 months and attention will quickly turn to the build-up to the Autumn World Cup in France. On a personal level, Farrell is the overwhelming favorite to be the next British and Irish Lions boss. Naturally after 22 wins in Ireland’s last 24 games. He coached the Lions defense under Warren Gatland for tours in 2013 and 2017, with the multinational team due to travel to Australia in 2025.