Why England may kick themselves over Andy Farrell
Can you name the current international coach whose record against the All Blacks in this World Cup cycle stands at three wins, one draw and one defeat? Andy Farrell. Yes the same Andy Farrell jettisoned by England in the aftermath of a disastrous World Cup campaign in 2015 when the hosts failed to emerge from the pool stage. While the RFU boffins panicked and decided that all involved in the England coaching set-up were toxic and must be expunged, others saw things differently, the IRFU being one.
The subsequent years have been cathartic for Farrell and Lancaster, away from the intense glare and expectancy of the English media, rebuilding themselves in Ireland. They hadn’t become a bad coaches, with Sam Burgess testifying as such in recent explosive social media comments that it was “individual egos and selfish players not following our leader, which essentially cost the coach and other great men their jobs”, adding “Tournaments are not won by the coaching staff or one player.”
But when it came to trying to achieve British & Irish Lions success, Warren Gatland turned to Farrell (his defence coach in the 2013 Lions series win over the Wallabies) ahead of his long-time Wasps and Wales defensive lieutenant, Shaun Edwards, for the 2017 British & Irish Lions series, helping deliver a drawn series and keeping the All Blacks tryless in the second Test win.
Before that Joe Schmidt had coaxed Farrell to skip across the Irish Sea in 2016 to join his set-up after Les Kiss made his arrangement with Ulster permanent. Ireland had had a history success with defence coaches from Rugby League backgrounds, which started with Mike Ford in 2002, who spent four years under Eddie O’Sullivan and then Kiss who joined the fold in 2009 under Declan Kidney. Farrell has since reinforced this.
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Watch: Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt hints at departure before formal announcement
Farrell now gets his chance in the head coach role, a step up which Schmidt has endorsed fully. Rory Best said before Ireland’s November international with Argentina that Schmidt’s legacy would be the coaches that come through afterwards, who’d be shaped by the New Zealander’s influence citing the likes of Paul O’Connell, who’s now at Stade Francais.
But, of course, there’s no doubt working on a coaching ticket with Schmidt will also reap huge benefits. And after the World Rugby Awards, Best extolled the virtues of having Farrell in charge.
“I think probably the thing that Faz does better than any other coach, he makes it feel personal for him. He really buys into it. He stands in front of you, he’s a big frame, and he speaks, and it’s impossible not to like him.”
“But when he talks about defence, he makes you want to go and defend. If he talks about any aspect of the game, you just want to buy into it. He’s never happy with our defence, even though New Zealand didn’t score a try against us (in the recent 16-9 November international win), he was still saying we can do this better, we can do that better.
“He is driven. It’s all about perfection, it’s all about being driven and trying to be better. And if somebody gets in the way of us achieving that, we’ll go past them, over them, whatever it takes.”
Meanwhile over the on the other side of the water, a ‘despairing’ Sir Clive Woodward is ruing what England have missed out on, saying in the Daily Mail “Ireland’s gain is England’s loss”.
“First, congratulations, yet again, to Ireland for their clever and intelligent handling of their coaching succession,” he added.
“As for England missing out on a brilliant home-grown coach, I am almost filled with despair. Farrell has always been an outstanding individual, a great player and a coach of massive potential.”
As if to emphasise things England laboured to find an alternative to Paul Gustard as defence coach when he left for Harlequins in the summer, with Edwards opting for a return to Rugby League once his contract runs out at the end of the World Cup. Eventually John Mitchell got the role.
The IRFU put to bed any potential speculation over Schmidt’s successor with the drop of one press release, the man from Wigan, who at 43, has plenty of left in the tank for a potentially long and successful reign as Ireland head coach, will be in the job until 2023 at least. That news came on the same day that the RFU announced losses of £30.9m – the contrasts were stark, organisation versus chaos. The RFU’s succession plan revolves around Eddie Jones sticking around until 2021, with a head coach to come in by the end of the 2019/20 season to work with the Australian. In the meantime, there’s one that got away.
Watch: RWC 2019 Guides – Jaybor travel from the northern city of Sapporo to the bright lights of Tokyo
Comments on RugbyPass
Can someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
19 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to comments