LONG READ Ahead of his return to Twickenham, Andy Farrell is approaching a contract crossroads

Even if Twickenham’s name has changed since his England days, Saturday’s Six Nations game against Ireland still represents a homecoming for Andy Farrell.

Having spent the best part of four years as an integral part of Stuart Lancaster’s England coaching set-up – and before that won eight caps for the Red Rose as a player – the Allianz Stadium, as it is now, will always hold special memories for him.

For all that he has become the rugged, battle-scarred face of Irish rugby in his decade across the Irish Sea, Farrell will always be a proud Englishman at heart.

The occasion of Farrell’s return to England with Ireland is a valid one on which to ponder whether he would ever consider a full-time return to take charge of England.

Farrell’s forced exit from England after the 2015 World Cup flop and the appointment of Eddie Jones as head coach that followed left a bitter taste. The protracted post-tournament review process, with its leaks and score-settling, did not sit well. If you had asked Farrell in the aftermath  whether he would ever work for the RFU again, he would probably have fixed you with a thousand-yard stare.

Time heals old wounds though. The bloodstains have been mopped up from that fractious fallout and the temperature dial has been turned down. The furniture has changed as people have moved on.

Distance should enable Farrell to take a more dispassionate look at England and what it might feel like to be the head coach of his native country one day. Is there unfinished business at HQ?

His period with Ireland has been a glorious success and cemented his reputation as one of the sharpest operators in the business, a master motivator, smart tactician and warm frontman. He has helped shape a golden era for Ireland.

If another World Cup quarter-final exit was a disappointment then two Grand Slams – the first as defence coach, the second as head coach – plus another Six Nations title in 2024 and Ireland’s ascent to the top of the world rankings mark Farrell’s period down as something special. And that’s before we even start on the Lions.

The going is heavier now for Farrell with Ireland in a period of decline. He has some difficult puzzles to solve. Who plays at No 10? How to sort the scrum? Where is the pace? It is why England, for all their kick-thirsty failings at Murrayfield last weekend, will start as comfortable favourites on Saturday.

It does not look as if Ireland will have the weaponry to be challengers at the 2027 World Cup but one thing is for sure – Farrell can be relied upon to squeeze every last drop out of what he has available.

That World Cup would seem a logical end point to Farrell’s time as Ireland head coach. Or at least the moment to take stock about where his future may lie. If England came knocking then – and that would, of course, depend on how they fare under Steve Borthwick in Australia – would he say yes?

Gavin Mairs, the Daily Telegraph’s chief rugby correspondent who ghosted Farrell’s excellent autobiography ‘The Only Way I Know’, believes he would have some hard thinking to do.

“He’s very settled in Ireland. It was the perfect place to go for him after what happened with England and he is revered there for what he has done with the national side,” he said. “He’s got a lovely place down near the beach, a 20-minute walk from the Aviva Stadium, and the family are very happy there.

“If Ireland were keen for him to stay on and oversee the evolution of a new side it wouldn’t be too hard for him to do so.

“The other factor is the Lions. It’s hard to over-stress how much he loves the Lions, and I would imagine the tour to New Zealand in 2029 would be a consideration in his next move. But World Cups are natural dividing lines in the sand and 12 years as an assistant and then a head coach is a long time with any side.

“If he did decide that was enough, England would be the most obvious destination, but he would have less control over the national players that he currently enjoys with Ireland.”

Even with the enhanced central contracts the RFU now have in place, an Ireland head coach still has far more clout when it comes to dealings with the provinces than his English equivalent does with the Prem clubs. The politics of dealing with club owners and directors of rugby would not be particularly appealing to Farrell.

Domestically, there would be considerations too. Farrell’s youngest son Gabriel, 15, still has his schooling to complete. He is studying at Blackrock College, one of Dublin’s foremost rugby institutions.

Still, England would have an undeniable lure. The ten-club-strong English supply line means Farrell would never be short of players and when it comes to salary, he would be extremely well rewarded. Borthwick’s contract is worth around £700,000 per year which makes him the highest-paid coach in international rugby.

The dynamic with the two Farrells as coaches would be different. And fascinating. Might that prospect entice the 50-year-old back to club rugby?

For the media spotlight and the enormous expectations, for all his personal knowledge from 2015 of how heavily the roof can fall in if a head coach fails, might it be worth a crack?

A compelling alternative for Farrell might be Saracens. That was where he first cut his coaching teeth.

It was Jones’s concerns about the complications of having a father and son in the same set-up which led him to dispense with Farrell as defence coach when he took on the England job.

The professional nature of the pair’s dealings in camp meant it was never cited as a problem by other players but Jones was unconvinced. He wasn’t about to drop Farrell Jnr so he got rid of Farrell Snr even though he recognised his value as a coach.

The dynamic with the two Farrells as coaches would be different. And fascinating. Might that prospect entice the 50-year-old back to club rugby?

The only other club that could trump Sarries for emotional pull would be Wigan Warriors. Rugby league is his first love and Wigan is his home-town club – the trophy machine that he led to six league titles during his playing career. The prodigal son returning to the north-west would represent a full circle move.

You could see the appeal in one sense but would Farrell countenance a switch of codes? Maybe at some point further down the line but surely not if it would firebomb his aspirations of leading the Lions in New Zealand.

No, when he reaches his next contract crossroads he will likely stay in union. Where is another question. Ireland? England? Saracens? There is a big decision coming down the line.