Andy Farrell to hold talks over Ireland contract extension

Andy Farrell has confirmed that he will sit down imminently with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to explore the possibility of extending his tenure as the Ireland head coach beyond the conclusion of next year’s World Cup in Australia.

Although he is highly regarded elsewhere, not least by influential people in England’s Rugby Football Union, the IRFU and Farrell have remained calm about speculation linking him with other jobs on the premise that nothing will be determined before they enter discussions with each other.

“We’ve already spoken about having a conversation. That won’t be too far away, so we’ll see how that goes,” said Farrell after Ireland’s 43-21 win over Scotland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. The victory secured Ireland’s fourth Six Nations Triple Crown in the last five years, one of which was part of a Grand Slam. There has also been a Championship title in this period.

Although Thomas Ramos’ 45m penalty with the last kick of a vintage Six Nations earned France a 48-46 win over England to retain the title, and thus deny Ireland, it had still been a positive campaign.

Farrell was asked if days like this would make him more inclined to remain. “Well, nobody wants to give those away. I’d like to [just] watch it though sometimes. Walking down from the Shelbourne and doing a bit of a pub crawl, it sounds nice to me.

“But they’re special days and it’s due to the lads and the staff. I mean the staff that we’ve got is second to none. Great people. Great at their jobs and as a coaching staff, I think we’re learning about each other more, we’re getting more cohesive and getting better as well. It’s not just the players.”

Farrell and the IRFU will likely agree to a further two-year extension, before him being the Lions head coach in New Zealand in 2029, with the option to complete a third World Cup cycle.

“You’ve wrote the piece already anyway,” he joked, before admitting: “You know that I love this. There’s all sorts of stuff that needs to be talked about, I’ve no doubt.”

This was a 12th win in succession over Scotland, whom Ireland will meet in the pool stages in Australia in 18 months’ time, and Farrell viewed this Triple Crown decider in the prism of the World Cup, even saying so to his players last week.

“You’ve got to try and understand what it is that we’re trying to get to and to achieve. If you look at it like that, there’s four more chances to do that, so they come pretty quick and fast,” he added, regarding the international windows to come.

[ Thomas Ramos gives us a gobsmacking conclusion to a gobsmacking Six NationsOpens in new window ]

Ireland had “put the pressure on ourselves” to deliver a big last-day performance. “That’s something internally that we were chasing down. That’s five trophies in five years. I think it’s the great Welsh side of the 70s who’s done that last and what a special side that was.

“We’re trying to make sure that we’re continuing to put pressure on ourselves and deliver when it matters to us.

“Remember, we’ve been to these days before, the last day, and not really performed at our best, even if we had won,” he said, in reference to the nervy Grand Slam coronation four years ago and win over Scotland two years ago. “So that’s a step in the right direction.”

Winning trophies helps, but much like the team after a somewhat flat autumnal campaign, Farrell has seemed re-energised in this Six Nations.

Ireland supplied 18 players to the Lions and most of the coaching and back room staff, and France have now won six of the last eight post-Lions Championships (Ireland won the other two in 2014 and 2018). But Ireland are the first Lions bulk suppliers to finish as high as second in the ensuing Six Nations since England supplied 20 players to Australia in 2001 and finished second to the Grand Slam-winning French by winning four from five in 2002.

[ Andy Farrell extracts the very best from his players: Five things we learned from the Six NationsOpens in new window ]

Winning a trophy in front of an engaged home crowd also sealed a deeper connection between team and supporters.

“It was an amazing day because everyone knew what it meant to us as a group to get this one over the line, but to do it in the fashion that we did, as in play really well when the pressure was on, I think everyone joined in and was part of that.”

Farrell declined to compare Saturday’s 43-21 win with the 42-21 record Twickenham win in round three.

“They’re both special. They [Scotland] were never going to go away, because they’re a top side and they played really well, but we kept going after the game rather than going into our shells and trying to hold on to a lead. We kept playing to the death, and that was the pleasing part.”

Indeed, it was a further demonstration of the team’s strong mentality that they responded to each of Scotland’s three tries with seven-pointers of their own within three, five and seven minutes.

[ Gerry Thornley: There was something for everyone in this wild and wacky Six NationsOpens in new window ]

This campaign should now ensure some momentum for the summer Tests against Japan, Australia and New Zealand at their Eden Park fortress in July.

“We’ll see what the momentum is with the lads going back to their provinces now. We’ve talked about it in the changing rooms. People have had to grow for this competition. The lads who’ve had a sniff of it, who’ve not necessarily played today, it’s up to them to keep on competing as well, to show us that they’ve learned some lessons and everyone is fighting for a seat on the plane.”

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