‘DIDN’T SEE THAT coming,’ was the overwhelming consensus after the IRFU’s announcement that Andy Farrell would join Joe Schmidt’s coaching ticket later this year. And most who had more than surprise to speak of seemed a little bit on the disgusted side.
Farrell is not a popular appointment.
When the first potential successor to the affable Les Kiss was suggested before the end of the World Cup it was scarcely believable either.
With his contract up with Wales, the highly rated and heavily sought-after Shaun Edwards was an obvious ready-made replacement. Farrell is too. Both men were far-fetched options in The42′s eyes, because Ireland have rarely done obvious or recognisable when it comes to bolstering the backroom.
More often the IRFU have taken a shine to coaches who have had a little more to prove and flown a little further under the radar. Not nobodies, but definitely not high profile one-time rivals.
Despite coming from the Springboks, Kiss was a fresh young face when he was recruited by Declan Kidney in 2008. Schmidt’s first coaching appointment in 2013 was forwards coach John Plumtree, arriving after an underwhelming Super 14 spell with the Sharks. The Kiwi’s subsequent replacement was Simon Easterby. As a former Ireland international, he was a much more familiar name, but coming in after just two years as head coach of the Scarlets, he was hardly box office either.
As one of the more animated coaches on the last England ticket, Farrell comes in with a reputation and a public persona. It’s just that neither are for the better.
Prior to the dreaded post-World Cup review, England players had already voiced concerns about Farrell’s impact on team selection. The 40-year-old was said to be the driving force behind Sam Burgess’ elevation to the Test arena and obviously the presence of his son Owen in the side did nothing to quieten such talk.
Farrell’s thinly-disguised behind-the-scenes machinations make him quite a dislikable figure on this side of the Irish Sea, but his fame and allegiances have fueled much of that feeling too. After all, you would be hard pressed to find two organisations to spike the umbrage of an Irish rugby fan more than Saracens and England, and it just so happens that our new coach made his name with both of them.
Fortunately, there are no members of the Farrell family or bulky rugby league converts in the Irish camp. More importantly, there is certainly not a head coach in the mould of Stuart Lancaster.
The former England head coach was a man who surrounded himself with powerful voices and tonnes of high-grade rugby experience because he was willing to delegate and defer to them. Under the hands-on micromanagement of Schmidt, Farrell certainly will not be given a green light to wield his influence far beyond the realms of defence.
Brian O’Driscoll has already tweeted the expectation that Ireland will focus on line speed and kick-chase under Farrell. We’re not talking about a sea-change here, but we are talking about a top quality coach who will engage and challenge Irish players using different methods to Kiss.
He is an unexpected appointment, but an excellent one. It’s just a shame we will have to wait until the Summer Tour of South Africa to see Farrell’s effect on the team. Until then, Schmidt and Easterby will stretch themselves to coach how three-in-a-row chasing Ireland play without the ball during the Six Nations.
By the end of 2016, after Tests against South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Farrell will hope to have caused another few shocks.
