IRELAND BOSS ANDY Farrell said he is disappointed he can no longer call on James Lowe’s services, as he wished the wing well ahead of his move to Japanese club rugby.
Farrell spoke to Lowe during the process that led to his unhappy exit from Irish rugby, but said he was not involved in deciding upon the terms of the offer made to the 33-year-old.
The Ireland head coach did not definitively rule Lowe out of featuring for his team at the 2027 World Cup, although Farrell underlined that it is important for Ireland to move on and give other players chances to impress on the left wing.
Jamie Osborne will start in the number 11 shirt for Ireland against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.
Lowe won 45 caps for Ireland, playing a key part in their 2023 Grand Slam and other big achievements under Farrell. He had spoken of his ambition of playing at next year’s World Cup, but a difficult contract negotiation process led to him agreeing a two-year contract with Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath in Japan.
Back in March, Ireland boss Farrell stated that he expected Lowe’s time in Irish rugby to be extended until the World Cup, making the subsequent failure to renew his contract all the more unusual.
“Wanted, yeah, and hoping, and all of those things. That’s not to say that it’s definitely going to happen,” said Farrell in Sydney.
“A lot of things have to happen and align to get to that point, and unfortunately it didn’t happen that way.
“But you started off by saying that he’d been missed on a tour like this, and yeah, we feel that. I mean, what a character.
“And what a player he’s been for us, and he will be thoroughly missed, but at the same time, that’s rugby, that’s life. We have to move on, and somebody has to step up and take that mantle that James has done over the last number of years superbly for Ireland.
“So there’s an opportunity there for whether it be Jamie, you know, there’s a few injuries in that position at this moment in time. So I don’t expect this tour solely to be the point that’s going to tell us exactly who’s going to take his place.
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“With Tommy [O’Brien] injured and Calvin Nash injured and Shayne Bolton injured and Mack [Hansen] injured and all of that, these things will take their course, and hopefully we’ll get someone to fill the big shoes of James Lowe.
James Lowe and Andy Farrell in 2021. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
“But at the same time, it’s the same every campaign, every year. Something happens that takes you by surprise a little bit. I suppose it’s the same as us missing Caelan Doris on this tour, Ryan Baird on this tour, Paddy McCarthy, all of that. That’s just rugby and that’s just life and the stars didn’t align for whatever reason.
“I certainly wish him all the best. I have done. I thanked him for everything that he’s done for Irish rugby.”
Farrell was asked if he is disappointed that the contract process didn’t result in Lowe remaining in Irish rugby.
“Well, I’m disappointed for us,” said Farrell. “He’s a larger-than-life character and he’s a brilliant player, but we all know sport and the ins and outs and the intricacies of all of that.
“They become complicated from time to time, and sometimes it works out. Most of the time it works out for us, fortunately, but this time, obviously it didn’t. I know that James is delighted with the contract that he got in the end, and he’s onto a new venture.
“Hopefully, we’ll see him back in Dublin because at this moment in time, chatting to him, he sees his family coming back and settling down in Dublin.”
Former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll recently revealed on Off the Ball that a wealthy Irish person had contacted him saying that they would be happy to make up the difference between what Lowe was offered and what he wanted.
It’s understood that Lowe was offered a significantly reduced one-year deal by Leinster, with a previous PONI [player of national interest] top-up from the IRFU no longer part of the offer.
But Farrell suggested that Lowe’s contract in Japan was already signed by the time this generous anonymous offer came to light.
“Yeah, I also read that,” said Farrell. “You know, Drico, he wouldn’t tell lies.
“But there’s timing to all those bits, and, yeah, I suppose that didn’t align.”
Farrell said that he did speak to Lowe when contract discussions were taking place.
Andy Farrell before Ireland training in Sydney. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
But the Ireland boss underlined that the specifics of contract offers are not his job.
“I speak to all the players, I speak to all the players,” said Farrell.
“Am I involved in what gets offered and what gets signed? That’s not my role.”
The IRFU has an unwritten policy that players who play their club rugby outside the island cannot be selected for the national team.
In that sense, Lowe’s departure for Japan is essentially the end of his Ireland career.
However, Farrell didn’t completely shut down the idea that Lowe could still be called on if he is playing good rugby in Japan and there are injury or form issues on the left wing for Ireland.
“Well, you know that we’ve held the line with that for many, many years and whatever, but you know, we’ll see how that plays out in the next 12 months,” said Farrell.
“I mean, if we don’t develop someone and bring someone through… I mean, push come to shove, we probably could have brought him out here [on the current tour], but is it the right thing to do to try and develop someone and give people a chance?
“I think it’s the right thing to do, to have a look and give people a bit of space to be able to do that, so we’ll see how that goes.”
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This is what Andy Farrell had to say about James Lowe's exit
IRELAND BOSS ANDY Farrell said he is disappointed he can no longer call on James Lowe’s services, as he wished the wing well ahead of his move to Japanese club rugby.
Farrell spoke to Lowe during the process that led to his unhappy exit from Irish rugby, but said he was not involved in deciding upon the terms of the offer made to the 33-year-old.
The Ireland head coach did not definitively rule Lowe out of featuring for his team at the 2027 World Cup, although Farrell underlined that it is important for Ireland to move on and give other players chances to impress on the left wing.
Jamie Osborne will start in the number 11 shirt for Ireland against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.
Lowe won 45 caps for Ireland, playing a key part in their 2023 Grand Slam and other big achievements under Farrell. He had spoken of his ambition of playing at next year’s World Cup, but a difficult contract negotiation process led to him agreeing a two-year contract with Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath in Japan.
Back in March, Ireland boss Farrell stated that he expected Lowe’s time in Irish rugby to be extended until the World Cup, making the subsequent failure to renew his contract all the more unusual.
“Wanted, yeah, and hoping, and all of those things. That’s not to say that it’s definitely going to happen,” said Farrell in Sydney.
“A lot of things have to happen and align to get to that point, and unfortunately it didn’t happen that way.
“But you started off by saying that he’d been missed on a tour like this, and yeah, we feel that. I mean, what a character.
“And what a player he’s been for us, and he will be thoroughly missed, but at the same time, that’s rugby, that’s life. We have to move on, and somebody has to step up and take that mantle that James has done over the last number of years superbly for Ireland.
“So there’s an opportunity there for whether it be Jamie, you know, there’s a few injuries in that position at this moment in time. So I don’t expect this tour solely to be the point that’s going to tell us exactly who’s going to take his place.
“With Tommy [O’Brien] injured and Calvin Nash injured and Shayne Bolton injured and Mack [Hansen] injured and all of that, these things will take their course, and hopefully we’ll get someone to fill the big shoes of James Lowe.
“But at the same time, it’s the same every campaign, every year. Something happens that takes you by surprise a little bit. I suppose it’s the same as us missing Caelan Doris on this tour, Ryan Baird on this tour, Paddy McCarthy, all of that. That’s just rugby and that’s just life and the stars didn’t align for whatever reason.
“I certainly wish him all the best. I have done. I thanked him for everything that he’s done for Irish rugby.”
Farrell was asked if he is disappointed that the contract process didn’t result in Lowe remaining in Irish rugby.
“Well, I’m disappointed for us,” said Farrell. “He’s a larger-than-life character and he’s a brilliant player, but we all know sport and the ins and outs and the intricacies of all of that.
“They become complicated from time to time, and sometimes it works out. Most of the time it works out for us, fortunately, but this time, obviously it didn’t. I know that James is delighted with the contract that he got in the end, and he’s onto a new venture.
“Hopefully, we’ll see him back in Dublin because at this moment in time, chatting to him, he sees his family coming back and settling down in Dublin.”
Former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll recently revealed on Off the Ball that a wealthy Irish person had contacted him saying that they would be happy to make up the difference between what Lowe was offered and what he wanted.
It’s understood that Lowe was offered a significantly reduced one-year deal by Leinster, with a previous PONI [player of national interest] top-up from the IRFU no longer part of the offer.
But Farrell suggested that Lowe’s contract in Japan was already signed by the time this generous anonymous offer came to light.
“Yeah, I also read that,” said Farrell. “You know, Drico, he wouldn’t tell lies.
“But there’s timing to all those bits, and, yeah, I suppose that didn’t align.”
Farrell said that he did speak to Lowe when contract discussions were taking place.
But the Ireland boss underlined that the specifics of contract offers are not his job.
“I speak to all the players, I speak to all the players,” said Farrell.
“Am I involved in what gets offered and what gets signed? That’s not my role.”
The IRFU has an unwritten policy that players who play their club rugby outside the island cannot be selected for the national team.
In that sense, Lowe’s departure for Japan is essentially the end of his Ireland career.
However, Farrell didn’t completely shut down the idea that Lowe could still be called on if he is playing good rugby in Japan and there are injury or form issues on the left wing for Ireland.
“Well, you know that we’ve held the line with that for many, many years and whatever, but you know, we’ll see how that plays out in the next 12 months,” said Farrell.
“I mean, if we don’t develop someone and bring someone through… I mean, push come to shove, we probably could have brought him out here [on the current tour], but is it the right thing to do to try and develop someone and give people a chance?
“I think it’s the right thing to do, to have a look and give people a bit of space to be able to do that, so we’ll see how that goes.”
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andy farrell Australia Character Head Coach Ireland