IRFU close door on possible England approach as Andy Farrell extends contract to 2025

Last week Andy Farrell’s name was raised with English Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney as plans to identify a post World Cup successor to England coach Eddie Jones continued. Sweeney had previously stated that an English candidate would be the overwhelming preference to replace the Australian and that Farrell was “regarded very highly” by the RFU.

On Friday afternoon, the IRFU firmly closed that door to further exploration as new chief executive Kevin Potts announced the current Irish coach would be staying beyond the end of his current 2023 contract by extending it for two more years to August 2025. The later date could also be pushed out by what Potts called “a number of mutually agreed performance markers”.

A guess would be getting beyond the World Cup quarter-final stage next summer in France for the first time would be one of those markers. As it happens all of the England speculation on Farrell was wasted. The 47-year-old’s deal with the IRFU was agreed before he took the team down to New Zealand at the end of June.

“This new deal, agreed prior to the tour of New Zealand, allows us to plan beyond the 2023 Rugby World Cup with the certainty that one of the top coaching talents in the game is spearheading the national programme,” said IRFU performance director David Nucifora.

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“A coach of Andy’s calibre is always going to be in high demand, and we are delighted that he has agreed to extend his contract with the IRFU.”

That leaves the RFU, who employed Farrell as their defence coach from 2011-15 with head coach Stuart Lancaster, to consider Leicester’s Steve Borthwick, Exeter’s Rob Baxter and England forwards coach Richard Cockerill on a list of potential homegrown contenders.

Doubtless Farrell’s extension has been broadly welcomed following Ireland’s recent New Zealand achievement, the historic 2-1 series win making it the most successful tour in the history of the Irish game. Ireland had never beaten the All Blacks on New Zealand soil and it was the first tour in the country since 2012 when they lost the series 3-0, coming close to an upset in the second Test in Christchurch before being walloped 60-0 in the final Test in Hamilton.

The former England rugby league and union international also has Ireland playing a brand of rugby that allows players more expression, while embracing a bloody-minded lock-tight defence, which has again earned the team a world number one ranking.

“Andy is one of the finest coaches in the world, he has brought our game to new heights and has the team playing a brand of rugby that excites, entertains, and engages people, while, critically, producing winning results,” said Potts ahead of an IRFU Council meeting on Friday.

“I am delighted to confirm that Andy has accepted a two-year contract extension as the head coach of our men’s international team which will keep him at the helm of that team until at least August 2025, and there is an option to extend the contract further.”

Farrell conspicuously referred to his hopes of bringing in more new names to the Irish squad to follow in the footsteps of fullback Hugo Keenan, wingers Mack Hansen and James Lowe and hooker Dan Sheehan, who have all blossomed since Farrell’s arrival in 2019 as Irish head coach.

“Ahead of the tour to New Zealand myself and David [Nucifora] looked at the opportunities and challenges facing the national squad after the tournament in France,” said Farrell. “I am excited about continuing to work with the group and with the next generation of Irish international players.”