Brian O’Driscoll makes bold call over Andy Farrell’s Ireland future

Brian O’Driscoll believes that Andy Farrell has unfinished business with England and expects him to return at the end of his Ireland contract.

The 48-year-old was England’s defence coach between 2012 and 2015, but his time ended after a disastrous Rugby World Cup campaign.

They became the first hosts to be ousted at the pool stage under the coaching group of Stuart Lancaster, Mike Catt and Farrell.

Move to Ireland

All three of them ended up working in Ireland, with the latter two becoming part of the national set-up.

Farrell has enjoyed an incredible time in charge of the Irish, taking them to number one in the world and winning a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2023.

His deal ends following the 2027 World Cup, and O’Driscoll insists that it would be the perfect time for him to return to England.

“Why not? I know that he’s in no rush. If he continues what he’s doing after an eight-year cycle, time will be done internationally,” he told the Off The Ball podcast.

“Eight years is a long time internationally. Obviously, he’s having his break with the (British and Irish) Lions in between, which I think will work really well for developing the next group of (Ireland) coaches coming through.

“It will put them front and centre, be it Simon Easterby, Paul O’Connell or whoever else it might be, and I think that’s a really good thing.

“You’ve got to anticipate that he’s not going to go back to the club game, it’s hard to go back from international to club.

“It’s not impossible but, if Ireland continue to be a successful team, a well-coached team, you’re mad if you’re English to think that he wouldn’t bite your hand off for the opportunity to coach his own country.

“Having played for them, having been a coach in an unsuccessful World Cup, he’s going to want to put that right.

“He’s not 50 yet is he, so there’s a lot of coaching years ahead of him. He could coach other international teams as well.”

Lions role

Farrell was recently announced as the new British and Irish Lions head coach for the tour to Australia in 2025.

There have been questions over whether it will be good for Ireland, given the disruption it will cause, but O’Driscoll

“It’s win-win because you do get all that intel. He’ll be better for it; he will know the players he’s going to be pitting himself against as Ireland coach over the next few years.

“When he’s eventually England coach, which you anticipate he will be at some point, the younger players that are breaking through now, he will be keeping an eye on them.”

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