Ireland opens talks with Andy Farrell as fears grow over his future after mega offer tabled
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell with an inset of outgoing Saracens boss Mark McCall.
The IRFU are moving quickly to extend Ireland head coach Andy Farrell’s contract over fears that he will be returning to England after the Rugby World Cup, according to reports.
Farrell has spent 11 years in the Ireland coaching staff, operating as an assistant coach under Joe Schmidt having joined the team after England’s disastrous 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign.
He took over from Schmidt following the 2019 tournament in France and has led the side to two Six Nations titles including a Grand Slam in 2023.
Fears grow that Andy Farrell will leave
Farrell is contracted through to the end of Australia 2027 but there are already fears growing that he will be leaving the set-up with Saracens angling to secure his services.
According to a report by the Irish Independent, IRFU performance director David Humphreys will meet the coach’s representatives this week to address his future plans.
Reports in France last week stated that the deal with Farrell and the PREM Rugby club he represented after making the switch from rugby league was done but that is not the case, according to “industry sources” who spoke to the publication.
The Independent adds that Saracens have tabled a €1.2m‑per‑year offer to Farrell to secure his return to the London club, where he could work closely with his son Owen Farrell who is set move into the Saracens’ coaching staff.
“Talk of a done deal is premature at this stage, as the IRFU look to extend the coach beyond 2027,” the report states.
Sarries are on the hunt for a long-term successor for Mark McCall, who will be stepping down from his role as head coach at the end of the season and move into an advisory role with the club. He will be replaced by Brendan Venter who previously held the position in London before returning to South Africa to run his medical practice in the Western Cape.
Venter has remained involved with Saracens after vacating the role midway through the 2010/11 season, but will obviously be more hands-on and involved as he relocates back to London ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Potential successors
While the IRFU are eager to retain Farrell as the team’s head coach, the Independent writes that they are unlikely to match Saracens’ offer to keep him at the helm through to USA 2031.
Re-signing with Ireland would also keep him in the running to coach the British and Irish Lions against the All Blacks in 2029 which is understood to be a goal of his.
If Sarries were to be successful in their pursuit of Farrell, Ronan O’Gara will undoubtedly emerge as a frontrunner to be the successor, considering his achievements with the Crusaders and La Rochelle.
He has also expressed his desire to make the step up to the international arena while Farrell’s assistant coaches Simon Easterby and Paul O’Connell are bound to be in the mix too – if they fancy the role.
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The Independent also cites Felix Jones as a potential candidate. The former Munster back has moved to South Africa after rejoining the Springboks coaching team and it is widely known that the Springboks hope to extend his contract through to the World Cup in America.
While Jacques Nienaber is also suggested, he could also be reuniting with the Springboks at the end of the season.
