FARRELL UNMASKED
Those who know him best open up on fiercely private dad Andy... as he faces his son Owen
IRelAnd come to Twickenham on Sunday under the command of an englishman who will feel very much at home.
Andy Farrell was england’s defence coach from 2011 to 2015 before being released by eddie Jones and taking up the same role in dublin.
now head coach, the former Great Britain rugby league captain has won his first two matches and is hoping his side can enhance their Six nations title challenge by beating an england team captained by his son Owen.
Here, those who have worked with Farrell Snr provide a unique insight into his character.
SHAUN EDWARDS FORMER WIGAN AND GREAT BRITAIN TEAM-MATE
Andy was always destined to be a great player and coach. I first met him when I was 13. He was twice the size of me then! He was always very confident and above his years in the way he spoke and approached the game.
I remember saying to our chairman Maurice lindsay: ‘We have to sign this guy — he’s special.’ He signed for Wigan and then played at Wembley aged 17 in 1993.
It stuck out like a sore thumb that he was going to be a player. He was very assertive and skilful for a big man. He was destined to captain Wigan and Britain. There’s not many British players who have been named the best player in the world, and Andy won that in 2004.
I’ve followed Owen since he came into the Saracens team at 17. I remember saying to Andy, there are not many families where the dad was the no 1 rugby league player in the world and his son is the no 1 rugby union player in the world!
JAMIE ROBERTS PLAYED UNDER FARRELL ON 2013 LIONS TOUR
Andy was a master of his trade, and his ability to get an emotional response from the lads was pretty special. I’ll always remember the ‘hurt arena’ talk he gave us on that lions tour — it was pretty cool. I remember walking out of that meeting thinking: ‘I am invincible.’
He has that stature as someone who was an uncompromising player. With the lions, he showed how he can coach using emotions, in a way that reminded me of Shaun edwards.
It’s not coaching through fear, but he just knew how to get the lads emotionally right. When he did speak, everyone felt ready to go into battle for this guy.
When you hear that sort of stuff coming from a guy who had so much credibility as a player in a tough sport — talking about the passion of defence — it certainly worked for me.
EDDIE JONES COACHED FARRELL AT SARACENS
Andy was always the sort of guy who was focused on being the best as a player and has continued that throughout his journey as a coach. Joe Schmidt did an outstanding job coaching Ireland and now Andy is carrying on the good work Joe did.
Owen definitely gets his traits from his dad. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. There is that same single- mindedness and determination to be the best he can be.
DAVID STRETTLE PLAYED WITH FARRELL FOR ENGLAND
I PLAYED with Big Faz early in my career and he was one of the main reasons I joined Saracens.
He was new to coaching at the time and he gave me a call because he knew my contract was up. All the qualities that made him a great player transferred across to his coaching. A lot of it comes down to work ethic. everything you hear about Owen — determination, leadership, work ethic — has come from his father.
With guys like Andy, it was all about getting off the line and being aggressive. Imposing yourself. He would always highlight players on video and say: ‘look at this guy, off the ball, unbelievable work rate, 85 per cent.’ you would look at it and think, ‘yeah, this guy’s working hard’. We called it the 85 per cent. Then they would show someone going five per cent higher, at 90 per cent, and you would think, ‘ Wow, OK, that’s the standard we need to get to’. He is such a big character and has a huge level of respect, so people listened to him.
JOE LAUNCHBURY PLAYED FOR ENGLAND UNDER FARRELL
THERE are lots of similarities with little Faz (Owen) here. you kind of remember a lot of Andy by the way Faz is now. I always knew him as a really energetic coach who spoke really well.
When he played, especially in league, he was that captain who spoke emotively and passionately and he certainly had that as a coach. But you can’t just be that. you have to have a level of detail as well. like I say, it reminds me a lot of Owen, because they are very similar in lots of ways — in terms of delivery of message.
I always felt Andy had a head coach role in him. It was only a matter of time. His first two games in charge of Ireland haven’t been too bad, either.
P.S. ANDY FARRELL ON RIVALRY WITH SON OWEN
IT IS certainly not weird for us because it has never been any different. It is as professional as it gets because that is all we have known, with Owen being a professional and me being a professional coach.
I am proud of the situation — as a father and him as a son — and how it is handled, because it is one of utmost respect, but of professionalism first and foremost. The hardest part is for Colleen ( Andy’s wife, Owen’s mother). And Owen’s sisters, and the young fella Gabriel (Owen’s brother). It is weird for them. They have unbelievably mixed emotions, I’ve no doubt.
How do they come to terms with it? I suppose they hope both sides do well — and that is not going to happen, is it? So it is a difficult one for them.