Irish coach Farrell’s job not in jeopardy

Dublin – Andy Farrell’s (right) position as Ireland head coach is not under threat despite results in his first year in charge being an “average return”, said Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) Performance Director David Nucifora.

The 45-year-old Englishman has won five of his eight Tests since he moved up from assistant coach to replace Joe Schmidt who stepped down after last year’s World Cup.

However, Sunday’s lacklustre win over Georgia following away defeats twice to England and to France has sparked criticism from former playing greats like

Shane Horgan.

Certainly the consistency and discipline as well as the ability to see out the 80 minutes which were features of Schmidt’s tenure have been lacking under the more relaxed Farrell.

“Obviously (Sunday’s) performance (against Georgia) was disappointing, wasn’t up to speed,” said Nucifora at a press conference.

“I suppose at the moment where we sit, the Six Nations – winning our home games, losing the two away games – you would call it an average return for us.”

In spite of this, Nucifora, who took up his post a year after Schmidt assumed the head coach role, said the IRFU were content they had the right coaching team in place.

“Yeah, absolutely,” said the 58-year-old Australian about Farrell and his coaching team being the right men for the job.

“They’ve been in or around international rugby for many years, either with Ireland or with England, or with the (British and Irish) Lions and are very experienced.

“Once they get some stability and continuity going with the team, then obviously we’ll start to see progress.”

Farrell has used 40 players in the Autumn Nations Cup thus far.

Among them has been Leinster’s New Zealand-born duo, scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park and wing James Lowe, who both qualified under the old much-criticised three-year residency rule.

South African-born duo CJ Stander and Quinn Roux as well as New Zealander Bundee Aki lined up along with Lowe and Gibson-Park in the starting XV.

England coach Eddie Jones dryly remarked last week that he thought Ireland resembled the United Nations. –