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{{Short description|Rugby league and union player and coach}}{{Redirect|Andrew Farrell}}{{Use British English|date=January 2024}}{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}

factoids

| birth_place = Wigan, England1.93ftinabbr=on}}| school =| university =| relatives = Owen Farrell (son)Phil Farrell (brother)Liam Farrell (cousin)Connor Farrell (cousin)Sean O'Loughlin (brother-in-law)Centre (rugby union)>Centre, Fly-half (rugby union), Flanker (rugby union)>FlankerIreland national rugby union team>Ireland (head coach)| years1 = 2005–2009Saracens F.C.>Saracens| apps1 = 28| points1 = 12| repyears1 = 2007England national rugby union team>England| repcaps1 = 8| reppoints1 = 5| clubupdate = 14 May 2023| repupdate = 14 May 2023| coachyears1 = 2010–2012Saracens F.C.>Saracens| coachyears2 = 2011–2015England national rugby union team>England (assistant)| coachyears3 = 2013| coachteams3 = British & Irish Lions (defence)| coachyears4 = 2016–2019Ireland national rugby union team>Ireland (assistant)| coachyears5 = 2019–Ireland national rugby union team>Ireland| coachyears6 = 2025–| coachteams6 = British & Irish Lions| ru_coachupdate = 11 January 2024LF|SR}}| rl_clubyears1 = 1991–2004Wigan Warriors>Wigan| rl_clubapps1 = 370| rl_clubpoints1 = 3,135| rl_nationalyears1 = 1993–2004Great Britain national rugby league team>Great Britain| rl_nationalapps1 = 34| rl_nationalpoints1 = 134| rl_nationalyears2 = 1995–2001England national rugby league team>England| rl_nationalapps2 = 11| rl_nationalpoints2 = 78| rl_nationalyears3 = 2001–2003Lancashire rugby league team>Lancashire| rl_nationalapps3 = 3| rl_nationalpoints3 = 20| rl_clubupdate = 14 May 2023| rl_ntupdate = 14 May 2023}}Andrew David Farrell {{post-nominals|country=UK|OBE|size=100%}} (born 30 May 1975) is an English professional rugby union coach and former player for both rugby league and rugby union. Farrell has been head coach of the Ireland national team since 2019.WEB,weblink Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org, rugbyleagueproject.org, 31 December 2017, 1 January 2018, WEB,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150924012150weblink">weblink dead, 24 September 2015, England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk, englandrl.co.uk, 31 December 2017, 1 January 2018, WEB,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150924012151weblink">weblink dead, 24 September 2015, Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk, englandrl.co.uk, 31 December 2017, 1 January 2018, Farrell earned 34 caps for Great Britain and 11 for England in rugby league, including the 1995 and 2000 World Cups, and 8 for England in rugby union, including the 2007 World Cup.He was a goal-kicking {{rlp|lf}} in rugby league, who played for Wigan between 1991 and 2004, winning six Championships and four Challenge Cups, as well as numerous individual awards. He frequently captained Wigan, England and Great Britain. In rugby union, he played for Saracens from 2005 to 2009, mostly as a centre.After retiring as a player, Farrell continued in rugby union as a coach, working as an assistant coach with Saracens, Munster, England, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. He became head coach of Ireland in 2019. He coached them to a 2–1 series victory in New Zealand in 2022 and two consecutive Six Nations Championships wins in 2023 and 2024, including a Grand Slam in 2023.In January 2024, Farrell was appointed coach of the Lions tour to Australia in 2025. As a result, he will miss the 2025 Six Nations Championship.

Early life

Farrell was born in Wigan, Lancashire. His father played rugby league.WEB,weblink Sport: Questionnaire - Andy Farrell, Great Britain Rugby League, 1 November 1999, The Independent, Farrell first played rugby league at age 10 at a summer camp run by Graeme West, who was Wigan captain at the time.Gareth A Davies (16 November 2004) "My Sport: Andy Farrell" The Telegraph (UK)

Rugby playing career

Rugby league

1990s

After developing with local club Orrell St James, he made his first-team début for his hometown club Wigan at the age of 16Andrew Longmore (10 April 2005) The Big Interview: Andy Farrell The Sunday Times (UK) in 32–8 victory over Keighley in the 1991–92 Regal Trophy match at Central Park, Wigan on Sunday 24 November 1991. Also that year his son Owen Farrell was born, who also went on to become a professional rugby union player.Farrell became the youngest player to win a Challenge Cup final in 1993 when at 17 years and 11 months he came on as a substitute against Widnes.NEWS, Farrell switches codes, Telegraph.co.uk, 23 March 2005,weblink 30 June 2010New Zealand national rugby league team>New Zealand later in 1993.After the 1993–94 Rugby Football League season, during which he scored a try in Wigan's Challenge Cup Final victory, Farrell travelled with his club to Brisbane and played as a {{rlp|sr}} in their 1994 World Club Challenge victory over Australian premiers, the Brisbane Broncos. He rates this as one of his greatest achievements in rugby league.Questionnaire – Andy Farrell, Great Britain Rugby League captain (1 November 1999) The Independent Farrell was selected to play for Great Britain against Australia in all three Ashes Tests of the 1994 Kangaroo tour. The following year he played from the bench for Wigan in the 1995 Challenge Cup Final victory over Leeds Rhinos. At the end of the season he played as a {{rlp|lf}} for England in the 1995 World Cup Final, but Australia won the match and retained the Cup.In July 1996, Farrell was appointed Wigan Warriors' captain and later that year, aged 21 years and four months, became the youngest-ever captain of the Great Britain team, leading the 1996 Lions tour of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. In October that year he won the prestigious Man of Steel Award. He was also named at {{rlp|lf}} in 1996's Super League Dream Team. On 28 September 1997 in the 1997 Super League Premiership Final, Farrell played at {{rlp|lf}} in Wigan's 33–20 win over St. Helens at Old Trafford before a crowd of 33,389. He was awarded the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man-of-the-match.WEB, wigan.rlfans.com, 1997 Premiership Trophy Final,weblink Wigan RL History, Cherryandwhite.co.uk, 21 July 2012, In the 1997 post-season, Farrell was selected to captain Great Britain at {{rlp|so}} in all three matches of the Super League Test series against Australia. He captained the Wigan Warriors as a {{rlp|sr}} in their 1998 Super League Grand Final victory over Leeds Rhinos.

2000s

Farrell played for the Wigan Warriors at {{rlp|lf}}, scoring a try and kicking two goals, in their 2000 Super League Grand Final defeat by St. Helens. In the post-season he was selected to captain England in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. In 2001 Farrell set the Wigan club record for most points in a season with 429 and most points in a Super League championship season with 388.NEWS, Farrell switches codes, Telegraph.co.uk, UK, Telegraph Media Group Limited, 2005-03-23,weblinklf}} in their 2001 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Bradford Bulls. He celebrated his testimonial match in 2002 and also captained Wigan to victory in the 2002 Challenge Cup.Farrell played for Wigan Warriors at {{rlp|lf}} and kicked two goals in the 2003 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Bradford Bulls. He was inducted into the Order of the British Empire for services to the game in the New Year's list of 2004. He won the Players' Player Award and twice won the Man of Steel Award. Now Britain's oldest international, Farrell was then selected in the Great Britain team to compete in the end-of-season 2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament. In the final against Australia he played at {{rlp|sr}}, missing his only goal-kick in the Lions' 4–44 loss. Farrell was awarded the Golden Boot as the best player in the world in 2004.NEWS, Whalley, John, Captain Farrell voted world's best player,weblink 24 July 2011, The Daily Telegraph, The Telegraph, 23 November 2004, He retired while second on the list of the England rugby league side's all-time top goal scorers (behind George Fairbairn), with 78 points.

Rugby union

On 24 March 2005, Farrell announced his retirement from rugby league in order to play at Saracens and the Rugby Football Union. A series of injuries and accidents (including a car crash) meant that his début in the 15-man code was delayed until 2006.NEWS,weblink The Guardian, Shock back operation ends Farrell's England plans, 19 December 2005, 11 January 2024, NEWS,weblink Bracknell News, Andy Farrell's elevation to Lions head coach follows impressive Ireland impact, 11 January 2024, 11 January 2024, He finally made a try-scoring début for Saracens reserves on 11 September 2006.NEWS,weblink BBC News, Farrell finally joins the union, 12 September 2006, Farrell then made his first-team début against Newcastle Falcons on 17 September 2006 as a replacement. On both occasions, he played as blind-side flanker. A row then broke out about his best position: the England management suggested he should be playing in the centre, while Saracens continued to play him as a flanker.NEWS,weblink BBC News, Farrell 'to get chance at centre', 8 October 2006, However Farrell went on to play primarily at centre for the Saracens first team, and again when selected to play for a World XV against South Africa. He was selected as a part of the England Elite squad for the 2007 Six Nations by new coach Brian Ashton. He was seen by some to be the main contender for the starting inside centre position, after England's problems in that position during the 2006 autumn internationals.Farrell made his England début at Twickenham after he was named at inside centre in the first Six Nations game against Scotland. The 2007 World Cup saw Farrell starting at inside centre against South Africa, in England's chastening group stage defeat.WEB, Catt will start at fly half, 13 September 2007, IRB Rugby World Cup 2007,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140810150551weblink">weblink 10 August 2014, dead, He was then brought on as a replacement against Tonga, and scored his first England try. However, after being picked for the quarter-final decider against Australia he had to withdraw with a calf injury. Unfortunately, he never produced the performances for the England union side for which many had hoped, and ultimately he won only eight caps. In January 2008 Farrell was joined at Saracens by his 16-year-old son Owen Farrell, who signed a three-year academy deal with the club. In August 2008 Farrell was named co-captain for the 2008–09 season along with Steve Borthwick. There were rumours of Farrell returning to rugby league and rejoining Wigan Warriors after it emerged that Saracens head coach Eddie Jones had become unhappy with the direction his club was taking. It was rumoured that Jones and Farrell could be moving up north, with the Warriors becoming increasingly impatient with out-of-favour Brian Noble, especially after their poor start to the season; however this proved to be unfounded, with the Warriors instead hiring Melbourne Storm assistant coach Michael Maguire. In April 2009 Farrell announced his retirement and said he was taking up a coaching role with Saracens at the end of the season.

Rugby coaching career

Saracens and England

Farrell was promoted to Saracens first-team coach at the end of 2010 after impressing as skills coach. The RFU announcedNEWS,weblink RFU, Lancaster, Rowntree and Farrell to coach England, 8 December 2011, {{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} on 8 December 2011 that both he and Graham Rowntree were to join the national coaching team, led by Stuart Lancaster, for the 2012 Six Nations championship. After the successful campaign Farrell was given the chance to become a permanent part of the England coaching team, but decided to return to Saracens.NEWS,weblink RFU, Andy Farrell to stay with Saracens, 12 April 2012, 12 July 2012,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130731031122weblink">weblink 31 July 2013, dead, However, Farrell soon left the London club.NEWS,weblink The Guardian, Andy Farrell set for England role after quitting Saracens, 1 June 2012, The RFU announced on 28 June 2012 that Farrell would join the England coaching team on a three-and-a-half-year contract.NEWS,weblink RFU, Andy Farrell to join England coaching team, 28 June 2012, 12 July 2012,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120701003257weblink">weblink 1 July 2012, dead, Farrell toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2013 as defence coach, having proved himself with England. He was heavily praised by head coach Warren Gatland,{{cn|date=February 2023}} having drilled the team to concede very few points during the 10-match tour.Following the resignation of Stuart Lancaster on 11 November 2015, newly appointed head coach Eddie Jones sacked Farrell and the rest of the coaching team on 15 December 2015.NEWS,weblink Jones overhauls England backroom, BBC Sport,

Munster and Ireland

On 6 January 2016, it was announced that Farrell would take up the role of Ireland defence coach after the completion of the 2016 Six Nations Championship. As his previous contract with England prevented him from working with an international team until April 2016, Farrell joined Irish province Munster in January 2016 in a temporary advisor role that was to last for four months.WEB,weblink Andy Farrell To Fulfill Temporary Consultant Role, 12 January 2016, munsterrugby.ie, 12 January 2016, On 26 November 2018 it was announced that Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt would step down after the 2019 Rugby World Cup with Farrell taking over as head coach.WEB,weblink Joe Schmidt to leave Ireland post-World Cup, Andy Farrell to take over, 26 November 2018, The 42, 27 November 2018, His first game in charge was against Scotland at the Aviva Stadium on 1 February 2020 in the 2020 Six Nations Championship Ireland won this game 19-12 and went on to finish in third place in the delayed Six Nations Championship.WEB,weblink Conway gets a start, POM drops to the bench, and Murray keeps his place, 25 January 2020, The 42, 30 January 2020, WEB,weblink Six Nations 2020: Ireland win 19-12 against wasteful Scotland, 1 February 2020, BBC Sport, 3 February 2020, Ireland finished in third place again in the 2021 Six Nations Championship, losing games against Wales and France. On 13 November 2021, in the Autumn internationals, Ireland defeated New Zealand 29–20.WEB, Ireland 29-20 New Zealand: Ireland claim pulsating win over All Blacks,weblinkSky Sports>date=14 November 2021quote=, Ireland won 29–7 against Wales in their opening fixture of the 2022 Six Nations Championship on 5 February,NEWS,weblink Hansen stars as impressive Ireland power to bonus-point win over Wales, 5 February 2022, TheJournal.ie#The42.ie, The42, 6 February 2022, before losing 30–24 defeat away to France on 12 February.NEWS,weblink Farrell's Ireland go down fighting as France's Grand Slam bid stays on track, 12 February 2022, TheJournal.ie#The42.ie, The42, 12 February 2022, They won the next game 57–6 against Italy on 27 February,NEWS,weblink Ireland rack up 57 points after red card forces Italy down to 13 players, 27 February 2022, TheJournal.ie#The42.ie, The42, 27 February 2022, before a 32–15 away win against England on 12 March.NEWS,weblink Ireland finish over the top of 14-man England with bonus-point win in London, 12 March 2022, TheJournal.ie#The42.ie, The42, 13 March 2022, A 26–5 win at home against Scotland on 19 March was enough to secure the Triple Crown for Ireland and a second-place finish in the championship.NEWS,weblink Ireland claim Triple Crown by beating Scots as all eyes now turn towards Paris, 19 March 2022, TheJournal.ie#The42.ie, The42, 19 March 2022, On 9 July 2022, Andy Farrell's side had a historical win in New Zealand beating the All Blacks 23–12 in Dunedin in the second match of the 2022 New Zealand tour. This was Ireland's first ever victory against the All Blacks on New Zealand soil. A week later, they were victorious once again in Wellington beating the All Blacks 32–22 to win the series.WEB, Ireland stun the All Blacks to become just the fifth touring side to win series in New Zealand,weblink the42, 16 July 2022, 16 July 2022, Following that victory Ireland officially became the world number one team for the second time in their history.WEB, Top of the world: Ireland secure number one ranking with victory in New Zealand,weblink the42, 16 July 2022, 18 July 2022, In the 2023 Six Nations Championship Ireland defeated Wales in their opening game on 4 February, and went on to defeat France, Italy, and Scotland before beating England 29-16 on 18 March to win the Championship, triple crown, and the grand slam.WEB,weblink Ireland lay down marker with bonus-point win in Wales, 4 February 2023, RTE Sport, 23 March 2023, WEB,weblink Ireland 32-19 France: Six Nations 2023 – as it happened, 11 February 2023, Guardian, 23 March 2023, WEB,weblink Italy 20-34 Ireland: Andy Farrell's visitors make heavy weather of securing Six Nations Round 3 bonus-point victory, 26 February 2023, Sky Sports, 23 March 2023, WEB,weblink Scotland 7-22 Ireland: Six Nations 2023 – as it happened, 12 March 2023, Guardian, 23 March 2023, WEB,weblink Ireland 29-16 England: Irish clinch Six Nations grand slam – as it happened, 18 March 2023, Guardian, 23 March 2023, In August 2023, Farrell announced his squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. At the World Cup Ireland won pool B making it to the quarterfinals, but lost 24-28 to New Zealand.NEWS,weblink 'These guys will go on and achieve great things' - Emotional Johnny Sexton bows out, The Irish Times, WEB,weblink Ireland's RWC dreams ended by clinical New Zealand, 14 October 2023, RTE Sport, 16 October 2023, Due in part to Farrell managing Ireland to a Grand Slam and a strong performance in the World Cup, Farrell was awarded World Rugby Coach of the Year for 2023.WEB,weblink Andy Farrell: Ireland head coach named World Rugby coach of the year, 29 October 2023, On 14 December 2023, Farrell signed a new four-year contract to remain as Ireland head coach until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.WEB,weblink Andy Farrell: Ireland head coach signs new contract to remain in post until after 2027 World Cup, 14 December 2023, BBC Sport, 14 December 2023,

British & Irish Lions

{{Empty section|date=January 2024}}

Personal life

{{see also|O'Loughlin Farrell family}}Farrell married Colleen O’Loughlin, the sister of his former Wigan teammate Sean O’Loughlin, in 1995 and has four children, including England rugby union player Owen Farrell.WEB,weblink Owen Farrell facts: 10 things you didn't know about the England star | Page 2 of 3 | Ruck, 2 November 2019, 2 November 2019,weblink dead, Both Farrell and his wife are of Irish descent.WEB,weblink I've got [Dublin] ancestry that goes back three or four generations, and so has my wife., Irish Times, 2016-06-11, 2016-10-22,

Managerial statistics

{{updated|match played 17 March 2024}}{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"!rowspan=2! width=125|Team!rowspan=2! width=140|Nation!rowspan=2! width=125|From!rowspan=2! width=125|To!colspan=8|Record!width=40|G!width=40|W!width=40|D!width=40|L!width=40|F!width=40|A!width=40|PD!width=50|Win %Ireland{{flagiconrugby union}}25 October 2019Present| {{#expr: 39/48 * 100 round 2}}!align="center" colspan="4"|Total! 48 !! 39 !! 0 !! 9 !! 1,502 !! 734 !! +768 !! {{#expr: 39/48 * 100 round 2}}

Honours

Rugby league

As player

Great Britain / England{{col-float|firstcol=25em}}

• Rugby League World Cup (RLWC)
  • Runners-up: 1995
• Tri-Nations
  • Runners-up: 2004

{{col-float-end}} Wigan{{col-float|firstcol=25em}}

• Rugby Football League Championship First Division / Super League
  • Champion: 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998
• League Leaders' Shield
  • Champion: 1998, 2000
• Rugby League Premiership
  • Champion: 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996, 1997

{{col-float-break|nextcol=19em}}

• Challenge Cup
  • Champion: 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2002
• Lancashire Cup
  • Champion: 1992–93
• League Cup
  • Champion: 1992–93, 1994–95, 1995–96

{{col-float-break}}

• Charity Shield
  • Champion: 1991–92, 1995–96
• World Club Challenge
  • Champion: 1994

{{col-float-end}}Individual

• Rugby League World Golden Boot: 2004
• RLWBA Player of the Year: 1997
• Man of Steel: 1996, 2004
• Super League Dream Team: 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004
• Rugby Football League Hall of Fame: Inducted 2022
• Wigan Warriors Hall of Fame: Inducted Unknown

---

Rugby union

As player

England

• Calcutta Cup
  • 2007

As coach

Ireland{{col-float|firstcol=25em}}

• Six Nations Championship
  • Champion: 2023, 2024

• Grand Slam
  • Champion: 2023
• Triple Crown
  • Champion: 2022, 2023

{{col-float-break|nextcol=19em}}

• Millennium Trophy (England–Ireland)
  • Champion: 2021, 2022, 2023
• Centenary Quaich (Ireland–Scotland)
  • Champion: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• Admiral Brown Cup (Argentina–Ireland)
  • Champion: 2021

{{col-float-break}}

• Lansdowne Cup (Australia–Ireland)
  • Champion: 2022

{{col-float-end}}Individual

• World Rugby Coach of the Year: 2023

References

{{reflist}}

External links

• Statistics at wigan.rlfans.com (RL)
• (archived by web.archive.org) weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080127000154weblink">Profile at saracens.com (RU)
• (archived by web.archive.org) weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20070927204211weblink">Profile at england-rugby.com (RU)
• (archived by web.archive.org) weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090717075624weblink">2001 Ashes profile (RL)
• Frustration fuels Farrell return (RU)
• Commentary on Farrell's first International Union match (RU)
• Commentary on Farrell's first International Union match 2 (RU)
• Farrell's record as captain of both England and Great Britain in Rugby League at leaguefreak.com (RL)
• Andrew Farrell photo by sportingheroes.net
• (archived by web.archive.org) weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080112171950weblink">Ashton resists temptation to clear decks (RU)

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