Andy Farrell says signing on to coach Ireland until 2031 was an easy decision. The IRFU has warded off interest from English clubs to sign their most successful coach up to a new contract and he says the acceptance he has found while living in Dublin, the support of the Irish fans and the prospect of building a new team fed into him committing. The contract runs until the end of the 2031 World Cup in the United States and, presuming he fulfils it, would make his tenure the longest in Irish rugby history. Having initially joined the Ireland management as an assistant to Joe Schmidt in 2016, Farrell was appointed head coach and succeeded the New Zealander after the 2019 World Cup. Currently, the coach is preparing to name a squad for the inaugural Nations Championship campaign, which kicks off for Ireland in Sydney in three weeks’ time and the announcement of a new contract removes a layer of uncertainty.
