Andy Farrell has indicated that discussions over his long-term future as Ireland head coach are "not too far away". The 50-year-old Englishman led Ireland to a fourth Triple Crown in five years with a 43-21 victory over Scotland, but the team missed out on a third Six Nations title after France beat England with a last-minute penalty.
Farrell, who took charge in 2019, is contracted with the Irish Rugby Football Union until after the 2027 World Cup in Australia. Reports linking him with Saracens were dismissed as "people putting two and two together and making five". He confirmed: "I will have a conversation (with the IRFU), we’ve already spoken about having a conversation. That won’t be too far away."
When asked about staying beyond his current deal, Farrell said: "You know that I love this. There’s all sorts of stuff that needs to be talked about." Ireland face Australia, Japan and New Zealand in July as part of the Nations Championship, and Farrell wants players "fighting for a seat on the plane".
Reflecting on the win over Scotland, Farrell called it one of Ireland's standout performances of the championship. "They’re both special," he said, comparing it to the record win over England. "How we kept going after the game, rather than just going into our shells and trying to hold on to a lead... we kept playing to the death."
