Can Lieutenant Andy Cut It As The Head Honcho?

You will hear much talk over the coming weeks about whether Andy Farrell is made of the right stuff to be the head coach of Ireland or whether, in fact, he is one of nature’s number twos, a favourite sporting cliché.

- Brendan Gallagher

And not without justification, the psychology and dynamics of making that final step up from highly rated specialist coach and assistant to head coach are fascinating.

Farrell achieved everything as a Rugby League player and has an extensive coaching CV in Union that includes three years as an assistant at Saracens, nearly four seasons helping Stuart Lancaster with England, a spell with Munster as an advisor and the best part of four seasons as Ireland defence coach under Joe Schmidt. He also served as defence coach under Warren Gatland with the 2013 and 2017 Lions. Farrell is manifestly a phenomenal man to have in your coaching squad.

But he is utterly untested as a head coach, the boss, numero uno, the gaffer. The lonely individual who ultimately makes the big calls; the weary battered coach who has to explain away defeat and his flawed selections to the media; the man who has to tell a star player face to face he has been dropped.

There is every reason to think Farrell is made of the right stuff but we just don’t know. The job of head coach is so different to the apprenticeship that most head coaches serve that sometimes it still requires a massive leap of faith.