Rugby Daily | Andy Farrell extends tenure to 2031, RFU rocked by sexism row
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Off the Ball, GAA.
Like the lads know here from Mayo, they know that that's what this Mayo team needs. It's not winning by 10, 12, 14 points. It's when the game's in the mixture, can you go and kind of fight for it and I think the boys did it today.
Join in the obsession. Subscribe now at offtheball.com forward slash join. Off the Balls, Rugby Daily. With Bank of Ireland, a proud sponsor of Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster Rugby. Never stop competing. You are very welcome along to Friday's Rugby Daily. I'm Cameron Hill. Now coming up for you today, Andy Farrell signs a new deal with the IRFU to stay on as Ireland head coach through to 2031. Leinster head coach Leo Cullen praises genius senior coach Jacques Nienaber. And Maggie Alfonsi slams the RFU over a sexism row involving one of its council members. First up today, the IRFU have confirmed that Andy Farrell will continue on as head coach of Ireland beyond next year's Rugby World Cup. The 51-year-old has signed a contract extension running until the 2031 edition of the tournament.
Farrell succeeded Joe Schmidt in 2019, having joined the Ireland backroom as defence coach initially in 2016. Since taking the top job, he's guided Ireland to two Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam in 2023, a series win in New Zealand in 2022, and being narrowly beaten by the All Blacks in the World Cup quarter-final last time out in France. He had been linked with a move to English club Saracens as their new director of rugby. Leinster have named their team for tomorrow's URC semi-final at home to the Stormers. There's a big injury blow for head coach Leo Cullen with hooker Dan Sheehan missing the game through injury picked up in the quarterfinal win over the Lions last weekend. So Ronan Kelleher slots into the two jersey with Gus McCarthy held in reserve.
The other changes are starts for Josh van der Vlier and Jamison Gibson-Park. In fact, let's go through the team in full. So it's an unchanged back three of wingers James Lowe, Jimmy O'Brien and full-back Hugo Keenan. Jamie Osborne and Rico Ioane are retained as the two centres, while Sam Prendergast is Gibson-Park's half-back partner. Up front then, Kelleher packs down between Andrew Porter and Thomas Clarkson. The engine room consists of Joe McCarthy and James Ryan. Alongside Van der Vlier in the back row are Max Deegan and Caelan Darius. Cullen has resisted the temptation to go 6-2 against South African opposition, so joining McCarthy among the forwards are Alex Ussinov, Rabat Slimani, Dermot Mangan and Jack Conin, while Luc McGrath, Harry Byrne and Gary Ringrose provide the back-up for the backs.
What are the details of Andy Farrell's contract extension with the IRFU?
Now Lowe will hope to push further ahead as Leinster's record try scorer before he leaves the province at the end of the season. He surpassed Shane Horgan on the all-time list last weekend with his two tries against the Lions bringing him up to 71 scored across his nine seasons in blue. Now, Hugo Keenan spoke to Dara Smith in Ogden earlier this week, and he says the players were delighted to see Lowe seal his place in the Leinster history books.
It was class for him. We were all rooting for him. Obviously, when the game looked pretty secure and he still hadn't had his try, it was sort of in the back of all our minds. And you could nearly see his disappointment when Jimmy didn't chuck him an offload and I think the lads were always all pretty determined to get him on the end of one. It was a pretty special moment for him. It was nothing he didn't deserve. He's been unbelievable the last eight years that he's been in. He's been a big part of my journey as well, both in here and in Ireland. I was in the latter stages of the academy when he first joined and he was brilliant to me as I sort of progressed up and then I've loved playing with him over the last sort of six, seven years and yeah, we've got a great relationship and yeah, delighted for him.
Now, yesterday, Leo Cullen came to the defence of his senior coach, Jacques Nienaber, following recent criticism of his contribution over the past few seasons.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–2:37
2
What are the details of Andy Farrell's contract extension with the IRFU?
2:37–5:11
3
How has Andy Farrell impacted Irish rugby since taking over as head coach?
5:11–9:52
4
What challenges is Leinster facing ahead of their URC semi-final?
9:52–11:51
Speakers
5 identifiedMore from OTB Rugby
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