Farrell focused on Schmidt reunion, Lions sabbatical 'has not been a distraction'
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Andy Farrell insisted his upcoming sabbatical as British & Irish Lions head coach for next summer’s tour to Australia will not be a distraction as he looked forward to the Wallabies arriving in Dublin led by former boss Joe Schmidt.
Ireland will complete their Autumn Nations Series campaign at Aviva Stadium this Saturday when former head coach Schmidt’s Australia provide the opposition for the IRFU’s 150th Anniversary match. It will be Farrell’s final game before handing the Ireland reins to defence coach Simon Easterby for the team’s bid for a third Guinness Six Nations title in a row in the February as he embarks on his temporary tenure with the Lions and a three-Test series with the Wallabies.
Farrell’s first game as head coach will be in Dublin, with a pre-tour Test against Argentina at Aviva Stadium on June 20 but Ireland’s head coach said all his focus this week would be on this Saturday’s Test match.
Asked if he was preparing the ground for his absence on Lions duty, Farrell said: "Of course. All the time. It's not been a distraction for me or the squad. The only thing that matters is this week.”
A reunion with his predecessor, who appointed Farrell as defence coach in 2016 before stepping down after the 2019 World Cup in Japan, is bound to be in the spotlight this week during the build-up to Saturday afternoon’s clash and the current Ireland boss said: "I won't be shying away from it. We'll use everything that we've got, obviously. So will they. There's no doubt. It's an exciting last game for everyone.”
Farrell said Schmidt’s increasing influence with the Wallabies since he succeeded Eddie Jones as head coach following last year’s World Cup, had come as no surprise and neither had their winning form on their current tour with victories over England and Wales ahead of Sunday’s Murrayfield clash with Scotland.
“I think it’s progressing exactly how we thought it would do. He’s took his team by playing a good few players first and foremost and took a little bit of pain but he’s done the right thing for the squad so he’s got a good opinion and they’re reaping their reward for that at this moment in time.
“They’ve always got the athletes. He’s trying to find out about them more personally I would have thought over the last six months. He’s got that now and he’s got them playing really good rugby.”
Farrell looks set to be without back-three duo Jamie Osborne and Jacob Stockdale when he sits down to select a team to face the Aussies, both of whose impressive performances were halted by injuries in the 52-17 win over Fiji.
Starting full-back Osborne’s first home start ended after just 27 minutes while Stockdale, returning to the left wing for his first cap since August 2023, pulled up while carrying at speed 20 minutes later.
“He pulled up sharp with a hamstring,” Farrell said of Stockdale, “so we'll see how that is tomorrow. But he pulled up quite sharp, so I was gutted for him.
“Jamie’s is an adductor. He couldn't carry on, so that doesn't look bright at the minute.”