One imagines that Joe Schmidt was straight on the phone to Andy Farrell once Eddie Jones cut the former rugby league star loose.
On the look-out for a new Defence Coach, following the departure of Les Kiss to Ulster, Schmidt had a close look at Irish, French and New Zealand candidates.
Once Farrell was released from his RFU contract, Schmidt had his man.
It is a brave call from the Kiwi and one that has already divided fans of the armchair and avid variety.
Farrell is an Englishman who is possibly louder than he is proud. And Farrell is a proud man.
Amid the leaks, which became a flood, from the defeated England World Cup camp, news emerged of Farrell having too much of a say in team selection. The former rugby league player, who made his name with Wigan, was identified as Sam Burgess’ biggest cheerleader.
For England’s crucial game against Wales, head coach Stuart Lancaster went with bosh merchants – Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt in the 10/12 channel with Burgess wearing 13. Brute force almost paid off until it didn’t.
Once England lost the fingers were pointed. Needing to win against Australia, England reverted to Barritt and Jonathan Joseph in midfield. Regardless, they were shredded by the Wallabies.
Lancaster tried to fall on his sword by mutually agreeing to bog off. Jones cleared the rest of the coaching staff out, including Faz.
The 40-year-old may have strong opinions in the selection room but Schmidt will leave him in no doubt who makes the decisions.
Simon Easterby has noticeably become less opinionated since he took over from John Plumtree as Ireland’s Forwards Coach. Schmidt prefers his men to speak with his voice.
As for the job he is employed to do – Schmidt looks to have made a smart choice.
Farrell is well regarded as a defensive organiser and drill sergeant. He is already on-board Schmidt’s grá for the kick-chase and his mantra for defence is to get in an opponent’s face as quickly and as aggressively as possible.
He identified the likes of Joe Launchbury, Tom Wood and Chris Robshaw as he ankle-snappers. In the backline, 10 and 12 are ordered to snuff out threats before play spreads wide.
Farrell wants his men to hound the loose ball and to dominate every collision humanly possible.
Anyone that watched Ireland struggle to break down England’s defence over the last four years will testify to how well Farrell drills his soldiers. In five matches against an Andy Farrell defence, Ireland only managed to score three tries.
The Plumtree/Easterby maul that did so much damage to Six Nations opponents and Southern Hemisphere giants was rendered ineffectual by Farrell’s [sometimes black arts] defensive tactics.
The only area he struggles to contain – and this is a common issue in modern rugby – is spontaneity and players with attacking flair – see Israel Folau [Lions v Australia] and Bernard Foley [England v Australia].
It remains to be seen whether a Farrell-coached defence could have prevented a free-flowing Argentina from tearing narrow Ireland a new one at the World Cup.
We should find out the answer when Ireland face South Africa on enemy territory this summer. Tests don’t get much bigger than that.
