These days sport’s leading coaches mostly prefer not to express their innermost private thoughts. Andy Farrell, as a former Great Britain rugby league captain, long ago earned his black belt in the art of politely disarming the media. Just occasionally, though, the time comes to ignore all that rubbish and call a spade a bloody shovel.
Which is what he did in no uncertain terms when asked about the recent chain of events surrounding his son Owen. To suggest the subsequent fallout has left him seething would be the understatement of the rugby year. On the one hand, he is head coach of Ireland, with a big warm-up game against England on Saturday to worry about. On the other he is a proud father, whose anger at those rushing to criticise “Faz Jr” can clearly be bottled up no longer.
