The former rugby league great Andy Farrell will come into Joe Schmidt's Irish set up with the ashes of England's World Cup bid still smouldering in their base camp at the Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot. It has been just less than three months since those fires burned.
It was there for a large part of the England team's four-week stay in the tournament that assistant England coach Farrell and head coach Stuart Lancaster weathered a media storm that refused to blow out and finally cost them their jobs.
England became the first host nation of any Rugby World Cup not to advance from their pool to the knockout stages following defeats to Wales and Australia.
Having beaten Fiji in their opening match, the shape of Pool A came down to England’s second game against Wales and even then the questions had begun about the nature of Farrell’s influence on the England selection.
For that match outhalf George Ford was dropped for Owen Farrell, Andy's son and rugby league giant Sam Burgess was selected to play in the centre with Brad Barritt.
‘Not helpful’
“You got one former assistant England coach (Mike Ford) on the outside saying ‘I’m mystified that you dropped my son (George)’ and you select instead the son (Owen) of a current assistant England coach. That’s not helpful for you from the outside. You know that?” Lancaster was asked.
Throughout Farrell remained composed and in check and that's part of what he will bring to Ireland. But although Lancaster took most of the buffeting, Farrell, whose brother Phil played rugby league for Ireland, will arrive in a less-hostile Irish environment as a bruised and battered coach.
“Bringing back your son for Wales – was there a conflict of interest there?” he was asked after the match.
“Come on,” answered Farrell. The equally adamant replay from the floor was that Farrell “would have to have a heart of stone not to [have a conflict of interest]”.
“I think I’ve just answered that,” said the coach glowering at his audience, clearly wounded at the questioning of his integrity.
The truth of the matter was that England’s ignominy could have been saved had they not lost their heads against Wales and that’s what Schmidt will see in Farrell – England leading the Welsh 22-10 on 55 minutes before conceding the breakdown and their composure (remember kicking for a lineout and being mauled into touch by Wales instead of taking the points for a draw in the dying seconds).
Known as a great motivator and a respected coach, he has had success with the Lions in 2013. But the home World Cup was England’s goal and Farrell was drawn into the crossfire more than any other assistant, maybe unjustly.
Unlike some assistant coaches who can assimilate almost invisibly into the team system, his profile is such that he will be more answerable and a more visible presence in Ireland.
He is, in as far as there are any in rugby, a celebrity coach and if Owen Farrell lines out for England this year in the Six Nations, or doesn't line out, the ghosts of Bagshot may emerge in some form or another.
