'Farrell absence a chance to test new coach in 2025'

Andy Farrell's sabbatical to attraction connected starring nan British and Irish Lions successful 2025 will springiness Ireland nan chance to trial a coach successful nan "highest unit situation successful nan Six Nations", says caller Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) precocious capacity head David Humphreys.

Farrell will measurement distant from his duties arsenic Ireland caput coach aft nan autumn internationals up of nan Lions' circuit of Australia adjacent year.

The IRFU are tasked pinch uncovering a suitable replacement to oversee Ireland's bid for a 3rd successive Six Nations title, but Humphreys is not fazed by nan process.

He said: "You talk astir coaching succession, this will springiness america a chance to bring personification other successful astatine a very important clip for nan nationalist squad and trial them successful astir apt nan highest unit situation successful nan Six Nations.

"Andy's distant for six months but he'll still beryllium very overmuch progressive successful that process of who's going to travel in.

"After [this summer's Test bid against South Africa], we're readying to beryllium down and look astatine really we're going to tally nan adjacent season."

Ireland defence coach Simon Easterby, who will lead this year's Emerging Ireland circuit successful South Africa, is simply a campaigner to measurement successful for Farrell, arsenic is forwards coach Paul O'Connell.

Humphreys besides did not norm retired nan anticipation of bringing successful different coach from 1 of nan 4 provinces.

"That will beryllium portion of nan chat of course," said Humphreys, who played 72 times for Ireland during a 10-year Test career.

"Once we knew who's coming to travel successful and capable Andy's shoes connected an interim basis, we'll past look astatine nan wide constitution of nan coaching squad if that requires immoderate different expertise, we'll activity astatine whether that comes from wrong aliases outside.

"That's a determination for a fewer months' time."

Humphreys arrives astatine nan IRFU astatine an absorbing time. In summation to Farrell's impermanent departure adjacent year, nan men's and women's sevens teams are preparing for nan Paris Olympics while nan Ireland women's 15s squad person a World Cup successful England to look guardant adjacent year.

The men's team's bid to yet extremity astir 40 years of World Cup heartache ended successful agony successful Paris past twelvemonth pinch conclusion by nan All Blacks, but Humphreys says he will "leave nary chromatic unturned" while overseeing Ireland's World Cup preparations during his tenure.

"It's a mobility which has been posed since each of america arsenic rugby players," Humphreys said erstwhile asked what gives him assurance that Ireland will yet break done nether his watch.

"I retrieve watching David Kirk playing astatine nan World Cup successful 1987. Since then, immoderate of america who person travel through, that's been nan aspiration.

"We each want to beryllium portion of an organisation of a squad that wins nan World Cup. We will beryllium leaving nary chromatic unturned successful trying to do that."

Humphreys added that Ireland could not person had "better preparation" for past year's World Cup successful France, successful which they won each 4 Pool B games - including a 13-8 triumph complete eventual winners South Africa - earlier falling to New Zealand successful nan quarter-final.

"In nan end, we mislaid to New Zealand by 1 score.

"We came successful (to nan tournament) 17 games unbeaten and we had very fewer injuries successful nan competition. So, to me, that's not a negative. That's sport. Of people we want to triumph it but nan quality of athletics is sometimes you conscionable don't win."