Andy Farrell
Andrew D. 'Andy' Farrell OBE (born 30 May 1975 in Wigan) is an English former professional dual-code rugby footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A goal-kicking forward in rugby league, he captained the Great Britain team and his club, Wigan, with whom he won several championships and Challenge Cup titles as well as a range of individual awards between 1991 and 2004. Transferring to rugby union, he played for the Saracens club from 2005 to 2009 and was selected to represent England on eight occasions.
Playing career
Rugby league
Farrell first played rugby league at age 10 at a summer camp run by Graeme West, Wigan's captain at the time.[1] After developing with local club Orrell St James, he made his first team debut for his home town club Wigan at the age of 16,[2] in a 1991 Regal Trophy match against Keighley. He went on to become the youngest player to win a Challenge Cup final in 1993 when at 17 years and 11 months he came on as a substitute against Widnes.[3] Farrell then became a full international by 18, making his debut against New Zealand later in 1993.
After the 1993–94 Rugby Football League season Farrell travelled with defending champions Wigan to Brisbane, playing at second-row forward in their 1994 World Club Challenge victory over Australian premiers, the Brisbane Broncos. He rates this as one of his greatest achievements in rugby league.[4]
In July 1996 Farrell was appointed Wigan's captain and later that year became the youngest-ever skipper of the Great Britain team at 21 years and 4 months, leading the Lions on a tour of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. In October that year he won the prestigious Man of Steel award.
In the 1997 post season, Farrell was selected to captain Great Britain at stand-off half back in all three matches of the Super League Test series against Australia.
Farrell made 34 appearances for Great Britain and also represented England in two World Cups. Farrell won 5 Championships and 4 Challenge Cups with Wigan, picking up the 1998 Super League and 2002 Challenge Cup as captain.
In 2001 Farrell set the Wigan club's record for most points in a season with 429. He is only the second player to score more than 3,000 points in all competitions at Wigan. He celebrated his Testimonial match in 2002, and won the Golden Boot as the best player in the world in 2004,[5] the Man of Steel Award twice, and the Players Player Award. In 2004, now Britain's oldest international, he was selected to play for Great Britain in the 2004 Tri-nations.[6]
Farrell was inducted into the Order of the British Empire for services to the game in the New Year's list of 2004.
As of September 2008, with 33 goals, Farrell is second in the list of England's all-time goal scorers (behind George Fairbairn), with 78 points he is 2nd in the list of England's all-time point scorers (behind George Fairbairn).
Rugby union
On 24 March 2005, Farrell announced his retirement from rugby league to take on a new challenge with Saracens and the Rugby Football Union. A series of injuries and accidents (including a car crash) meant that his debut in the 15-man code was delayed until 2006.
Despite his achievements in rugby league, questions were asked regarding his ability to change to a different sport at a relatively old age along with doubts about how much surgery he needs on his knees. There has also been some criticism of the sum England head coach Andy Robinson was willing to pay for such a perceived risk, and whether such a substantial amount of RFU money could not be better spent elsewhere.
He finally made a try scoring debut, for Saracens reserves, on 11 September 2006.[7] He then made his first team debut against Newcastle Falcons on 17 September 2006 as a replacement. On both occasions, he played as blind-side flanker. A row then broke out about his best position: the England management suggested he should be playing in the centre whilst Saracens continued to play him as a flanker.[8] However, he went on to play primarily at centre for the Saracens first team and again when selected to play for a World XV against South Africa.
He was selected as a part of the England Elite squad by new coach Brian Ashton, for the 2007 Six Nations. He was seen by some to be the main contender for the starting inside centre position, after England's problems in that position during the 2006 Autumn Internationals.
Farrell made his England debut at Twickenham after he was named at inside centre in the first Six Nations game against Scotland.
On 28 September 2007, he scored his first try for England in rugby union against Tonga in the 2007 World Cup pool match.
The 2007 World Cup saw Farrell playing in the unfamiliar position of fly-half against South Africa, in England's chastening group stage defeat. He was then brought on as a replacement against Tonga in his more usual position of inside centre, and brought greater solidity to the midfield defensively, capping his impressive contribution with his first England try. However, after being picked for the quarter-final decider against Australia, he had to withdraw with a calf injury. Unfortunately, he never produced the performances in England colours which many, notably Robinson, had hoped for and ultimately won only 8 caps.
In January 2008, Farrell was joined at Saracens by his 16-year-old son Owen Farrell, who signed a three-year academy deal with the club.
In August 2008, Farrell was named co-captain for the 2008/09 season along with Steve Borthwick.
There have been strong links with Farrell returning to Rugby League to rejoin Wigan Warriors after it emerged that Saracens head coach Eddie Jones has become unhappy with the way the club's direction is heading. It was rumoured that Jones and Farrell could be moving up north with the Warriors becoming increasingly inpatient with out of favour Brian Noble especially after Warriors poor start the season,[9] however this proved to be unfounded with the Warriors instead hiring Melbourne Storm assistant coach Michael Maguire
In April 2009, Farrell announced his retirement and said he was taking up a coaching role with Saracens at the end of the current season.
Coaching career
Farrell was promoted to Saracens first team coach at the end of 2010 after impressing as skills coach.
The RFU announced [10] on 8 December 2011 that Farrell, along with Graham Rowntree will join the national coaching team, led by Stuart Lancaster, for the 2012 Six Nations championship.
Record
Previous clubs: Orrell St. James
Super League record at Wigan Warriors 1996–2004
- Played – 368
- Tries – 77
- Goals – 1026
- Drop Goals – 16
- Points – 3135
References
External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Farrell, Andy |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
30 May 1975 |
| Place of birth |
Wigan, Greater Manchester England |
| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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