Andy Farrell leads Ireland into the Six Nations with a glowing endorsement to be the next Lions head coach.
The former Great Britain league legend and England union coach has taken the Irish to number one in the world rankings.
The men in green are bookies’ favourites to win their first Six Nations title since 2018 and lowest priced home nation for the World Cup.
Farrell refuses to look beyond their next game, a tasty championship opener at Warren Gatland’s Wales on Saturday week.
He learned how quickly fortunes can turn in sport when England bombed out in the pool stages of their home World Cup in 2015.
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But Sam Warburton, two-time captain of the British and Irish Lions, is clear the cross-code great would be an “outstanding” choice to head up the 2025 tour to Australia.
“He would be great, phenomenal, because he gets it, he understands the Lions concept,” said the Welshman. “Even though he is from league he played for Great Britain.”
Warburton skippered the Lions under forwards coach Farrell on the 2013 and 2017 tours, winning in Australia and sharing the series with New Zealand.
“When he spoke on those tours you could sense he wished he was playing with us,” he said. “As players we wished he was! We respected him that much.
Farrell and new England boss Steve Borthwick were assistants to Warren Gatland on 2017 Lions tour in New Zealand (Getty)“We would have team meetings on a Tuesday, walk out and the boys would look at each other and be like 'I'm ready to go now'.
“He would get you to an emotional level that not many coaches can. You know that anything he is asking you to do, he would do himself 100 times over.”
The acclaim is well merited given Ireland’s historic series win in New Zealand last summer and losing just two of their last 17 Tests.
Farrell knows success breeds expectation, even in a country yet to reach a World Cup semi-final, but is clear as to how best to keep feet on the ground.
“You focus on what’s in front of you,” he said. “It’s about progression, being honest with yourself and realising where you need to take your game.
Sam Warburton in action for the Lions (PA)“It’s about how we go out and perform and show we’re fighting together to improve. We have a pretty hungry group to be able to do that.
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“The pressure is more internal than anything,” he added. “That said, if the pressure from the outside does start to seep in a little, it’s good for us to be able to deal with that.
“We want to get better for what’s down the track. Dealing with a different type of pressure is going to be priceless for us moving forwards.”
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