Andy Farrell details emotional Ireland meeting that left his players in tears
- Australia v New Zealand: Where to watch, kick-off time, TV channel and team news - October 16, 2026
- Rugby on TV this weekend: Every match, kick-off time & where to watch - October 16, 2026
- Munster issue statement on why Anthony Foley anniversary match isn’t at Thomond Park - October 16, 2026
History.
Andy Farrell has detailed the remarkable story behind an emotional Ireland team meeting that left players in tears during their Grand Slam-winning 2023 Six Nations campaign.
The Ireland head coach recounts the powerful moment in his autobiography, The Only Way I Know, as he reflects on his efforts to better understand the history of Irish Rugby and what representing the island means.
Farrell, who has Irish connections on both sides of his family, had become increasingly interested in the unique history of an Ireland team representing players from both sides of the border.
But when he began asking questions and digging deeper into that history from a rugby perspective, he repeatedly received the same piece of advice.
“Andy, don’t go there.”
Farrell decided to do exactly the opposite.
Ahead of Ireland’s huge Six Nations meeting with France in Dublin in 2023, he arranged a special meeting designed to help his players understand more about the history behind the jersey they were wearing.
Farrell details in the book how Brian O’Driscoll and Craig Doyle were invited into camp to discuss their Shoulder To Shoulder documentary, which examined the history of rugby across the island of Ireland.
Former Ireland and Ulster international Davy Irwin spoke about his experiences as a player during the Troubles, while historian Paul Rouse also joined the discussion and took questions.
What followed became an incredibly emotional evening.
One by one, players began opening up about their own understanding of what representing Ireland meant.
Keith Earls was among them.
The Munster legend explained that he had previously received pats on the back from people for not singing Ireland’s Call and only singing Amhrán na bhFiann before matches.
After learning more about the history behind the Ireland jersey, Earls admitted his perspective had changed.
“I am embarrassed,” Earls told the room.
“Now I know the truth about the shirt and what it is all about.”
Farrell’s intention wasn’t to embarrass anyone. He wanted the players to understand and embrace the history behind the team they represented.
During the meeting, he passed an Ireland jersey around the room and spoke about what Irish rugby had endured while continuing to represent the entire island.
Farrell writes about how much the meeting affected the players, recalling seeing members of his squad in tears as the discussion unfolded.
For the Ireland boss, it demonstrated just how deeply representing the country mattered to those in the room.
The meeting took place just days before Ireland faced France in one of the biggest games of that year’s championship, but Farrell admits the experience left him looking beyond the immediate result.
He felt what had happened in that room was something Ireland could harness further down the line, believing there was enormous power in understanding the history of a rugby team that had remained united throughout extraordinarily difficult periods.
Ireland went on to beat France 32-19 at the Aviva Stadium before completing a Grand Slam on home soil five weeks later, winning all five matches of an unforgettable Six Nations campaign.
