Former Ireland assistant Les Kiss highlights unlikely Six Nations benefit to Andy Farrell's sabbatical
Former Ireland assistant Les Kiss highlights unlikely Six Nations benefit to Andy Farrell's sabbatical
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Former Ireland assistant Les Kiss has highlighted how the defending champions could benefit from Lions boss Andy Farrell’s sabbatical. Les Kiss, former Ireland men’s assistant and grand slam winner, gave his predictions on the outcome for this year’s Six Nations with head coach Andy Farrell missing the campaign due to a sabbatical.
![[Aled Walters, David Nucifora and Vinny Hammond have joined Andy Farrell's staff ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/28/11/45/British-and-Irish-Lions-coaches.jpeg)
Farrell is temporarily stepping away from the role in preparation for the British and Irish Lions tour, with Simon Easterby stepping into the role of interim head coach. Reigning champions Ireland will defend their title this weekend with their opening game against England at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
I watch Ireland games all the time so you are sort of attached to how they have been going.”. “Andy has done fantastic, and Simon Easterby has been rock solid all the way through. I can only imagine they have what it takes to do it. I know people are thinking, Andy’s not there.
“Things will just roll on the same way and players will probably appreciate a slightly varying way to do it, even though there is stability from within with Simon being there.”. Ireland finished Six Nations champions in three of seven campaigns Kiss was involved in, winning the Grand Slam in 2009 under Declan Kidney, and again in 2014 and 2015 under Joe Schmidt.
