Andy Farrell: 'Circus' surrounding Owen impacting family  

Ireland boss Andy Farrell admitted it had been a difficult week as a father rather than as a rugby professional.

TOUGH WEEK: Ireland boss Farrell admitted it had been a difficult week as a father rather than as a rugby professional. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

As a professional rugby coach Andy Farrell has always been able to balance his line of work with the presence of his flesh and blood in the same arena yet events of the past week have clearly made that tightrope walk more precarious.

Yesterday the Ireland head coach climbed down from the balancing act and push his paternal instincts to the fore, not in defence of the incident that continues to keep son and England captain Owen Farrell in the dock but the for the “circus” of public opinion that has spewed forth on the subject since his red card against Wales last Saturday.