Andy Farrell interview: 'In Ireland, people have this unbelievable pride in their team. In England, there's more of a division'

"I'm judged every day by my accent,"

"In Wigan, we don't tend to travel the world. I used to think Blackpool was far away, even though it was half an hour down the road. As a kid, I couldn't wait to get home. I come from a working-class background and, with different accents, you wrongly have thoughts about how people live their lives."

Andy Farrell grew up in Wigan with a distinctive accent described as neither Lancastrian nor Mancunian. He reports being judged daily because of that accent. He recalls limited travel as a child and thinking nearby places were far away. He identifies a working-class background and admits he once made assumptions about others based on accent. Despite teenage fatherhood and humble origins, he advanced in rugby to become Ireland's coach and to lead the British & Irish Lions. His personal and professional journey challenges stereotypes linked to class, regional speech and expected life trajectories.

Read at Independent