HEAD coach Andy Farrell will be given time to revive Ireland’s fortunes after the first year of his tenure was assessed as “an average return” by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).

Defeats to England and France saw the Irish finish third in the Six Nations, while they suffered another loss to Eddie Jones’s side in the current Autumn Nations Cup tournament.

Farrell, who stepped up from assistant coach to succeed Joe Schmidt after last year’s World Cup, also came in for criticism following Sunday’s unconvincing win over minnows Georgia.