Christopher Robert Eric Farrell (born 16 March 1993) is an Irish rugby union player for French Pro D2 club Oyonnax. He plays as a centre.
![]() Farrell playing for Grenoble | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Birth name | Christopher Robert Eric Farrell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 16 March 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Fivemiletown, Northern Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 110 kg (17 st; 240 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Fivemiletown College Campbell College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Early life
editFarrell grew up in Fivemiletown, a village in south Tyrone, Northern Ireland. His initial sporting passion was soccer and he played centre-half for a local team, before he started playing rugby at the age of 11 for Clogher Valley RFC in County Tyrone.[1]
Professional clubs
editUlster
editIn December 2011, Farrell, then aged 18, made his Ulster debut against Leinster.[2]
Grenoble
editAt the beginning of the 2014–15 Top 14 season, Farrell joined French Top 14 side FC Grenoble, where Bernard Jackman, formerly of Connacht, Leinster and Ireland, was coach.[3] Farrell made his debut against La Rochelle off the bench and made his first start against Oyonnax.[4]
Munster
editOn 24 January 2017, it was announced that Farrell would be joining Irish province Munster on a two-year contract, beginning at the conclusion of the 2016–17 season.[5] Farrell made his competitive debut for Munster on 1 September 2017, starting the provinces opening 2017–18 Pro14 fixture against Benetton in Irish Independent Park, Cork.[6] Farrell scored his first try for Munster in their fixture against South African side Cheetahs on 9 September 2017, helping the province to a 51–18 win in Thomond Park.[7] He was ruled out for 6–8 weeks following a knee injury sustained whilst playing for Ireland.[8] He returned from the injury on 6 January 2018, starting in Munster's 39–13 win against Connacht.[9]
A knee injury Farrell suffered while with the Ireland squad during the 2018 Six Nations required surgery, and subsequently ruled him out of the remainder of the 2017–18 season.[10] He signed a three-year contract extension with Munster in October 2018.[11] Farrell returned from the aforementioned knee injury on 25 November 2018, featuring off the bench in Munster's 2018–19 Pro14 round 9 fixture against Italian side Zebre.[12] He scored two tries and earned the Man-of-the-Match in Munster's 44–14 win against Edinburgh on 30 November 2018.[13]
Farrell won his 50th cap for Munster in their 35–14 away win against English club Wasps in round 1 of the 2021–22 Champions Cup on 12 December 2021,[14][15] and signed a two-year contract extension with the province in January 2022,[16] but was released from the contract early in March 2023.[17]
Oyonnax
editFarrell joined French Pro D2 club Oyonnax in March 2023.[18] Having joined as a medical joker, Farrell secured a two-year contract extension with the club,[19] and went on to help the club secure promotion to the Top 14 after they defeated Grenoble to win the 2022–23 Rugby Pro D2 season.[20]
Ireland
editFarrell earned his first senior international call-up in October 2017, being named in the Ireland squad for the 2017 Autumn Internationals.[21] He made his first appearance for Ireland on 18 November 2017, starting against Fiji.[22] Farrell also started in Ireland's win against Argentina, though he went off injured during the second-half.[8] Farrell made his Six Nations debut on 24 February 2018, starting against Wales and earning the Man-of-the-Match award in Ireland's 37–27 win.[23] However, a knee injury sustained during training ruled Farrell out of the remainder of the tournament.[24][10]
Farrell was selected in the 31-man Ireland squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup,[25] having featured in the warm-up matches against Italy,[26] and Wales.[27] During the World Cup itself, Farrel was used as a replacement in Ireland's opening 27–3 win against Scotland,[28] and he started in their shock 19–12 defeat against hosts Japan.[29] When the 2020 Six Nations resumed in October 2020 following a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Farrell featured as a replacement in Ireland's 35–27 defeat against France in their final fixture of the tournament.[30]
With the usual format of end-of-year international tests not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ireland instead participated in the Autumn Nations Cup. Farrell started in the 32–9 opening win against Wales on 13 November,[31] the 18–7 defeat against England on 21 November,[32] and the 23–10 win against Georgia on 29 November,[33] then featured off the bench in the 31–16 win against Scotland on 5 December, which secured a third-place finish for Ireland in the tournament.[34] During the 2021 July rugby union tests, Farrell started in Ireland's 39–31 win against Japan,[35] however, a head injury sustained during the game ruled Farrell out of Ireland's final test against the United States.[36] A hip injury ruled Farrell out of the 2022 Ireland rugby union tour of New Zealand.[37]
Statistics
editInternational analysis by opposition
editAgainst | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Tries | Points | % Won |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Argentina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
England | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fiji | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
France | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Georgia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Italy | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Japan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 50 |
Scotland | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Wales | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Total | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 80 |
Correct as of 3 July 2021[38]
Honours
editMunster
edit- United Rugby Championship
- Winner (1): 2022–23
Oyonnax
editIreland under-18s
edit- European Under-18 Rugby Union Championship
- Winner (1): (2011)
Ireland
edit- Six Nations Championship:
- Winner (1): 2018
- Grand Slam:
- Winner (1): 2018
- Triple Crown:
- Winner (1): 2018
References
edit- ^ "Chris Farrell launches his climb back to the top at foot of the Alps". Irish Times. 19 July 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ "Chris Farrell: Young Star Making His Mark". Ulster Rugby.
- ^ "Chris Farrell to leave Ulster for French pastures". Newsletter. 1 March 2014.
- ^ "Ulsterman Chris Farrell enjoying fresh start in Top 14 with Grenoble". The42. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ "Munster Confirm Latest Signings". Munster Rugby. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
- ^ "Munster Off to Flying Start". Munster Rugby. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
- ^ "Munster Tame Cheetahs With Eight-Try Rout". Munster Rugby. 9 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
- ^ a b "Squad Update". Munster Rugby. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
- ^ "Five-Try Win For Munster Over Connacht". Munster Rugby. 6 January 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Farrell Injury Update". Munster Rugby. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
- ^ "Player Contract Boost Continues". Munster Rugby. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Report | Bonus Point Win in Parma". Munster Rugby. 25 November 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
- ^ "Report | Munster Ease Past Edinburgh". Munster Rugby. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
- ^ "Team Named | Munster Side To Face Wasps". Munster Rugby. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Report | Epic Bonus-Point Win For Munster In Coventry". Munster Rugby. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Six Munster Players Sign Two-Year Contract Extensions". Munster Rugby. 5 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ^ "Farrell set for move to France after Munster confirm release". The42. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ "Squad Update | Preparations Begin For Glasgow At Thomond". Munster Rugby. 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "Oyonnax take decision on the future of medical joker Chris Farrell". RugbyPass. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ "Rugby : Oyonnax, champion de Pro D2, va retrouver le Top 14, revivez la finale des barrages entre les Oyomen et Grenoble". France 3 (in French). 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ "Four Uncapped Players Included In Ireland's GUINNESS Series Squad". Irish Rugby. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ "Keatley Kicks Ireland Home In Bruising Battle With Fiji". Irish Rugby. 19 November 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ^ "Ireland Strengthen Title Challenge With Stirring Win Over Wales". Irish Rugby. 24 February 2018. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ "Injury Update – Chris Farrell". Munster Rugby. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- ^ "Ireland's Rugby World Cup Squad Named". IRFU. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
- ^ "Five-Try Triumph Gets Ireland Up And Running". IRFU. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
- ^ "Stockdale at the double as Schmidt's Ireland cling on for victory in Cardiff". The42. 31 August 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
- ^ "Pack Points The Way As Ireland Sweep Scotland Aside". Irish Rugby. 22 September 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Japan 19-12 Ireland: Dazzling display gives hosts shock victory". BBC Sport. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Ireland Rue Missed Chances As Fluent France Come Out On Top". Irish Rugby. 31 October 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Autumn Nations Cup: Ireland defeat Wales 32-9 in tournament opener". BBC Sport. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "England 18-7 Ireland: Jonny May stars in emphatic and entertaining victory for hosts". BBC Sport. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Ireland 23-10 Georgia: Uninspired Irish beat Georgia". Sky Sports. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Ireland 31-16 Scotland: Hosts finish third in Autumn Nations Cup". BBC Sport. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Ireland Outlast Japan In Exciting Nine-Try Encounter". Irish Rugby. 3 July 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Farrell and Larmour ruled out of US clash as O'Mahony begins off-season". The42. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Squad Update". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ Chris Farrell, ESPN Scrum, 3 October 2019