Brian Kerr believes that Andy Farrell's personality and experience as an assistant coach gives him the perfect foundation to succeed as Ireland head coach.
Kerr joined Joe Molloy and Ryle Nugent on the Sunday Paper Review to discuss the prospect of Farrell as Ireland's coach going into next weekend's Six Nations.
But Kerr took issue with Peter O'Reilly's contention in his Sunday Times column that 'nothing prepares the assistant coach for the jump to the number one role.'
"Of course it does. Experience prepares you. Being close to the number one.
"In [Farrell's] case, he has been worked with several different guys - Schmidt, Stuart Lancaster, Warren Gatland, and Mark McCall.
"There would be some of those [previous coaches] where you say 'I would never want to be like him' and some where you think 'I like a bit of that.'
"He is obviously an intelligent guy, he decided to change from rugby league to rugby union when he was 30.
He made his decision to go into coaching fairly early," before recounting how Farrell repaid wages to Saracens when he was out injured.
Kerr on Andy Farrell
Farrell was also one of the few people that approached former IRFU director Conor O'Shea after he briefed England players on the historical significance of playing Ireland at Croke Park.
Farrell wanted to know more, and Kerr believes that this shows a trait that will serve him well in the Ireland role.
"If he was like that as a player, as a coach and an assistant coach then I think you get a right good insight into what it is like to be the number one and you see the pressures and decision-making process."
Kerr also reflected on the nature of the Six Nations that does not allow much time to adapt.
"The Six Nations is such a mad tournament. Eddie Jones referred to it that you don't get any time for the build-up; straight in with England-France as the first game.
"You don't build-up and you don't get much recovery. It is not like getting 38 matches for a league season."
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