Andy Farrell has urged British and Irish Lions fans to get behind his son Owen’s shock call-up to Australia in the hope he escapes the type of negativity he faced at the 2023 World Cup.
Farrell said he had “no hesitation” summoning the former England captain once it became clear that Elliot Daly must return home because of a fractured forearm sustained against the Queensland Reds on Wednesday.
The Lions are reeling from the news that Daly’s third tour is over just as he was playing his way into the Test team, robbing them of a player Andy Farrell described as a “legend” for the elite of British and Irish rugby.
But rather than replacing him with a similar alternative such as Wales’ Blair Murray or Scotland’s Tom Jordan, Andy Farrell has turned to a 33-year-old whose last Test was at the World Cup almost two years ago.
Owen Farrell was booed by England fans during the tournament and became a target on social media, which his father described as a “disgusting circus”, and he stepped back from the international game to prioritise his mental wellbeing before joining French club Racing 92.
A polarising figure, he is now en route to Australia where Andy Farrell wants his prior treatment to be consigned to the past.
“I hope people can get past that. There has been a lot of that nonsense for some time,” the Lions head coach said.
“That was in the past. We all just need to move on and embrace what the Lions is all about and what we have got coming ahead.
“We feel that the timing is right now, that we can all move on and push on, not just with Owen’s career but what we’re trying to achieve here with the Lions.”
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Owen Farrell will arrive in Sydney on Friday, bringing with him the experience accumulated during 112 caps for England, whom he captained from 2018 to 2023.
He will be embarking on his fourth Lions tour having made six Test appearances across the 2013, 2017 and 2021 expeditions and will bring leadership, experience and organisation.
However, his ill-fated season at French club Racing 92 was undermined by injuries and indifferent form and he missed the end of the season with a concussion sustained on 4 May. He has since rejoined Saracens.
“Owen’s fit or else he wouldn’t be picked. I know that the guys have been keeping close touch with him in regard to that and he’s been training full bore for quite some time now,” Andy Farrell said.
“He’s the right man at this moment in time for us. We know how much he looks after himself and prides himself on keeping in good nick anyway.
“At this stage there are plenty of players who haven’t played for quite some time and experience – knowing what you can do – helps in that regard.”
PA
