Farrell muddies waters & Kinghorn's class

BBC News

12 hours ago

In the face of their disappointment at the Allianz Stadium the British and Irish Lions tried their best to talk up the positives of their unconvincing 21-10 win over the Waratahs, but it was the hardest of hard sells.Head coach Andy Farrell said that the 50-point victories against the Western Force and the Queensland Reds weren't what real touring was all about. "The 50-pointers aren't reality, really, are they?" said Farrell. He sounded like a man who thought they were real enough when they happened."It was a different type of game [against the Waratahs] but we are we glad that's happened to us," he added, before saying: "It is good, isn't it?"So it's good, apparently, that a scare and a visit to the dark side will hold them in good stead for the Test match series with the Wallabies. It's one way of looking at it, but there are others.
Farrell lets himself down with pitch comments
The Lions got turned over so many times and became helter-skelter in attack. Farrell owned that to an extent, but his complaints about the pitch being watered were a touch cringe-inducing."The pitch was very wet and I was asking Mike Catt after the game and he was laughing," said Farrell of the former England international who is now on the coaching staff of the Waratahs. "I mean, that's good tactics from them, isn't it? That the ball's slippery."He was asked directly if he believed the Waratahs deliberately watered the pitch before the game to make it harder for the Lions. "I don't know," he replied. "I mean, Catty just laughed. We've seen that done plenty of times. I don't know whether the pitch needed watering."As a piece of excuse-making it was wildly out of place. Maybe that's why Farrell started to row back subsequently. Was he not aware that the pitch at the Allianz is infamously greasy because of terrible drainage? Did he not know that they're intending to dig it up soon? Did he not know that a 'bomb cyclone', external hit Sydney earlier in the week?"We know all that," said Farrell. "But we have been here for two days now and it has been glorious. The pitch was OK and we are not complaining."It very much sounded like he was. Lock forward Scott Cummings, who made an impressive return to form, said later that the pitch was "a bit boggy". It really wasn't. But even if it was, so what? These are the British and Irish Lions we're talking about. The elite. A wet ball? Who cares?Waratahs coach Dan McKellar had a bit of fun at Farrell's expense when talking about the rain that fell on the city. "Andy was probably sunning himself in Brisbane on Tuesday, but it wasn't pleasant in Sydney, that's for sure."Famed for an attention to detail and a no-excuse culture, this was odd stuff from Farrell.
Smith struggles and door opens for Owen Farrell
The power of Owen Farrell is something to behold. When the cameras panned to him at the Allianz on Saturday the entire crowd reacted, some with pantomime booing, others with cheering. The one thing they weren't doing was being indifferent.Farrell, who arrived in Sydney on Friday, took it well, smiling and laughing. The guy is pure box office. We're all still talking about why he's been parachuted into this squad. The coach's son, yes, fine, we get it. But what else is going on here?Some observers say that this was always going to happen and that Farrell will definitely be in the Test 23 for Brisbane. They're convinced of it. The intrigue is fantastic.His father's official explanation in midweek is that he felt his squad was a little short at inside centre with Sione Tuipulotu and Bundee Aki the only options. Terrific ones, in fairness.Is there more to it? Does he have doubts about Fin Smith's readiness to back-up Finn Russell on the bench? Does he have issues around the leadership of the squad - is everyone too nice and/or too quiet?If those are views he shares then Saturday might have only reinforced things. Smith struggled in running the backline and the direction of the team was all over the place for most of the evening.So, enter Faz Jnr, but when? Not on Wednesday against the Brumbies, says his father. He might still be getting over the jet-lag. Next Saturday in Adelaide against the invitational Australia-New Zealand team? All things being equal, definitely.What about after that? If you believe that Owen can step into a Lions Test match squad (covering 10 and maybe 12) after not playing in nine weeks, having not played particularly well before that and having not featured in an international game for 20 months, then you're convinced that he can return to his best stuff at the mere sight of the red jersey, as if the last year doesn't matter.Maybe he can. And maybe he will be given the chance for a fairy tale tour, but the stakes are monstrously high. Smith's struggles made Owen's elevation a bit more likely. But will he be any good?
Kinghorn looks classy and a Test Lion in the making
Playing for Toulouse gives you a certain aura, especially when you're holding down a place every week and have just won back-to-back French titles.Blair Kinghorn, who arrived in Australia on Monday, played nicely on the left wing but he will be in the 15 jersey come the Tests, unless things go badly awry. The Scot has authority, athleticism, a big boot and a fantastic running game. Not many improved their chances on Saturday but Kinghorn certainly did.
McKellar gives Schmidt plenty to think about
The Waratahs had a depleted squad on Saturday but gave the Lions a mighty scare. What was McKellar's gameplan?"We wanted to put them under a lot of pressure with our press defence," he said before the match. "They're an outstanding team but they've got two arms and two legs and if we take away their time and space, and if we back that up with accuracy in our physicality, then we can create turnover opportunities."And, boy, did they create turnover opportunities. Charlie Gamble, who we can be safe to call an unheralded openside, won turnover and after turnover. The Lions were routed on the floor. They coughed up possession 20 times and gave away 13 penalties.Wallaby head coach Joe Schmidt will be square-eyed from watching the footage of the Waratahs causing the Lions so much grief.
No need to panic, there's still a fine 23-man Test squad available
The Waratahs severely dented the Test match hopes of a number of Lions. Hugo Keenan was praised by Farrell for playing the game - maybe the effects of a bug were still with him to an extent - but he had a really rough night.Mack Hansen, praised to the hilt by Farrell after his performance in Perth, probably took a step back. Huw Jones and his partnership with Sione Tuipulotu had its moments, but what's with all the touchline-to-touchline rugby from the 28-year-old? He's devastating when going direct. Is this lateral movement part of Farrell's grand plan?"We made line breaks the whole time when we were direct and it didn't matter if we were playing off nine or off 10," said Farrell. "When we were direct we were good." So why not go direct more often?The call between 'Huwipulotu' and 'Ringaki' (humble apologies Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki) is as tight as a drum. Does Farrell go with his trusted Irish pair? Jones bounced right back into contention with his two tries. He looks like he's regaining his edge again after injury.We picked a prospective squad in this space last week and there are a few changes.Online, somebody thundered that this writer should be sent home because Jac Morgan was left out of the 23. Time is running out and emotions are running high.Test squad: Kinghorn, Freeman, Jones, Tuipulotu (Aki), Lowe, Russell (F Smith*), Gibson-Park (Mitchell); Genge (Schoeman), Sheehan (Cowan-Dickie), Bealham (Furlong), Itoje, McCarthy, Chessum (Beirne), Van der Flier, Conan (Pollock)*Farrell isn't here to hold tackle bags. If he looks decent next Saturday then he might well be in the 23 and the skies may fall in rugbyland.