Lions' lacklustre performance in Sydney proves why Andy Farrell called up Owen

Telegraph

a day ago

A litany of conflicting labels have been attached to Owen Farrell's call-up to the British and Irish Lions squad. A controversial, potentially tour-defining decision has been labelled over the past few days as courageous, weak, nonsensical and a masterstroke. That offers a decent idea of how Farrell divides opinion.
But a disjointed defeat of the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney, which represented the poorest performance from the class of 2025 so far, can certainly be used as justification for Lions coach Andy Farrell whisking in his son as a replacement for Elliot Daly.
As a collective, the Lions were impatient. They appeared to grow bored with taking unsexy options. They did not look after the ball, forcing offloads that fell to the floor and attempted tip-on passes with the defence on top of them. The synergy of their running angles was imprecise, causing individuals to crowd out one another.
Wet pitch or not, they were not direct enough. Indeed, it seemed – and has seemed for a fortnight now – as though the Lions were travelling from touchline to touchline in a bid to run their opponents ragged and reap the rewards later.
All in all, they lacked conviction and committed unforced errors. Charlie Gamble, the Waratahs' moustachioed openside who was phenomenal at the breakdown, forced more mistakes and feasted when isolated carriers lost support. The upshot was deeply unconvincing.
As Tadhg Beirne suggested, they made cohesion look difficult to attain. Fluency is especially arduous for this Lions crop because they are bedding in a particularly ambitious style underpinned by plenty of passes as they gel as a team. Worryingly, though, most flaws have been recurring – albeit not as prominent – over their three matches to date.
Owen Farrell is nothing if not assertive, a trait that this display was missing. His teams have not tended to fling it around in a flaky fashion. With forthright organisation and communication, he lays an unmistakable framework and implements the game plan of his coaches. A few years ago, one former England assistant stated that Farrell would be a perfect fit for the intricate phase shapes of Leinster and Ireland.
Even if the 33-year-old hardly features in tour fixtures, his presence around the group should bring renewed emphasis on polishing basics in training, analysis sessions and tactical meetings. Andy Farrell revealed that Owen would not be named for the Brumbies encounter. It would not be much of a surprise if Owen's major responsibility on the playing front is to cover inside centre against the two invitational teams in Adelaide and Melbourne to keep Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu fresh.
The fact that Farrell junior services different positions than Daly is a red herring, really. He has arrived to replenish the Lions-specific experience lost by the withdrawal of his Saracens colleague. Farrell senior was right to concede that inside centre was a concern. Ben Earl deputised there briefly against the Reds and there is every chance that both Aki and Tuipulotu will both be needed in the same match-day 23 for the Tests.
All this is not to say that Andy has made the correct decision. Only time will tell on that score. The rationale for Owen's call-up is tempered by significant risk after his forgettable season for Racing 92. Beyond fleeting flashes in blue and white – some fearsome defence to hold off Perpignan on April 4, a dogged cameo in Connacht the following week (which included a yellow card) and a classy second half against Stade Français on April 27 – his form has been negligible.
Should Owen struggle to get up to speed or if his recent trend of niggling injuries continues or even if a back-three injury leaves the Lions in strife, then Andy's pick could backfire horribly. He has thrust his son under a bright glare and asked a great deal of him.
There is also the question of whether another uncompromising standard-driver is required with the notoriously feisty Johnny Sexton complementing Andrew Goodman and Richard Wigglesworth on the coaching staff. Kicking accurately and defending bravely while still orchestrating creative passages, Finn Russell has been progressing serenely towards a starting spot in the first Test. It would be disastrous for the Lions if he were to lose focus or feel undermined, not that he seems the precious type at all.
As George Ford did so admirably with England in a pastoral role during the last Six Nations, Owen Farrell must be mellow enough to play a constructive part from further down the pecking order. Incidentally, whether Ford should have been included in the initial Lions party is a separate question that was accentuated by a masterclass on his 100th cap in La Plata.
To the credit of Farrell, he did look to be a positive influence on Dan Lancaster at Racing while various injuries limited his own involvement. Danny Care has told the BBC Rugby Union Weekly podcast how a suspended Owen prepared his squad diligently at the 2023 World Cup.
The awkward alternative is that the Lions' new arrival will serve to stifle players such as Fin Smith, who was somewhat frantic in Sydney. This is a theory at which Andy Farrell would surely bristle for two reasons.
First off, he expects every member of his squad to be driving towards a common goal of success in the Test series. Secondly, he would have little sympathy for those who cannot embrace healthy competition.
For all the debate raging outside the inner sanctum, Andy Farrell will be glad to have Owen as the Lions seek to tighten up and regain impetus.