Owen Farrell's experience may earn him Lions spot, not a sentimental dad

Times

08-05-2025

Chairing the final selection meeting for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour, Warren Gatland began the fly-half conversation by saying he wanted to pick two specialists in Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell, with Stuart Hogg to provide part-time back-up. Andy Farrell, the defence coach, turned to Gatland and said: 'You need to speak to Jonny [Wilkinson] because if he says, 'Yes, I am available,' then you need to pick him.'
Wilkinson turned down the invitation. He felt he owed his commitment to Toulon, the club at which he had rekindled his form and his love for the game. In the end, Toulon won the Champions Cup but lost the French Top 14 final, which clashed with the start of the tour. The beneficiary of Wilkinson's decision was Owen Farrell, who was a year into his England career.
Twelve years on, Andy Farrell is the Lions head coach. On Wednesday in London, he conducted the final selection meeting for this summer's tour to Australia, no doubt burning the midnight oil to trim a list of 75 players into a squad of about 40 for the nine-game adventure down under.
Owen Farrell was on that initial longlist, cast in the Wilkinson role: the veteran Lion, playing his club rugby in France having retired from England duty, who is under consideration for selection along with the next generation in Fin Smith and Sam Prendergast, plus Finn Russell, Marcus Smith and George Ford.
Andy Farrell will select two or three from the above. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall in the coaches' meeting because the fly-half debate reflects some of the major themes of this wider Lions selection. How does the coach balance experience over form? How loyal will he be to Ireland? What about non-Test players? Who will drive a squad that could be relatively light on experienced leaders?
In many ways, Fin Smith has the strongest case of the No10s. He became England's starting fly half in the Six Nations and delivered a sensational performance for Northampton Saints in their Champions Cup semi-final victory over Leinster last Sunday, outplaying Prendergast with Andy Farrell in the stands. He also has a Premiership title on his CV but is still less than a year into being a frontline Test fly half, less experienced than Owen Farrell was in 2013.
It would be a shock if Russell did not make it — yet even he is not nailed on. Russell was on the 2021 Lions tour and he has piloted Bath to the top of the Premiership with some outstanding rugby, adding game intelligence to his beautiful skill set. But Andy Farrell and Sexton, who will bring his fly-half experience to the coaching team, have plotted many a game against him and are aware that Russell plays in a Scotland team that never defeat Ireland. They are understood to harbour doubts.
Prendergast, by contrast, is a Farrell favourite and there are elements to his attacking game that are exquisite but he is vulnerable defensively. If Prendergast gets the nod, it will be on loyalty and potential rather than cast-iron evidence that he is ready to be a Lion. Farrell would risk being accused of using the Lions tour as a development opportunity for Ireland's World Cup fly half.
Marcus Smith's chances receded when he lost the England No10 jersey. His versatility, coupled with Blair Kinghorn's likely absence from the first three games of the tour, could help him secure a Hogg-style utility spot, although even those close to him fear he is in for major disappointment when the squad is announced.
Ford, who has 99 Test caps, is playing some brilliant rugby for Sale Sharks but he has not been a regular starter for England. His experience, knowledge and team-first mentality would be a real benefit for the Lions. But if the head coach is likely to take one veteran Englishman, then Ford may once again miss out to his old mate.
Andy Farrell demonstrated by pressing for Wilkinson's inclusion in 2013, at the likely cost to his own son, that he can make these decisions dispassionately. But it would be no surprise if Owen Farrell, 33, were to win selection for a fourth Lions tour. The Times has spoken to a number of his former team-mates and coaches, and they all believe that he will go. Sexton said unequivocally in November that he would take Farrell to Australia.
Sexton played fly half with Farrell at inside centre on the 2017 tour. The option to select a No10 who is also comfortable at No12 is valuable given the Lions' lack of depth when it comes to natural playmakers in the midfield, unless Fraser Dingwall is in contention. Was it coincidence or planning that Farrell played at inside centre for Racing last weekend?
'I think Owen will go,' one of the coaching sources said. 'This is the big time. You need people who are good under pressure and who have absolute respect from all of their peers. Owen ticks all of those boxes. If Owen wasn't fit I would take George Ford because he is in the same mould.'
The difference to the 2013 situation is that Wilkinson was in prime form for Toulon, whereas Farrell has been battling injury for most of a frustrating first season with Racing 92. Physically he is not where he was and he has no consistent form upon which to justify his selection.
But senior leadership will be an area of concern for Andy Farrell. This will not be a Lions squad with the same gravitas as previous incarnations, without titans such as Alun Wyn Jones, Sam Warburton and Brian O'Driscoll.
Maro Itoje is an experienced player, bound for his third Lions tour, but he is very new to international captaincy, having taken over the role with England just before this year's Six Nations. Caelan Doris, the Ireland captain, is injured. Jac Morgan, the Wales captain, is not a certain selection. Sione Tuipulotu, the Scotland captain, missed the Six Nations and needs to find his own form and fitness.
The Lions are stacked for back-row players but Courtney Lawes has been part of the selection conversation because of his form for Brive, albeit in the Pro D2, but also his leadership. Jamie George could well go ahead of Luke Cowan-Dickie or Ronan Kelleher for the same reason.
Racing's late-season upturn in fortunes coincided with Owen Farrell's return to action, which hints at the influence he can have. 'He would give the Lions unbelievable direction and drive and keep the group honest about what's important,' Alex Goode, Farrell's former England and Saracens team-mate, said.
'When you have someone like Owen in your team, it is going to be unbelievably competitive and they are always going to be in the fight and he will drive players around him to be better. That is a pretty special quality that I have not seen in many players.'
Perhaps, like Wilkinson in 2013, Farrell would turn down any invitation. He stepped away from England for a reason, after struggling with the scrutiny and criticism aimed his way before and during the 2023 World Cup. It was cruel and undeserved. 'It's a good question on Owen. Does he want to go?' one source said. 'But how many times can you go and win a Lions series with your dad? They are both winners.'
Is that mindset and leadership influence going to be enough to outweigh a lack of consistent form, when Russell and Fin Smith are both playing well and in European finals?
The same question can be applied to the rise of Henry Pollock, who has less than half an hour of Test experience. Andy Farrell is thought to be a fan of the fearless Northampton flanker, who would bring energy, personality and no little ability. But does his stunning recent form outweigh the body of work built up by his rivals Josh van der Flier, Ben Earl or Morgan?
Farrell has revealed very little about his selection strategy. We know two things: he will be ruthless in pursuit of victory so unafraid to make big decisions — if he wants Owen, he will pick Owen; if he wants no Welsh players, he is picking no Welsh players — and he places trust uppermost in the list of qualities that he demands in those around him.
That much is evident in the make-up of the Lions coaching staff and backroom team, which is dominated by people he has worked with before, mostly during his nine years with Ireland.
Which leads us on to the Ireland question. Sir Clive Woodward was too loyal to his old England players in 2005 and it cost him. How has Farrell judged the untimely dip in form experienced by Ireland and Leinster over the past six months?
It is always a delicate balancing act between form, experience and leadership. Four years ago the Lions squad was still being amended hours before the formal announcement. Farrell will reveal his hand on Thursday afternoon.