Owen Farrell sparks major backlash as 'awful' video emerges and stars blasted
The British and Irish Lions star was caught in a verbal exchange with Wallabies star Joseph Suaalii
Owen Farrell is shown shouting at Australia centre Joseph Suaalii
(Image: X.com)
Former international referee Owen Doyle has condemned the fiery on-field scenes during the final Test between the British and Irish Lions and Australia, singling out Owen Farrell for an expletive-laden outburst at Wallabies star Joseph Suaalii.
In a match marred by relentless scuffles, sledging and verbal exchanges, the Lions clinched the series 2-1 despite falling to defeat in a storm-hit clash in Sydney. But it was the ugly flashpoints—not the rugby—that dominated the post-match headlines, with Farrell at the centre of one of the most talked-about incidents.
Footage widely shared online shows the England fly-half appearing to launch into an angry rant at Suaalii following a second-half altercation, with many fans and pundits questioning the conduct of several senior players.
Doyle, writing in his Irish Times column, labelled the match 'a travesty' of the sport and questioned whether such scenes reflect the values rugby claims to uphold.
'There was a very intemperate undercurrent throughout,' Doyle said.
'Both teams wanted desperately to win, and at times nasty stuff surfaced. Owen Farrell's incensed verbal outburst aimed at Joseph Suaalii was an awful look.'
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The former referee and director of Irish officials said both sides were guilty of stoking the ill-tempered tone of the match, naming Will Skelton and Nic White as the main agitators for the Wallabies, with Tom Curry and Dan Sheehan among those responding for the Lions.
'There was constant sledging, faux-grinning and taunting from the start. Is all of this really what rugby wants to be?' he continued.
'The match failed miserably to uphold the game's stated values. Respect for the opposition was nowhere in sight. How sad that was to see.'
Doyle also took aim at the Lions' mindset heading into the decider, accusing them of complacency after having sealed the series in Melbourne a week earlier. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
'The Lions' objective was to win all three Tests, but they played as if the party had started a week early. Perhaps it had.'
Despite his scathing criticism of the players, Doyle praised Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli for his measured performance in the face of a chaotic match marked by flare-ups, torrential rain and a lightning delay.
'He is a strong operator, unflappable too. His calm assuredness was essential… In all the prevailing circumstances, it's unlikely that anyone could have done better.'
Doyle concluded with a sobering warning about how matches like this could be viewed by parents weighing up whether rugby is a safe and positive sport for their children.
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'This match will have spoken very emphatically for those against the motion. At the same time, it will have done nothing for those in favour. Absolutely nothing.'
The fallout from the game is likely to continue, with calls for players and teams to better uphold rugby's core values of respect and sportsmanship in high-pressure Test environments.
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