Why Andy Farrell is favourite to lead the Lions again despite letting golden opportunity slip

Independent

3 days ago

After plenty of good, and a little bit of bad, the ugly arrived for the British and Irish Lions in the third Test. On a wretched night, it was a wretched performance, the tourists beaten in just about every area by an Australian side better adjusting to conditions of a kind that few involved had ever seen.
And so a golden opportunity has been missed – confirming many of the assumed truths about this Lions crop. Andy Farrell had set the lofty goal of going unbeaten in Australia and completing the first series sweep since 1927, a scenario that looked likely after edging the second Test at the MCG. But Lions tours are tough. The Wallabies have plenty of talent and showed real fighting spirit. By contrast, Farrell's men looked tired at times, while the easing of the stakes with a series secure may have been a factor. 'I hope not,' Farrell said on that front. 'Otherwise we are not being true to ourselves in everything we talked about this week. I certainly hope not. Subconsciously I guess I will never know the answer to that question.'
So the 2025 Lions are a good side, but not a great one; a team capable of fantastic highs and passages of thrilling rugby but without an 80-minute showing to really be proud. They threatened to run rampant in the first half in Brisbane, but thereafter, with Will Skelton back amongst things, Australia won four of the five remaining 40-minute periods in the series. Overmatched opposition they were not. The Lions, though, set high standards and asked to be judged on them - in that context, they did not succeed, and they will be disappointed to go out on a damp squib.
Those facts should not at all take away from what the Lions have achieved in Australia. It is a real feat to secure a series with a game to spare – this was only the second time it had occurred in the professional era. Given the limited opposition the Lions faced in the warm-up fixtures, the intensity they found in that first Test was impressive, with Farrell's bold selection calls backing up his faith. The brutal toll of Sydney was clear for all to see but the Lions had already experienced some rough luck on this tour, from the loss of captaincy contender Caelan Doris on the eve of the squad naming through to the Garry Ringrose situation before Test two.
It has been not been perfect by any means but Farrell and his staff merit huge credit for the way they have kept the Lions squad together. It remains quite the logistical feat that the tour ran so smoothly – even a broken bus on the day of the third Test only delayed the Lions by a couple of minutes. The wider team beyond the rugby coaching and playing unit were highlighted by Farrell as a key part of the Lions' success.
'Not only are they fantastic at their jobs but they are bloody good people who muck in,' Farrell said. 'Everyone knows the logistical nightmare that this tour could have been but these boys think that it is easy because of the people that we've had on tour. Not just the coaching staff, every single member of the staff has been a pleasure to work with.'
While he has slightly dodged the question, the thought is that Farrell will probably desire the head coaching role again in four years' time in New Zealand. His love for the Lions has been clear throughout this trip, and the Englishman is exceptionally well liked by his players and members of the hierarchy. A Lions cycle is a long time in a fast-moving sport threatened again by behind-the-scenes noises made by proposed breakaway league R360 but it would be stunning to see Farrell's stock plunge in the intervening period, even if there are a few niggling concerns over an Ireland side coming out of a glorious peak.
This Lions team should probably have won this series 3-0, yes, but speak to his squad and the admiration they have for Farrell is clear. 'He doesn't treat you like a schoolteacher in any way,' Tadhg Furlong said. 'He treats you like a man. He gives you responsibility, and it's up to you to take it. He gives you a freedom, and it's up to you to be a good man within that, or a good teammate within that. That's what I respect about him. You look up to Faz.'
The ability to instil collective buy-in has been a theme of the tour. Farrell has a natural presence and charisma, not necessarily needing to say much to inspire. Players who haven't featured in the Tests have beamed their pride nonetheless; those not involved have done all they can to help out the side. 'He's been really good at getting everyone closer,' Huw Jones explained. 'I don't really know how he's done it but it's worked.
'He's very calm and relaxed a lot of the time and when he's on, he's pretty intense. He sees everything so he's prepared to call you out in the middle of the session if something's not good enough. He sees it all and he'll then have it clipped up and you'll see it in reviews. There's no hiding place, his standards are so high. He knows exactly what he wants from everyone.'
Selection criticism is a natural by-product of a venture like this but much of Farrell's work in that regard looks strong in retrospect. He may reflect that he could have refreshed his pack, particularly, for the affair in Sydney but those involved had earned the chance to go again. Tadhg Beirne, something of a surprise selection for the first Test, was named player of the series; the impact made by a beefed up bench at the MCG was pivotal. The arrival of Owen Farrell, too, added an extra competitive edge and experienced head to a squad that probably needed it - though his third Test showing was not his best outing.
Suggestions of an Irish bias do not necessarily stand up to real scrutiny given how strong the men in green have been over the last few years and how many of them stood up in the heat of battle. It is impossible to avoid such an accusation, anyway. The idea of a neutral coach plucked from outside of the coaching staffs of the four unions in a neat one in theory, yet the international and club games are vastly different.
Of those currently coaching the unions, Steve Borthwick is tracking well and, like Farrell, has the benefit of a Lions tour as an assistant. A strong next two years and World Cup with England, which looks increasingly within reach, would see him really press his candidacy. But much the same could be said of the man in possession, and right now it would be a surprise if it is not Farrell coaching the Lions in New Zealand.
'Everyone knows what I think about this concept,' he said late on Saturday night. 'I love everything that the Lions is about and I've thoroughly enjoyed the last eight weeks. There's always ups and there's always downs but the inner circle is a special place to be.
'We all know how hard it is to be successful on a Lions tour against a good side like Australia. When we get a bit of time to ourselves we will be unbelievably proud of what we have achieved. Lions tours are tough. The legacy for us is in that changing room. The togetherness of the whole group has been an absolute delight.'