Owen Farrell called up to Lions squad: Dan Biggar says move is a ‘risk’ for Andy Farrell and ‘doesn’t make sense’ | Rugby Union News
Dan Biggar questioned Andy Farrell’s shock decision to call his son Owen to the British and Irish Lions team, arguing that this does not have a sense of replacing the Elliot Daly wounded by a half time.
The versatile Daly, who impressed the great-back in the first games of the Lions tour, suffered an injured forearm against Queensland Reds on Wednesday which excluded it from the rest of the series.
Wales Blair Murray and Tom Jordan of Scotland seemed to be obvious replacements, but head coach Andy Farrell rather drove for his 33-year-old son who has not played international rugby since the 2023 World Cup and has endured an incoherent season and struck by race 92.
Sky Sports Pundit Biggar, a tourist Lions twice in 2017 and 2021, was amazed by the move.
“I find it hard to understand the meaning,” he said.
“No one doubts that Owen is an incredible character, an incredible player in the career he had.
“But he has not played test rugby for more than two years, has not played any form of rugby in the last two months and the person he replaces, he has no played the same positions.
“So, I just find it difficult to grasp with the meaning of it.”
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Dan Biggar and Ronan O’Gara were full of praise for the end Smith after his impressive performance on the bench against Queensland Reds.
Owen Farrell, who has 112 caps in England and played in three previous Lions tours, will join the team on Friday evening but who is not in the team that will play Waratahs on Saturday, New South -Wales – – Live on Sky Sports at 11 a.m. (accumulation from 10 a.m.).
The end of Smith received the head of the head on Marcus Smith in half the fly for this match, but Biggar thinks that the arrival of the experienced farrell could have a negative impact on them both.
“I must say that there seems to be a lot of risks in this room and not a huge reward,” he added.
“You have Marcus and end Smith. Where do they have the impression of sitting in the hierarchical order now? When they close the room door and go to bed and turn off the lights at night, what do they think?
“Do they think he comes to replace them? There are many options in these positions and I have the impression that it does not really make sense and I think everyone says the same thing.”
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British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell explains why he called his son Owen to replace the wounded Elliot Daly.
Andy Farrell justified the decision on Thursday, insisting that Owen Farrell is “fully fit” and will bring a necessary experience to the team after the withdrawal of Daly.
However, Biggar thinks that Owen Farrell cannot bring leadership to the group since the touch, insisting that his father will have to put him in the team, even if his national season has been completed by a concussion nine weeks ago and that questions remain above his form and physical form.
“” Andy Farrell is missing a kind of leadership in the team? “He needs strong characters? Biggar.
“It’s really difficult to do it when you are in the stands or watch a video game, because it is really easy not to make mistakes and to pass opinions then.
“The only way to really show leadership and character and all the attributes that Owen has is when he is on the ground.
“So you imagine that if he came and that they want to see these songs, then he must play and he must play on the field, which is a big request even for a player of quality and caliber of Owen.
“Bringing to the field after two months in a really difficult year is really difficult. It has not played a lot of rugby and rugby was not close to the level of Owen Farrell.
“This is what I am coming back to. This is a decision that comes, for me, a lot of risks, since the team seemed to be a little in up
“I just think that a lot of people ask the same question. Where is it integrated?”
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Highlights of the third match of the 2025 tour while the British and Irish Lions faced the Queensland Reds at the Suncorp Stadium.
On the British and Irish lions side to face New Waratahs – Live on Sky Sports South Wales
British and Irish lions: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Blair Kinghorn, 10 end Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Luke Cowan-Dick, 3 Finlay Bealham, 4 Tadhg Beirne (C), 5 James Ryan, 6 Henry Pollock, 7 Josh Van der Flier, 8 Ben Earl.
Substitutes: 16 Dan Sheehan, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Scott Cummings, 21 Jac Morgan, 22 Ben White, 23 Marcus Smith.
Waratahs: 15 Lawson Creighton, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Lalakai Foketi, 12 Joey Walton, 11 Darby Lancaster, 10 Jack Bowen, 9 Teddy Wilson; 1 Tom Lambert, 2 Ethan Dobbins, 3 Taniela Tupou, 4 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Miles Amatosero, 6 Rob Leota, 7 Charlie Gamble, 8 Hugh Sinclair (C).
Substitutes: 16 Mahe Vialanu, 17 Jack Barrett, 18 Daniel Botha, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Jamie Adamson, 21 Jack Grant, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Henry O’Donnell.
Visit of the British and Irish Lions in Australia on Sky Sports
Sky Sports will exclusively show the tour of the British and Irish lions in 2025 in Australia, with the three tests against the Wallabies and six warm -up matches to show exclusively live.
Howden Insurance – Senior Partner and Sponsor in front of the British and Irish lions shirt. Learn more here.
