British and Irish Lions to rely on good faith from French giants after entering crunch talks
The Lions have entered talks over the availability of French-based players.
British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell has confirmed that talks around the availability of France-based stars have commenced.
On Tuesday, the Lions revealed who will assist the head coach with John Dalziel (Scotland), Simon Easterby (Ireland), John Fogarty (Ireland), Andrew Goodman (Ireland) and Richard Wigglesworth (England) all joining Farrell’s staff for the tour Down Under.
Attention now turns to which players will crack the nod for the tour, with an initial long list of around 75 names being drawn up by the management team when they gathered together for the first time in London’s Rosewood Hotel.
A hot topic around this year’s tour has been the availability of players who are plying their trade with French clubs, which includes Farrell’s son Owen, the former England captain who could feature in his fourth tour.
Issue with France-based stars
He stepped away from international rugby after the 2023 Rugby World Cup before signing for Top 14 outfit Racing 92. He is just one of several players who could earn selection for the British and Irish Lions with Blair Kinghorn, Jack Willis, Ben White, Kyle Sinckler, Joe Marchant, David Ribbans and Courtney Lawes all possibilities too.
However, the issue comes in with the fact that the Top 14 season will still be running by the time that the Lions have gathered. In fact, the Lions’ first game, against Argentina in Dublin, will be on the same weekend as the French top division’s semi-finals, with the final taking place on the same day as their first tour match against the Western Force.
Because these fixtures are not in the official international window, the clubs are not required to release their stars, meaning that an agreement over an early release will need to be reached or the player can only link up with the squad in Australia.
Still, Farrell is open to selecting France-based players.
“We’re open-minded about all of that,” said Farrell, who announces his final squad on May 8.
“We could have a conversation with some clubs over there, they might release them. These things will be ongoing.
“It’s just the dynamics of what the team needs at the time when we get to the point of pulling the trigger as far as May 8 is concerned.”
Asked about his son Owen’s chances of making the squad, the head coach replied: “He’s the same as everyone else. He’s just coming back from injury. You keep an eye on everything, and him like every other player, so yeah.”
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No compensation funds available
Farrell confirmed that talks with the French clubs have already commenced, with the deadline of naming his squad fast approaching.
However, the Lions are reportedly hamstrung for the crunch talks as The Times reports that they do not have a budget to play the French clubs any sort of compensation.
With no war chest afforded to the Lions, it will undoubtedly make negotiations with a club like Toulouse tricky, with Scotland full-back Kinghorn surely one of the frontrunners for selection with flanker Willis still in with a shot.
Kinghorn was in sterling form during the Six Nations and has seemingly taken his game to another level since joining Toulouse. However, his club looks certain to finish in the top two, earning an automatic semi-final spot, meaning the Lions will rely on good faith or the generosity of these clubs who will be risking a title tilt to give their stars the opportunity to pull on the famous red jersey.
Toulon stars White, Sinckler and Ribbans could also prove to be tricky selections with Pierre Mignoni’s side currently ranked third overall on the log.
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Merit-based selections
Owen Farrell has been struggling with injuries this season but is a proven quality at the highest level and while Racing 92 are all-but out of the race for a play-off spot, he may be required by his club on June 14 for the ‘Access Match’ – a promotion-relegation match between the second bottom Top 14 club and the losing finalists from the Pro D2 final, a match Lawes may well be required for too.
The Lions coaching ticket features no members of the Wales coaching team with the side falling to a 17th straight defeat and Farrell says that his coaching selection policy will extend to the players as well.
“I know that’s idealistic for everyone (to have all four nations represented), but surely this has to be done on merit for who fits,” he said.
“Imagine not going on a Lions tour because someone thinks that somebody else not as good deserves a place because of the national dynamics. Surely that’s not fair.”
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