Dan Biggar: Owen Farrell’s British and Irish Lions call-up ‘doesn’t make sense’ with ‘risk’ outweighing the reward
British and Irish Lions fly-half Owen Farrell and an inset of Dan Biggar.
Dan Biggar has given his views on Owen Farrell’s British and Irish Lions call-up, a decision that has baffled the former Wales fly-half.
A tourist with the Lions in 2017 and 2021, where he was a teammate of Farrell; Biggar doesn’t doubt the quality that the veteran playmaker provides, but is struggling to see the sense in the decision by the coaching team.
Farrell has come in for the injured Elliot Daly, who broke his forearm, with the former not filling any of the same positions as the latter.
Lions boss Andy Farrell explained the decision in detail after naming his team to face the Waratahs this weekend and said that the coaching team believed that they were lacking some cover at number 12 with the outside backs well-stocked following the arrival of Blair Kinghorn and the return to fitness of Hugo Keenan.
There have also been accusations of nepotism levelled at the head coach after calling up his son, but Farrell said that the experience played a role in the decision with the three-time Lion bringing that to the squad after Daly’s withdrawal.
“I’m struggling to get to grips with the sense of it”
Still, Biggar is puzzled by the decision despite praising the character and quality that Farrell brings.
“Never a dull moment. It’s big news, but I’m struggling to get to grips with the sense of it,” the ex-Wales captain said on Sky Sports.
“No one is doubting that Owen is an amazing character and player with the career he has had, but he hasn’t played Test rugby in two years and hasn’t played any form of rugby for the last couple of months.
“The person he is replacing doesn’t play any of the same positions, so I’m just struggling to get to grips with where the sense of it is.”
Biggar does see the value in having a player of Farrell’s calibre in the squad if the Test series comes down to the final game but still believes that the risk outweighs the reward with the impact his inclusion will have on the other fly-halves in the team.
He continued: “Is Andy Farrell missing some sort of leadership in the group, does he need some characters? Does he think that if it comes down to a drawn series, does he need strong people who have been there, done it before?
“I have to stay, this smacks of a lot of risk and not a huge amount of reward, in terms of you got Marcus and Fin Smith, where do they feel like they sit in the pecking order? When they close the door at night and switch off the light, what are they thinking? Are they thinking, is he coming in to replace me?
“There are a lot of options in those positions and it just feels like it doesn’t make sense and everyone is saying the same thing.”
Big ask for Owen Farrell
On the topic of leadership, the former Lion, who captained his country, believes that the only way that Farrell can influence the team is if he is actually on the pitch.
However, there is doubt whether the Saracens legend can force his way into the matchday squad after an underwhelming season at Racing 92 where injuries hampered his stint at the club.
Additionally, Biggar raised the issue that Farrell hasn’t played international rugby since the 2023 Rugby World Cup after he decided to take a break away from Test rugby before his move to France made him ineligible for England.
“You can only show leadership when you are playing, that’s something that is really difficult. If he comes into the squad and doesn’t play, and they want to see his character, etc., which we all know and love from Owen Farrell, it’s really difficult to do that when you are in the stands or watching the game on video,” Biggar said.
“Then it is really easy not to make mistakes and pass opinions then. The only way Owen can show leadership and character and all those things that he has is when he is on the pitch.
“So you’d imagine that if he comes in and they want to see those bits and pieces, then he has got to perform and play on the pitch, which is a big ask even for a player of Owen’s calibre. To come on the pitch after two months away and a really tough year where he hasn’t played a lot of rugby and the rugby he has, hasn’t been to the level of Owen Farrell – it’s really hard.
“It’s a decision that comes with a lot of risk, considering the squad looked to be on a bit of a up as well and it’s one as well that people are asking the same question: Where does it fit in?
“There is no doubt about his quality or character, etc., but he has to show that on the pitch.”
