Ex-England player issues ‘forget it’ plea to Andy Farrell, telling him not to select Owen Farrell for the Lions second Test bench
Owen Farrell gets stuck in on Tuesday in Melbourne
There was plenty of praise voiced for Owen Farrell following Tuesday’s latest tour win for the British and Irish Lions.
Former England skipper Farrell led the tourists to their 24-19 victory over the First Nations & Pasifika XV in Melbourne with what was generally described as a tidy individual performance.
It has ignited support for the 33-year-old to be included in the match day squad for this Saturday’s second Test against the Wallabies.
However, Stuart Barnes has insisted the veteran should be nowhere near the selection for one very good reason – his lack of goalkicking in the final midweek match of the tour.
Fin Smith, the starting out-half against the FNP, was handed the responsibility, and he finished with a 50 per cent success rate after he converted two of his four conversion attempts.
“Prevented him from utilising his greatest weapon by far…”
Farrell, who played at inside centre, didn’t take any kicks off the tee, and Barnes, the 1993 Lions tourist, insisted this is why England’s 2023 Rugby World Cup captain can’t be considered as a bench option for Saturday’s second clash with Australia.
Writing in The Times ahead of Thursday’s Test team announcement, Barnes said: “He [Farrell] is a No.10 masquerading as a 12. In two less-than-outstanding games, he has been more than personally adequate. If the Lions wanted him in Australia for two midweek games, Andy Farrell’s decision has been a definite success.
“However, Farrell said everyone was contending for the Tests – including his son – and, come full-time, he seemed further than ever from being a likely part of the Lions’ Test 23.
“A niggling, season-long groin injury has prevented him from utilising his greatest weapon by far: his goalkicking. Neither Fin, nor Marcus Smith, kicked well in Owen Farrell’s two Lions outings, but not once did the former great kicker signal for the kicking tee.
“More than any other reason, Farrell’s claim to cover for the outstanding Finn Russell – were he to be injured – revolves around his old kicking credentials. An out-of-form Farrell on the bench? Maybe. A non-goalkicking Farrell? Forget it.”
Barnes went on to highlight the value for the Lions in keeping Bundee Aki on their Test bench instead of bringing in Farrell. “More important for the Lions is to win the gainline against a potentially more powerful Wallabies side,” suggested.
“Bundee Aki gives them this thunder from the bench. Farrell does not. He has never been a hard gainline runner at inside centre. The Saracens back’s game revolves around soft passes and clever league-like dinks behind defences.
“That might not be the last thing the Lions need, but it is nowhere near the top of the list of priorities. They have a pair of half-backs who are tactically astute. More than anything, they crave forward momentum. There is an Irish and a Scottish centre who can fulfil that role in a way Farrell cannot.
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“If he was the old Farrell, his goalkicking alone would make him at least part of the debate to cover 10 and 12. Especially given the availability of Blair Kinghorn as a versatile back-three man.
“The Toulouse and Scotland player was his club’s first-choice kicker over none other than Thomas Ramos in 2024, but he hasn’t kicked for a while. He has the skill, but goalkicking is a matter of psychology as much as anything… Alas, it is not that easy.
“I wouldn’t trust either Marcus or Fin Smith’s boot on the evidence of this tour and the last few months of the season.
“But unless Farrell Sr has fooled us all and kept Farrell Jr’s boots back for the second Test, one of the Smiths must cover (Finn) Russell, the goalkicker. The Lions need a goalkicker on the bench. It’s as simple as that.”
