Lions kicking coach Johnny Sexton is impressed with the speed with which Owen Farrell has caught up after parachuting into the British & Irish Lions squad.
The 33-year-old former England captain joined the squad last Friday after being drafted in by his father, head coach Andy Farrell, as cover for the injured Elliot Daly, who broke his arm against the Reds.
Farrell’s inclusion raised eyebrows, given that his last Test appearance came at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and after an injury-hit stint with Racing 92 in France. The veteran playmaker took part in his first full training session on Tuesday and is now set to run out on Saturday against a combined Australia-New Zealand Invitational XV.
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“As you’d expect with someone with that experience, he’s fitted in. He’s hit the ground running, so it’s great to see,” said Sexton.
“He must have had the playbook on the plane on the way over because he came in and he’s not missed a beat. He’s been on top of things in training and that’s exactly why you pick someone with experience who knows about a Lions tour because it might take someone else 10 days to fit in.”
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This is Farrell’s fourth Lions tour, and his return coincides with confirmation that he’ll rejoin Saracens next season — making him eligible for England selection again.
The Adelaide clash is the Lions’ final warm-up fixture before the first Test against the Wallabies on 19 July — a last chance for players to stake their claim for the series opener.
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