Owen Farrell has been called up to the British & Irish Lions squad by his dad Andy, the head coach, after an injury to Elliot Daly.

Daly sustained a fractured forearm in the win over Queensland Reds on Wednesday which has cruelly curtailed his tour but handed an opportunity to his close friend and returning Saracens team-mate Farrell. Daly has already left the squad in Australia but his last act was to announce the team to take on the Waratahs.

Read more: British & Irish Lions team v Waratahs confirmed with 14 changes and new captain

Daly started the first two games here in Australia at full-back and although he also covers wing and outside centre, Farrell senior believes he is well stocked enough in those positions. Instead he has chosen to fly his son down under for his fourth Lions tour to help provide cover at 12, where he believes the strength in depth isn’t as strong. He, of course, will be able to play at fly-half too which is set to leave Marcus Smith only.

Explaining that decision, Farrell said: “It’s what we need for the squad in the here and now with Elliot going and Blair coming in, the options we’ve got at 15, there are plenty of options we’ve got at 13, and wing etc.

“A little bit vulnerable there in and around the 12 piece and obviously he can play ten as well. When you look at the experience that Elliot’s had… I mean the experience it isn’t just the playing side, it’s how you make the group feel. The little chats that you have around the place to make sure that everything’s gelled together and obviously Owen would bring a lot of that into the group.”

Fly-half Farrell has not played since he was knocked out in Racing 92’s Challenge Cup quarter-final win over Connacht on 13 April. He may still be required to go through the final stage of a return to play protocol upon his arrival in Australia. He suffered a disjointed season in France, undergoing groin surgery and seeing coach Stuart Lancaster relieved of his duties midway through the season.

Andy Farrell was quick to dispel any worries about his son’s fitness, saying: “Well he’s fit or else he wouldn’t be picked. I know that the guys have been keeping close touch with him and others in regards to that and he’s been training full bore for quite some time now.”

Just a few weeks after confirming his return to boyhood club Saracens next season, making him technically available for England again, he will join up with the Lions squad in Sydney on Friday evening. He is the second injury replacement in as many games with Ben White set to debut off the bench on Saturday after the Scotland nine replaced Tomos Williams who sustained a hamstring injury against Western Force in Perth.

Farrell has not played international rugby since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, choosing to step away to protect his mental wellbeing after captaining the side for five years, but will now become only the fifth man to tour three or more times with the Lions after Willie John McBride, Mike Gibson, Brian O’Driscoll and Alun Wyn Jones.

While he is arriving as a late replacement, Farrell has a chance of making the Test team according to his dad. “If he didn’t have a chance then what is the point, everybody should be competing that is what everyone in  the group would want. Along with that, the experience he brings, the support that you need for the group and how you make the room feel.”

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