Owen Farrell, named captain by his father, experienced more than expected when leading the British & Irish Lions in their first full match on the tour of Australia, achieving a narrow victory against the First Nations & Pasifika XV. In Docklands Stadium, before a crowd of 30,000 spectators, the former England captain led the Lions, who took the lead with a score of 14-0 in the first 11 minutes. However, the encounter was complicated when Scottish winger Darcy Graham suffered a leg injury and their opponents reacted, threatening to snatch victory before losing 24-19. Farrell, who got involved in an early dispute to set the tone for his team, contributed to some of the Lions’ four tries and defended with determination.
I enjoyed being there. It’s been pretty good so far and there’s a lot more to come. I’m glad I’ve played a small part so far.
Owen Farrell
Head coach Farrell faces selection challenges for the second match, with doubts about the participation of Darcy Graham and winger Mack Hansen at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where the Lions will seek to secure the series. The second line Joe McCarthy is also dealing with a foot injury. In addition, there was concern for Marcus Smith, who left the field after a head injury at Docklands Stadium, but Andy Farrell reported that Smith had passed the concussion assessment. Farrell was optimistic about the return of Blair Kinghorn and Garry Ringrose, who finished the match without incident.There are always aspects to work on.
Andy Farrell
If you can’t prepare for what’s coming, we’re all in the wrong place. For me, this is the most important match of our lives, for each of us, that’s part of our team.
Andy Farrell
