Gatland's addresses Russell & Farrell experiment
SPOTLIGHT: British and Irish Lions coach Warren has shed light on his flyhalf selection for the upcoming test against Johannesburg Lions.
The coach has opted to hand Finn Russell of Scotland the flyhalf role for Saturday’s clash.
While England captain Owen Farrell will start at inside centre.
Farrell came off the bench last weekend at Murrayfield, replacing Bundee Aki at inside centre and playing the last 25 minutes of the win over Japan alongside starting flyhalf Dan Biggar.
However, rather than that cameo priming him for a start one place in at flyhalf in the Lions’ first match on South African soil, Farrell has been chosen to start at centre.
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“They have worked really well together,” enthused Lions boss Gatland about a role where he used Farrell to great effect in the 2017 tour to New Zealand with Johnny Sexton.
“Owen has a huge amount of experience. Third tour, captain of England as well, so he is adding a lot to the environment, and then Finn has a slightly different way of playing.
“He has matured amazingly the last few years in terms of his game management and the way he controls the game and we know what flair he has from an attacking perspective, and also it’s just little deft attacking kicks that he is able to bring to his game.
“I thought against France the way that he managed that game and his kicking game control was outstanding. It’s pretty exciting to have a look at that combination.
#⃣TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: @lionsofficial coach Warren Gatland surprised when he named his team for the opening match of the tour#Rugby 🌐#RugbyUnion🏉#LIOvBIL🇿🇦V🇬🇧@LionsRugbyCo #LionsRugby #LionsPride #LionsTour
🔗https://t.co/IAVkCeS669 pic.twitter.com/tbDd7m99rs— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) July 1, 2021
“We do want to have a look at Owen at ten at some stage as well and give him an opportunity there because that is where he has been picked, but we know that he is equally comfortable in the twelve position.
“If you look back at 2017 he played ten and then we moved him to twelve in the Crusaders game when Johnny Sexton came on and that combination went really well. It does give us an opportunity to have a look at different combinations and he is very comfortable at both ten and twelve.”
By Liam Heagney, Rugbypass
