Owen Farrell 'Fortunate' to Escape Red as Lions Hopes Hang in the Balance
04/13/2025 02:00 PM
British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell had a close-up view of his son Owen in action this weekend, as he watched from the stands during Racing 92's wild 43-40 win over Connacht in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final.
Competition: Get a Chance to Watch the Lions in Australia
With the 2025 Lions tour to Australia just around the corner—Farrell senior’s first as head coach—it was a timely outing. But what he saw might have raised an eyebrow or two.
A moment he’d rather dad hadn’t seen…
Owen came off the bench in the second half, but it didn't take long for him to make headlines—for the wrong reasons.
Midway through a frantic finish, the former England captain was shown a yellow card for a dangerous clearout. His technique, with a tucked arm and heavy contact to Connacht's Shane Jennings, drew criticism—and a bit of luck.
As referee Christophe Ridley prepared to whistle for a Racing penalty, TMO Aled Griffiths intervened, drawing attention to the incident. What followed was a lengthy review and some heated discussion in the commentary box.
"That could be a red" – Madigan isn't buying it
Premier Sports co-commentator Ian Madigan was quick to question the decision:
"I think this could be a red card. There is a lot of force behind this. I know there are moving parts of Jennings but…"
He wasn't alone. Former Ireland fullback Gavin Duffy added:
"It's just coming in with force and a little bit reckless, a tucked arm."
Mark Robson didn't hold back either:
"Oh, it's straight to the temple of Shane Jennings. There's no wrap, there is force."
Owen on Andy: “You’ll have to ask him!”
When asked post-match about his dad watching from the stands, Owen wasn't giving much away.
"You'll have to ask him! My mum and brother came as well, so hopefully they were here to watch me!"
Despite the disciplinary hiccup, the 32-year-old seemed in good spirits and focused on his form as the season builds towards its climax:
"I'm getting there, getting there. It's been a tough old year so far but I'm glad to be back on the pitch and hopefully getting back to playing well."
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Dan Biggar names bold Lions XV – with big England omissions
Wales legend Dan Biggar has officially called time on his playing career, but not before dropping a blockbuster British & Irish Lions XV on The Rugby Pod – and his picks are bound to raise a few eyebrows.
The 112-cap fly-half, who steered Wales through some of their finest Six Nations and World Cup moments, appeared on Jim Hamilton's podcast this week and revealed his Lions dream team. Spoiler alert: there’s no room for the likes of Owen Farrell, Johnny Sexton, or even himself.
Here's how Biggar's team shaped up…
Front-row firepower: Porter, Sheehan & Furlong
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
It's an all-Irish affair in the front row, with Biggar backing Leinster’s dominant trio to boss the scrum. Furlong remains the Rolls-Royce of tightheads, while Sheehan and Porter provide dynamism in the loose.
Big boys in the boiler room: Itoje & Beirne
4. Maro Itoje
5. Tadhg Beirne
England's Maro Itoje gets the nod despite some inconsistent recent form, with Biggar clearly still valuing his disruptive brilliance. He's paired with the ever-reliable Beirne – a turnover machine and Lions Test starter in 2021.
Breakdown beasts: Curry, Van Der Flier & Doris (c)
6. Tom Curry
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris (captain)
This back row is pure chaos – in the best possible way. England's Tom Curry returns to the fray, Ireland's Van der Flier adds World Player of the Year pedigree, and Doris, who's fast becoming a modern-day great, takes the armband. A fearless choice.
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