‘Fantastic’ Owen Farrell backed to have great Lions tour by Warren Gatland

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Owen Farrell has been fast-tracked on to the British and Irish Lions’ bench against Japan as Warren Gatland reveals a squad poll identified the England captain as the talisman of the tourists’ leadership group. For the first time since 1950, the Lions have picked a starting XV devoid of England players with four Scots – Duhan van der Merwe, Rory Sutherland, Zander Fagerson and Hamish Watson – selected for Saturday’s Edinburgh appointment. “I’ve spoken to Owen and the chat was about it not being the greatest Six Nations, but we picked him on the leadership and experience that he can bring to the group,” Gatland said. “Knowing him as a competitor he will go out and make the most of his opportunities and I expect him to have a great tour.” Gatland’s focus for his first team announcement of the 2021 tour has been to give the Lions’ biggest Scottish contingent since 1989 run-outs in front of a reduced 16,500 crowd at Murrayfield.