SYDNEY (AP) — Former England captain Owen Farrell was summoned by the British and Irish Lions to replace Elliot Daly on the tour of Australia on Thursday.
Daly broke his left forearm on Wednesday in the 52-12 win over the Queensland Reds in Brisbane.
“It is heartbreaking for the group that Elliot's tour is over,” Lions coach Andy Farrell said in a statement. "He is a Lions legend who has added so much to the group on and off the field over the past few weeks and over the course of three tours.
“Owen will now come in and add to our options and bring his own Lions experience to the group.”
Owen Farrell will join his fourth tour, having played 18 times for the Lions, including six tests across the 2013, 2017 and 2021 tours.
However, he hasn't played an international since leading England at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, after which he took a break from test rugby. He earned 112 England caps and is the team's all-time points record-holder.
Owen Farrell also hasn't played any rugby in two months. He was concussed on May 4 while playing for Racing 92 in his last game for the French Top 14 side. He recently signed a new deal to return to his old English club Saracens.
He won't arrive in Sydney until Friday, too late to be involved in the game against the New South Wales Waratahs on Saturday.
Tadhg Beirne will lead the Lions, returning to the second row to partner fellow Ireland lock James Ryan.
Fullback Hugo Keenan, wing Blair Kinghorn and reserve scrumhalf Ben White will make their Lions debuts.
Keenan was withdrawn from the Queensland game after falling ill, which prompted Daly’s inclusion and ill luck. Kinghorn joined the Lions only on Monday after helping Toulouse win the Top 14 title last weekend. White arrived this week after the tour-ending injury to Tomos Williams.
Northampton clubmates Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith are the halves and Scotland duo Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones are the centers.
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Lions: Hugo Keenan (Ireland), Mack Hansen (Ireland), Huw Jones (Scotland), Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland), Blair Kinghorn (Scotland), Fin Smith (England), Alex Mitchell (England); Ben Earl (England), Josh van der Flier (Ireland), Henry Pollock (England), James Ryan (Ireland), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland, captain), Finlay Bealham (Ireland), Luke Cowan-Dickie (England), Pierre Schoeman (Scotland). Reserves: Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Ellis Genge (England), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Joe McCarthy (Ireland), Scott Cummings (Scotland), Jac Morgan (Wales), Ben White (Scotland), Marcus Smith (England).
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
The Associated Press
