Owen Farrell's curveball call-up by the British and Irish Lions has been welcomed by his new teammates as the former England captain was praised for his high standards and leadership qualities.

The controversial injection of Owen Farrell into the British & Irish Lions squad a day before Saturday’s clunky 21-10 win over the Waratahs in Sydney raises the possibility of the now four-time Lions tourist fixing a fundamental problem that is dogging the class of 2025: a dire lack of continuity, concentration and consistent front-foot ball.

British & Irish Lions players welcomed the imminent arrival of Owen Farrell on Friday as they prepared for their third tour game against the New South Wales Waratahs at Sydney Football Stadium this weekend.