Andy Farrell should lead the British and Irish Lions on a tour which could humiliate Australia
The World Cup is over and South Africa are champions, but given the schedule over the next four years I am already looking at the 2025 Lions tour to Australia.
Australia are in freefall. It is a cesspit of uselessness at the moment where no one quite knows where to go and what to do. And in just two years time they get to host the British and Irish Lions, who on current trajectories could humiliate the Wallabies.
But a lot of that does depend on who the touring side picks to lead them, and in reality Ireland head coach Andy Farrell would need to decline the opportunity for it to not be him.
He is the conductor of the home nations’ best orchestra at the moment, Ireland, and is a shoo-in for the role if he wants it. Gregor Townsend of Scotland may be in the mix too but Ireland’s Farrell is sure to top the list.
And without the likes of Dan Biggar and Johnny Sexton, I can see the father of Owen Farrell snubbing his son for Scotland and Bath No10 Finn Russell as the linchpin of the side.
In choosing Russell, Farrell would automatically be committing to an attacking, aggressive game plan where speed and power are favoured on the wings and ball-carrying gainline forwards preferred over glitzy footwork.
It would also force Farrell to tailor his coaches to that sort of attacking mindset.
Would he go for current URC champion Graham Rowntree of Munster, or Champions Cup holder Ronan O’Gara at La Rochelle? Jacques Nienaber, who has just won the World Cup with South Africa, is off to Leinster and he could be in the mix given his Springbok side beat the Lions in 2021 – though I do wonder how much of their success was him, and how much was Rassie Erasmus.
There is a plethora of coaches to pick from but chief of them must be Farrell. He has changed the way many see northern hemisphere rugby and could lead the British and Irish Lions to their first winning tour since 2013.
But any Tom, Dick or Harry could take up that role if Australia are still in as much of a predicament as they appear to be now.
It stinks, and whoever takes on the job after Eddie Jones’s departure – assuming they sign on until the end of the next World Cup – will be in charge for a Lions Tour in 2025 and a home global tournament in 2027. No pressure.
They need to bring in their own Farrell, who says what he says without bravado but is admired at the highest level.
I am not sure whether outgoing New Zealand head coach Ian Foster is that kind of guy but I can see the likes of Joe Schmidt – current All Black assistant and former Ireland coach – suiting the role.
Australia have to be bold and they need to have some ambition because whoever they pick must take the population with them in what is a huge couple of years for a nation whose interest in union has diminished.
And a final word on Jones. I feel almost sorry for him. I was one of his big backers but he’s tarnished his reputation in the way he has gone about the last year and that is a real shame for the sport because he is undeniably one of its great personalities.
Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips recently swam the English Channel to raise money for Head for Change, a charity aspiring to achieve positive change for brain health in sport. Follow Ollie on Twitter to donate.