Former Lion Dan Lydiate expects players will be 'scratching their heads' over Owen Farrell call-up

Twelve years after playing a key role in the British & Irish Lions' 2013 series win over Australia, Dan Lydiate is once again turning his attention to the famous red jersey — this time from the outside looking in.

The former Wales and Lions flanker, known for his bone-rattling tackles and uncompromising work rate, has offered his take on the current state of Andy Farrell’s squad as they build toward the first Test of the 2025 tour.

Speaking to , Lydiate pulled no punches in his assessment of Owen Farrell’s late call-up, backed the potential of teenage star Henry Pollock, and gave his take on the physical presence of Joe McCarthy in the second row.

With the Lions set to take on Eddie Jones’ Australia in a blockbuster Test series, every selection decision is under the microscope, and Lydiate knows just how much pressure comes with wearing that jersey.

Lydiate didn’t mince his words when asked about Owen Farrell’s late addition to the Lions squad.

“It’s hard to know who will be on the depth charts as the next in line, but when Elliot Daly picked up that knock on the weekend, there would have been a few players checking their phone and checking their emails to see if they’d be getting the nod.”

“Obviously Andy Farrell feels he's got enough cover for those positions that he can bring Owen in to play as a 10 or 12 or whenever he sees him fitting in best in the squad but even the likes of Finn Russell, Marcus Smith and Fin Smith they’ll be scratching their heads thinking why is he bringing Owen in now?”

“A 10 coming back into the squad, there’ll be a few raised eyebrows from the players already on tour in those positions.”

Still, Lydiate acknowledged the experience Farrell brings is 'invaluable' upon his fourth British & Irish Lions tour.

“It's invaluable. You can't put a price on experience. Even just having him around the squad and going further into the management with Johnny Sexton there, there's some quality operators and experience that the younger players, who haven't experienced a Lions tour, certainly lean on.”

“It'll be interesting come the test matches who's actually going to get those jerseys but he’s not taking him out there not to be involved, is he.”

“Because he's experienced so much test rugby it'll be like another game for him so it’s just when he's going to get another chance to play before the test matches to see if he can put his hand up.”

“It's hard to know if Andy thinks he’s going to warrant a place in the test team but it seems strange not to take him out there, not to feature. I guess time will tell. It's one of them, isn't it? Some big calls to be made.”

Lydiate recalled Farrell’s presence on the 2013 tour, even when he was just 21. The fly half certainly made quite the impression, in what was a breakthrough moment for the future England captain.

“I remember being on the Lions in 2013 with him and he was only young at the time, 21, and he was demanding that players train to the level that they need to play at.”

“I remember Adam Jones going into the England camp to watch them train and he's like literally calling boys out that the standard was not good enough, which is obviously a good thing. No one's batting an eyelid. That's fair because Faz said it.”

“From a standards point of view, he's the boss. That’s what you need. If the standard's not good enough in training, sometimes it's easier not to call it out but the best players will have those tough conversations, but then they've got to obviously walk the walk as well, haven’t you?”

Lydiate then praised Andy Farrell’s evolution from Lions' assistant to head coach and the environment he’s cultivated. The Ireland head coach is taking the responsibility in his stride, with the preparations ramping up for the Test series against Joe Schmidt's Australia.

“I remember working with Faz on the Lions when he was defence coach and for me he was cut from the same sort of cloth as Sean Edwards was from the same area.”

“Everyone that I spoke to, because it’s been 12 years on, he's just gone to different levels.”

“It's tough to go from assistant coach, to defence or attack or what not, to a head coach and not everyone can do that. He's done that so well. Like any good coach, he gets players to play well for him.”

“If he's telling them to run through brick walls, then there's no question that that's what they'll do.”

“No one's got a bad word to say about Faz and I think one thing I do like about him, he'll call a spade a spade so if something's good, he'll call it good but if something's not to the standard that he wants, he'll call it straight out as well.”

“After that first game he basically said, we weren't good enough today, and that's not what Lions has been about.”

Lydiate then explained why he believes that 20-year-old flanker Henry Pollock could be a genuine option for the first Test bench.

“Pollock played six in this last test game, I guess he is a bolter for the bench because he brings that energy. He is a game changer or will they go with the sort of tried and tested?”

“It's one of those that when you see a person who is almost flamboyant in talking the talk but when you see him on the the field, you're like, fair play. This kid can play and if he backs it up, fair play to him.”

“I take my hat off to the kid because he is a very special player and the stuff he can do in attack, he's certainly a game changer.”

“I wish I had a bit more confidence at 21 or 20 years old like he does but I don't think I was at that level in terms of what he's performing, to be fair to him, so good on him.”

Another player Lydiate is tipping for a test start is Leinster lock Joe McCarthy.

“Joe McCarthy, the first chance he had, got man of the match. He's doing all the right things.”

“McCarthy, he's a workhorse, isn't he? A big strong ball carrier. I really like him. I played against him at the start of this year or last year and I thought he's going to go all the way.”

“He’s probably not as good in the air as an Itoje but he's a heavier set player, so he's never gonna be, but he's powerful. I'm not saying he's a terrible lineout forward but he's some player.”

Lydiate also reflected on one of the most controversial selection calls in Lions history — Brian O’Driscoll’s omission from the 3rd Test in 2013.

“Yeah, it was a bit of a shock to be honest. Foxy [Jonathan Davies] got a hell of a lot of flak for it but it was more down to Jamie [Roberts] coming back than on Foxy.”

“Gats [Warren Gatland] made the call and it paid off but I remember after the next day I was walking past him and I can't remember who I was with and I could see that Gats was quite nervous about everything and basically saying he's getting a lot of shit over this selection.”

“I was like, don't worry about it. We got this. It's in the bag sort of thing, the game coming up.”

“It’s not like Brian under-performed on that tour or anything but Gats made the big calls that needed to be made and he went with it. It all paid off.”