Lions leave space for Farrell to join the tour

WARREN Gatland has left the door open for Ireland head coach Andy Farrell to join the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa this summer if his international commitments allow.

-  ADAM HATHAWAY

Lions’ boss Gatland was desperate for Farrell to travel after working with him on the trips to Australia in 2013 and New Zealand in 2017 when the Englishman helped beat the Wallabies and draw with the All Blacks.

But Farrell took over from Joe Schmidt in Ireland’s top job after the last World Cup and felt he would be needed on Ireland’s mooted summer tour to the Pacific Islands.

Plans for that have not been finalised which could leave Farrell free to take up a Lions post close to the squad travelling.

He would join Gregor Townsend, Neil Jenkins, Steve Tandy, and Robin McBryde who were named as assistants to Gatland last Tuesday and the New Zealander is holding out hope Farrell could be on the plane.

“It’s possible, it’s why we’ve left one of the spots open,” Gatland said. “I would have loved Andy to come.

“Whoever it is, we feel like we need someone else to come in, at the start of the tour, during the tour, or before the Test matches take place.