And that, surely, is the closest he will get to the Lions, after touring with them in 2013, 2027 and 2021, and in light of the dispiriting way his single season playing for Racing 92 in France, and out of the England side since the 2023 World Cup, has played out?
Or could there yet be another twist, at the end of a week in which Farrell rejoined Saracens for next season, having cut short his French stint by a year?
"I don't regret it"
Owen Farrell on what went wrong at Racing 92 and his return to Saracens pic.twitter.com/xoel6Fe0qZ
A few weeks ago, you could see why his father Andy, the Lions’ head coach, left the door ajar, in case of injuries to others or the 33-year-old Owen making a strong late run.
The main fly-halves picked were a good group in Finn Russell, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith, with Ireland’s Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley, England’s George Ford and Scotland’s No 10/No 12 hybrid Tom Jordan among those omitted.
They all did their best during the Six Nations to catch the Lions’ eye.
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And he hasn’t played at all for the last six weeks, after going off with a head knock on 4 May and then the season finishing for his club.
Maybe they could be options for the 2033 tour.
If Russell or one of the Smiths or Sione Tuipulotu or Bundee Aki fall over in the next few weeks, who is next in line? Ford has been in the groove of late. Jordan has the versatility and centre ability. Or Farrell, the three-time tourist?
Saracens’ fans videos this week showed Farrell kicking at the StoneX Stadium – “Just don’t ask me to do 40 metres,” he said – and asked him how he had changed.
“I’ve had a lot of time to look at myself and try and be better. I’d say I have changed a fair bit.” No further detail, though.
The is back.#YourSaracens pic.twitter.com/SlkPq5imxe
We did see he signs his name left-handed and kicks right-footed, which might be interesting to some.
That acerbic sporty banter could be enjoyed by a wider audience when Farrell squares up to the mic on Friday night.
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Next for Saracens is pre-season training from mid-July, at which time they will be missing their current fly-half Fergus Burke, away with Scotland and hoping for a Test debut.
They could have used Alex Lozowski but he has a long-term injury, and it is the injury dispensation that is enabling Farrell’s wages.
Saracens’ director of rugby Mark McCall said he “wouldn’t be so keen” on Farrell being a player-coach only for the club, but they do have a history of directing players to a school or lower-league side to cut their teeth, as Richard Wigglesworth once did with Harrow School and Ealing.
“Coaching is different than playing, and you’ve got to learn how to communicate,” McCall said. “Not that I think he [Farrell] is not a good communicator, but it’s different.”
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