One of the worst kept secrets in rugby union was confirmed on Thursday when Andy Farrell was named head coach of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.

It is a measure of the impact the 48-year-old former dual code international has had during his off-field career that Farrell has long been regarded as the leading candidate for the job, with Lions predecessor Warren Gatland championing him as his successor.

Farrell came to rugby union as a player in 2005 after a brilliant career in rugby league, where he made his Great Britain debut aged just 18 and captained Wigan, one of the English 13-a-side code’s leading clubs at 21.

His first season at Saracens was blighted by injury but Farrell went on to win eight caps in his new code and was a member of the England squad that reached the final of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Read full story on sport.timesofmalta.com

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