OWEN FARRELL did not hesitate to answer the call to join his fourth British and Irish Lions tour even though he was aware of the potential “poison” his involvement might generate.

Farrell captains the Lions for the first time in tomorrow’s match against the First Nations and Pasifika XV at Docklands Stadium, 17 days after arriving in Australia as an injury replacement for Elliot Daly.

The former England captain had just finished a testimonial golf day for former Saracens team-mate Jackson Wray when his father Andy called with the invitation to join the squad.

Mechanical issues with his car meant he was able to disappear to answer the phone without raising the suspicions of his golf partners.

“When I got asked to come, the first thing that popped into my head was ‘yes’,” Farrell said.

“It wasn’t a discussion. Elliot got a knock and I got a phone call. ‘Can you get ready?’ and I said ‘Yeah.’ That was it. I wanted to take the opportunity and I’m glad I’m here.”

Until his cameo against AUNZ on July 12, his most recent international appearance was at the 2023 World Cup, after which he stepped back from England to prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing.

It was a response to the vitriol that ensued after he was banned for a high tackle against Wales in the build-up to the tournament and the booing he received during England’s march to the semi-finals.

The 33-year-old struggles to comprehend why he is such a polarising figure but has learned to deal with the darker moments by retaining perspective, while “making sure I look after myself and giving myself a break.”

“I understand that times are different now,” he said. “Sometimes it catches fire and just takes a life of its own and goes wherever it goes and there’s momentum behind it. But no, I don’t always understand it.

“The good and the bad — both are a poison. That’s not to say that it’s all bad, but the things that should matter to us as players are the people that matter to us.”