Finn Russell says he'd relish Owen Farrell Lions link

The fly-half duo have been long-time international rivals, but struck up a friendship on the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa. 

They made one appearance together on that tour, but an Achilles injury to Russell prevented the Scotland talisman from playing more than a bit-part role in the Test series, which the Lions lost 2-1. 

Ahead of next summer's tour to Australia, Scotland captain Russell said he would be keen to link up with Farrell - whose dad Andy is the Lions head coach - in the midfield. 

He said: “We view the game differently so there would be a bit of a clash there, but we are good enough mates that we would get on with it. 

“We would have to find that balance between us, but he’s a brilliant player and I would love to play with him."

Finn Russell said he's developed a friendship with former England captain Owen Farrell (Image: SNS)

Russell, who spent five seasons at Racing 92 - the club Farrell has joined this summer - admitted his preconceptions about the former England captain were proved wrong in the 2021 tour bubble. 

“I got on really well with Owen in 2021," he said.  

"I’d heard he was so focused and he was intense, but I didn’t see any of that at all. I thought he was quite chilled out. He was relaxed and I had a laugh with him.

“We have always had an interesting relationship when we have played against each other. At the start it was head to head but then recently, even before the Lions, it turned into a friendship.

“Before it was me against you and by the end of it, it was still me against you, but we could have a laugh while we were doing it.

“At the end I looked forward to playing against him, for his competitiveness but I liked the bloke. It changed as the years have gone on.”

If selected, the tour Down Under would be Russell's third with the Lions, having also been part of the 'Geography Six' in 2017.  

Russell and Allan Dell were part of the so-called Geography Six in 2017 (Image: SNS)

He knows next summer's tour could be vastly different to the ones he's experienced so far. 

Russell said: “You see the videos from 2013 when the Lions were last in Australia, with all of the fans all there. That would be a very different experience to the first and second tours I went on.

“The first was very much ‘you are here to do a job and get out of here’. The second one had no fans. It was great, but different.

“To experience it fully and go on a tour with fans, be part of it all again, that would be a complete Lions tour. It would be amazing.”