Farrell was being unveiled as the Lions' new head coach this lunchtime at a press conference in London to lead the tourists in Australia in 2025.
The 48-year-old has replaced longterm coach Warren Gatland as the new Lions boss to take on his latest mission impossible.
When Farrell picked up the Ireland baton from Joe Schmidt, he had to follow the nation's most successful boss. But where Schmidt took Ireland to a first-ever Test win over New Zealand, Farrell oversaw a maiden series victory in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Quite how Farrell found a way to supersede Schmidt with Ireland could, in some respects, remain forever shrouded in a level of mystery.
As he takes on the near-mystic role of Lions supremo, however, there is absolutely no doubting he can repeat the feat on an altogether more exulted level. If Farrell can see Gatland's Lions achievements and raise them, he will hold all the trump cards in the Test game.
Gatland guided the Lions to a 2-1 series win in Australia in 2013 - and there is every chance Farrell can oversee a clean sweep of the Wallabies in 2025.
Bu hikaye Evening Standard dergisinin January 11, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Evening Standard dergisinin January 11, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Kylie Minogue loves the bar at Louie, startling Beefeaters and snooping in The Conran Shop
Currently it’s largely suitcase-based as I’ve been doing so much travel for work, but Melbourne, Australia, is home.
Are Spurs willing to invest what it takes to win trophies?
Criticism of the manager for the club's struggles misses the point-whatever he says, he's not been given a squad ready to push for the biggest honours
Crowning glory awaits Britain's golden girl
Odds-on favourite to win BBC Sports Personality, Keely Hodgkinson never doubted she was ready to conquer the world
Residents at war over £10 billion 'Shanghai-style' Earl's Court plan
Controversial proposals are causing a huge furore in west London
The secrets of selling the capital's £40m homes
Armed security, NDAs, a gold temple...inside the world of ultra high-end property deals
Jenny Packham on Amsterdam why is truly magical at Christmas time
The designer gets lost in the cobbled streets and is entranced by the city’s twinkling lights and unique spirit
Alfies Antique Market
Here is a place to blindly lose oneself in a labyrinth of staircases and thresholds.
Decline and fall: what comes after peak wellness?
The social elite are obsessed with devices that track their health but the backlash is building
The newest AI can arrange your holiday- but will it be a strictly woke one?
A lightning-quick artificial megabrain with an appetite for social justice? WILLIAM HOSIE has a chat with Claude Al
'Fame just isn't healthy
Mercury Prize-winning band English Teacher on the pressure of success, trying not to burn out and the challenges black women face in indie music