England’s Owen Farrell will play his 100th Test against the Wallabies this weekend, following confirmation from the British & Irish Lions that their game against Japan earlier this year will not be given Test status.
The Lions have decided their international against Japan before their tour of South Africa was not a Test match, meaning Farrell will only earn his 100th Test cap this Saturday versus Australia.
The clash against Japan was played at Murrayfield on 26 June in preparation for the Lions’ eight-match tour of South Africa, but it has taken until November for the Lions board to decide on the match’s status.
Finally, they have confirmed that the only matches they will give Test status to are those against host unions, a controversial decision as the board did award Test status to their 2005 match in Cardiff against Argentina. Despite the Lions’ call, Japan and World Rugby have given the match Test status, with the Japanese players who featured in the match earning Test caps for their participation.
Last week, Farrell was initially named to start at flyhalf for England against Tonga in what would have been his 100th Test, but he was ruled out just before the match after a false positive Covid-19 test, and amid the uncertainty of his caps tally due to the Lions board’s indecision on the matter.
It means Farrell will play his 100th international (94th England Test) this Saturday against the Wallabies at Twickenham.
“The British & Irish Lions Board can confirm The Vodafone Lions 1888 Cup, this year’s pre-Tour Lions v Japan home match at BT Murrayfield on 26 June 2021, is not a Lions Test match,” the Lions said in a press release.
“The Lions v Japan match, which took place before the 2021 Tour to South Africa has been classed as an international fixture.
“The fixture has been recorded on the appearance record of every player who was involved in the game and every new Lion who played in this match has been capped and awarded a Lions number.
“To clarify, the criteria going forwards will be that Lions Test status will only be awarded to those matches played against the host Union’s national representative side (except in exceptional circumstances, to be determined by the Board at the appropriate time).”
