Lions tour: Jonathan Joseph centre of attention as Andy Farrell lays down gauntlet

Defence coach Farrell has challenged the latest Lions XV to spearhead his rearguard charge against the Highlanders this morning.

The Lions insist they have not trained for Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell to pair up at fly-half and inside centre, and yet Farrell hailed their improvisation when thrown together in the gritty 12-3 win over the Crusaders.

That pairing could still prove the ace up coach Warren Gatland’s sleeve for the first All Blacks Test on June 24, despite much clamour around England centre Ben Te’o’s early tour form.

Jonathan Joseph has a chance to claw back some ground on Jonathan Davies in the battle for the 13 shirt in Dunedin, with Farrell praising the England flyer’s work in training.

“I’m still looking for defensive leaders,” said Farrell, laying down the gauntlet to his squad. “If somebody messes up, everyone pays for it. I’m still looking for people to grab hold of the system and take it forward.

“We want that competition, don’t we? That’s why I’m not singling people out.

“The pace the Highlanders play on the back of their attacking kicking game is great to watch.

“We’ve got to be in control of how we want to play the game and be ready for them to hit us at breakneck speed. This is the type of test that we want because that’s exactly what the All Blacks are fantastic at.

“Defence ain’t about just sprinting off the line, is it? It’s about adapting to the situation.

“If the opposition get an offload then the system has to change. It’s about numbers on feet and covering space.

“I thought our decision-making of which system to use at the right time was very good on Saturday.”

Sexton and Farrell were thrust together prematurely on Saturday after Stuart Hogg’s facial injury and a blow to the head for Wales centre Davies.

The Lions have always maintained they view Farrell as a pure fly-half, despite England recently deploying him at inside centre.

Ireland fly-half Sexton looked far more assured with the near-peerless Farrell on his outside shoulder, and that combination must surely now be piquing head coach Gatland’s interest ahead of the three-Test All Blacks series.

“It changed a little bit on Saturday night simply because we hadn’t run them there together; I thought both of them combined very well,” said Andy Farrell of the Sexton-Owen Farrell partnership.

“Anthony Watson hadn’t trained at all at full-back and I thought he adapted fantastically well. At this level when you explain something to a group and you think you’re talking to just a certain minority, the rest of them tend to listen as well and pick it up.”

England centre Joseph failed to cut loose in the laboured 13-7 tour-opening win over the Provincial Barbarians but coach Farrell tipped the Bath star to be a different proposition today, now jet lag is no factor.

“There’s a great battle going on there,” said Farrell of the shake-up at outside centre. “Players who perform outstandingly well over the coming matches will be in the shop window to start the Tests. JJ is adapting well, leading and setting good examples in training.

“He’s looking very sharp. What JJ brings is not just X factor, but very few errors in attack and defence.

“We want to see his X factor to make some breaks and score some tries because that’s what is needed at this level.”

Joseph has admitted he must repay Gatland’s faith for insisting the England centre tour New Zealand.

He was an 11th-hour inclusion in the 41-man touring party after head coach Gatland demanded his addition in last-minute selection meetings.

The 26-year-old 33-cap centre confirmed he is out to vindicate Gatland’s decision to bring him on tour ahead of the likes of Ireland’s Garry Ringrose.

Asked if it is time to repay Gatland, Joseph replied: “Yeah for sure, I owe him a lot. I want to prove myself on the big stage and there’s no better place to do it.

“I’m up for the challenge and I’ll do everything I can to put in a good performance. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen, but I have to give myself the best shot.”

Joseph is desperate to strike back to his best today and continues: “There are people who are playing very well and that’s what these games are for; to put your best foot forward.

“That’s what certain individuals are doing and that’s what I’m going to try to do in this game.”