Owen Farrell has spoken publicly for the first time since joining the British and Irish Lions tour as an injury replacement for Elliot Daly 17 days ago.
The 33-year-old expressed bewilderment at the hostile reaction he provokes on social media platforms.
Speaking at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, the former England captain admitted he struggles to comprehend why he attracts such intense criticism online.
"I understand that times are different now," Farrell said.
PA
|Owen Farrell has spoken out on the abuse he receives on social media
"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 fly-half described both positive and negative social media commentary as "poison" during his first media appearance since being called up to the squad.
Farrell revealed he was informed of his captaincy appointment mere seconds before the team announcement for Tuesday's fixture against the First Nations and Pasifika XV.
His father Andy Farrell, the Lions head coach, selected him to lead the side in what marks his 20th appearance for the touring team.
The appointment comes after Farrell stepped away from international rugby following the 2023 World Cup, citing mental health reasons.
He had not featured in Test rugby for 20 months and had played just 30 minutes of rugby in over two months before joining the tour.
Despite the lengthy absence from international competition, Farrell confirmed he had no reservations about accepting the call-up to his fourth Lions tour.
Farrell explained his approach to filtering criticism, emphasising the importance of listening to those whose opinions genuinely matter.
"If you go and knock on someone's door and ask them their opinion of how you played at the weekend, you wouldn't really listen to their answer," he stated.
He stressed that feedback from "proper rugby people" and teammates carries more weight than anonymous online commentary. "Your mates" will provide honest assessments rather than empty praise, he noted.
The veteran player acknowledged that his ability to handle criticism fluctuates depending on his mental state.
Reuters
|Owen and Andy Farrell have been reunited in Australia
"There's times where people can say this, that and the other and it just goes over your head," he explained.
"And there's times where you're not in the best place of all time and you're almost waiting for something to set you off."
Farrell revealed he has developed better coping mechanisms for external pressures, emphasising the need for self-care and perspective.
"Making sure I look after myself and giving myself a break," he explained as part of his approach to maintaining wellbeing.
The midfielder expressed genuine enthusiasm about his Lions involvement, highlighting the camaraderie within the squad.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
PA
|Andy Farrell called his son Owen up as a replacement before making him captain for the upcoming friendlies
He specifically mentioned Ireland's Mack Hansen as someone who brings levity to the group. "We've had a right laugh along the way," Farrell said. "There's some great characters here."
He reflected positively on the tour atmosphere, describing it as energising and noting how he has been actively participating in training sessions despite his limited recent game time.
Regarding his potential return to England duty, Farrell remained non-committal, stating his immediate focus remains solely on the Lions campaign.
"My focus is on what's in front of me, which is here," he confirmed, adding that decisions about his international future would come later.