WHEN OWEN SPEAKS WE ALL LISTEN
England tributes to Farrell ‘aura’ ahead of 100th cap
OWEN FARRELL has changed the way English rugby is played and the way the England team think.
That was the tribute paid by Farrell’s England and Saracens team-mate Jamie George as colleagues and coaches lined up to hail the influence of just the third Englishman to reach a century of caps.
Farrell will hit three figures on Saturday, when he captains his country against New Zealand at Twickenham – and will do so credited with a profound and lasting influence on the sport over his 10 years in the national team.
George said: “Owen has changed the way English rugby has been played, we can genuinely say that.
“He’s changed the mindset of the team – giving us the belief to play against teams like the All Blacks.
“He’s led the way throughout his 99 caps. There has not been a day I’ve trained with him where I thought, ‘He’s having an off day’. The way he fights and shows resilience, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
Farrell follows Ben Youngs (119) and Jason Leonard (114) in reaching his ton. Sarah Hunter (140) and Rocky Clark (137) lead the way for England’s women.
“There’s an aura about Owen,” said Luke CowanDickie. “His presence in the team makes you raise your own game another level.
“When you first come in you maybe feel he’s asking for too much, but you come to realise he’s not – and what he wants is the best for you and the team. I can guarantee his 100th cap won’t change the way he approaches or plays the game. But the rest of us will be going to the next level to try and make it the best experience of his life.”
Farrell has won 68 Tests with England, scoring more than 1000 points. He has led his country 36 times, including in the 2019 World Cup final.
“Sometimes I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves,” said England head coach Eddie Jones. “When you’re a tough, gritty player like Owen is, it’s harder to be liked isn’t it? That’s the reality. He’s combative, he’s very focused about the game and he doesn’t open himself up a lot. The media like people who open themselves up.”
It is those uncompromising qualities that make Farrell so appreciated by opponents too.
“I remember him setting the tone with his body language against the haka before the 2019 World Cup semi-final,” said All Blacks great Dan Carter, who would rather forget what happened next.
Not only in rugby union is he prized. England rugby league captain Sam Tomkins rates Farrell “the best league player of the last 10 years, and he’s never played a game!”.
England defence coach Anthony Seibold, who is leaving next month to become boss of NRL side Manly, said: “Owen’s got a spirit that you don’t come across often – such a player leads in the changing room with their actions and their words. I hold him in the highest esteem.”
Joe Cokanasiga will miss Farrell’s big day with an ankle injury suffered against Japan.