BATTLE FOR NO.10
Farrell’s mission to make amends
ENGLAND captain Owen Farrell admitted to wondering whether he would be “any good” at rugby league.
He revealed a love of coaching which seemed to confirm he will follow in dad Andy’s footsteps when his playing days end.
And Farrell, right, told stories of growing up with George Ford, his friend who he goes head-to-head with in today’s Premiership final.
On the eve of Saracens’ Twickenham showdown with Sale, the 31-year old was happy to chew the fat.
But he was crystal clear that come this afternoon all that matters is righting the wrong of last year’s showpiece defeat by Leicester.
Losing to Freddie Burns’ last-gasp drop goal haunted Sarries through the summer. “Not great for your family holiday,” said director of rugby Mark McCall.
It became a catalyst for change which over the course of the season would transform the north Londoners’ approach.
Farrell said: “That 80 minutes made us look at everything because we didn’t get the best out of ourselves in that game. We were nowhere near.
“We want to be good enough to play any way the game demands and we feel we have taken a step forward with that this year.”
According to McCall, the manner of defeat left the entire club “agitated and aggravated”. A year on he is full of praise for how his flyhalf led the makeover, saying it proved “for sure” that he will make a good coach.
“I do love that side of the game,” said Farrell. “Watching the game, analysing it, trying to see how teams work and how to get the best out of things.
“But I’m not done [playing]. I want to get everything out of my career and enjoy what’s to come in the future.”
It is unlikely Farrell will return to the league code he played as a child given his standing in union, but he confessed: “I always wonder if I’d be any good.”
England rugby league captain Sam Tomkins has labelled him as the “best rugby league player of the last 10 years” despite Farrell having never played the code as a professional.
He describes league as his “first love” and says last month he sat alone at home watching Wigan-St Helens thinking, ‘How good’s this?!’
Come tea time Farrell’s team-mates will hope he is saying the same about Saracens. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about. SARACENS: Goode; Malins, Lozowski, Tompkins, Maitland; Farrell (capt), Van Zyl; Mawi, George, Riccioni, Itoje, Tizard, Isiekwe, Earl, Wray. Replacements: Dan, M Vunipola, Judge, HunterHill, Knight, De Haas, Taylor, Daly.