Thumb thing’s up with Farrell
ENGLAND captain Owen Farrell could miss the start of the Six Nations after undergoing thumb surgery yesterday.
He is expected to be sidelined for up to 10 days which puts his inclusion in England’s game against Ireland on February 2 in doubt.
Farrell, 27, who pulled out of Saracens’ Champions Cup game against Glasgow, will travel to Portugal with England on Thursday and be monitored.
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said: “He’s been complaining about his hand being a bit sore and we decided to send him for a scan.
“It revealed a very minor problem with a tendon in his thumb. The procedure has already been done.”
If Farrell is ruled out Leicester’s George Ford is set to replace him as stand-off and captain.
Meanwhile, England head coach Eddie Jones has admitted to spying on opponents – but insists he has not done it with England.
Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa shocked football this week by confessing to sending a member of staff to watch every team they’ve faced this season in training.
But Jones said: “That Leeds bloke was just telling everyone what everyone does.
“I can guarantee (Wales coach) Warren Gatland sends someone when we have an open session.
“I have been coaching for 20 years and it has always been going on.
“Fifteen years ago we used to send people out in costumes to watch training. I can remember sending a coach, who is in a very senior position now, in a costume to go and watch one team play.
“He was dressed up like a swagman, one of those hats with corks – and he got chased out of there.”
Jones admits there will be opportunities for teams to spy at the World Cup “if they want to” as a number of grounds in Japan are surrounded by office buildings.
He said England would do everything necessary to protect their selections.
But he added: “I don’t want to get to the extent where we go to the team room and we’re putting Blu Tack on the keyhole and looking under seats for tape recorders.
“It creates a sense of paranoia and one of the things you learn at a World Cup is that players work hard but also need a sense of enjoyment to be at their best.
“You don’t want them feeling someone’s looking at them all the time.”
At the 2003 World Cup in Australia, Clive Woodward was said to have hired ex-special forces men to combat spying and England electronically swept hotel meeting rooms for bugs.
Ahead of England’s mission to Dublin, Jones’ biggest concern is the growing influence of world player of the year Johnny Sexton.
“He’s the only one allowed to talk to the ref – so that gives Ireland an advantage.”