Captain-in-waiting Farrell a worthy winner
England and Lions star in exalted company after being honoured with rugby writers’ top prize
Eddie Jones has never been one to harbour doubt, a naturally decisive state of being that has seen him back Dylan Hartley as England captain, safe in the knowledge that if anything might befall his long-standing leader (and form does not seem to be a criterion) then Owen Farrell is in prime position to take over.
Farrell has a force-field personality, radiating the sort of vibes that are integral to any team no matter their lot: grit, defiance, self-belief, competitiveness and a fiery poise. All of which contributed to the 26-year-old Saracen topping a high-quality field of contenders to win the Rugby Union Writers’ Club’s prestigious Pat Marshall Award, which was announced at a gala dinner in central London last night. It is a well-merited honour.
Farrell would be the last to present his own claims, a hard-nosed yet self-effacing individual, yet the mere fact that he headed a list that contained the man responsible for one of the success stories of the last decade, Rob Baxter, Exeter Chiefs director of rugby, who has guided the West Country club from second-division status to a Premiership title, as well as the player who almost pulled off the coup of the century, Lions captain Sam Warburton, indicates just what a special individual Farrell is.
The company he now keeps on the list of former winners includes the likes of Gareth Edwards and Jean-pierre Rives from a bygone era, through to Francois Pienaar and Jonah Lomu in the ’90s, and of more recent vintage, Martin Johnson and Jonny Wilkinson. There are comparisons to be made with England’s dropped-goal hero of 2003 (whatever happened to the dropped-goal?) even though Wilkinson never did get to captain his country at length. He was offered the captaincy by Andy Robinson with a view to taking England through to the 2007 Rugby World Cup only for, as ever, injury to scupper that plan.
Wilkinson has proven a considerate, empathetic coach, but always appeared too wrapped-up in the mechanics of his match-day trade to have necessarily made a good captain. You fancy it would have weighed heavily on him.
Others are temperamentally better suited. Jones has not stuck with Hartley on a whim or as a pointed rebuke to popular opinion. Farrell shares many qualities with the Northampton hooker, a deep-rooted desire to get the best out of the moment, be it in preparation when the tone is set or within the run of a match itself.
Never mind those who dismiss these assets, as they have done with Hartley, as being ‘intangible’, as if persona or presence or charisma were not distinguishable in the crowd. One glance at the world of politics down the years would tell you the opposite. Leaders stand apart.
Farrell has the character to succeed as a captain. He would bring the same attributes as he brings to his game, defiance and cussedness as well as shrewdness and tactical management. Farrell is not the most polished performer on a rugby field. He does not have the smoothness of a Dan Carter or the turn of speed of a Beauden Barrett (another potential candidate, although the All Black fly-half did not make the final shortlist, which also contained England lock Maro Itoje and the Lions’ player of the series, Jonathan Davies). But Farrell has the respect of those around him. They value his selflessness, his will and his grit, his being steadfast and unwavering.
That Saracens, England and the Lions all enjoyed success in 2017 is not solely down to Farrell, of course. But all three teams performed in the manner of Farrell: robust, tight-knit and damned hard to knock out of their stride.
There were other reasons to raise a glass last night, emotionally so in the case of Doddie Weir, the former Lions and Scotland lock, among his own in a 600-strong audience made up of writers, coaches, players and administrators. Weir won the Special Award, a discretionary award for outstanding service, with former winners including other notable Scots, Jim Telfer and Sir Ian Mcgeechan (who was in attendance), Sir Clive Woodward and Agustin Pichot, men who have shaped the game in their respective countries.
Doddie’s cause is a self-imposed crusade to raise funds for research into Motor Neurone Disease. Weir was diagnosed with the debilitating disease last summer and, to judge by the love and support he has received since that fateful day, his campaign (the My Name’5 Doddie foundation) has touched hearts and minds the world over. The reception for him at the Marriott Grovesnor Square was plangent, but also uplifting.
It was a night of celebration across the board, with several representatives from the highachieving women’s game present; the likes of Sarah Hunter, England captain, and Emily Scarratt, winner of the 2014 Pat Marshall Award.
As befits the broad church that is the writers’ club, the evening was superbly overseen by the chairman, Sarah Mockford, who handed out accolades to Max Boyce, the famed Wales entertainer, not for his wit and songs but for his 30 years of effort at Glynneath RFC, where he has cut grass, washed glasses and chaired meetings in the same unstinting manner as another winner, Michael Harrison of Wharfedale RUFC. It was a special evening.
Farrell would bring his shrewdness, defiance and cussedness to the England captaincy