Eddie urged to let Farrell run show from No.10
OWEN Farrell’s controlling influence as a leader is being compromised by England’s insistence on playing him out of position, according to former Red Rose fly-half Charlie Hodgson.
Two-time European champion out-half Farrell has been used predominantly at inside-centre by England boss Eddie Jones, who has favoured the more attack-minded George Ford as his main playmaker in a side that has claimed successive Six Nations titles.
However, Hodgson, a long-time teammate of Farrell’s at Saracens, said: “It depends on what balance Eddie is trying to play, but my preference would always be Owen at fly-half because I think he’s proven himself time after time in big games.
“He’s been the standout fly-half in Europe with his performances for Saracens over the last few years, so it’s quite tough on him having to keep moving.
“It shows his character and ability that he can move and play 12, but I would love to see him in the No.10 shirt taking complete control of what’s going on.”
Hodgson added: “He and George Ford know each other well, but Owen’s natural instinct at 10 is to be in complete control and being at 12 you almost have to take a back seat because you have to let the other guy take control as well.
WILL Collier has declared himself ready to take centre stage for Harlequins and England in the absence of banned tight-head Kyle Sinckler.
Collier, an England hero in Argentina this summer, failed to feature in the recent Red Rose training camps but now has a chance to force his way up the pecking order after Sinckler admitted a charge of gouging Northampton’s Michael Paterson.
With his Harlequins teammate sidelined for seven weeks, encompassing the first two November internationals, Collier,
below, told The Rugby Paper: “It’s unfortunate for Sincks but what I do know is that he isn’t a malicious player in any way.
“Me and Sincks have a great relationship. We’re very different characters but I have massive respect for him, as I hope he has for me, and we both play on the edge.
“He’s a very physical player, very confrontational, but I know for a fact that he wouldn’t have done what he did at Saints on purpose. I’ve been sharing the load with Sincks, but it’s up to me now to step up and show people what I can do.”
Collier, 26, is desperate for another stab at Test rugby after winning his first two caps in Argentina.
He said: “I absolutely loved it. I’m a player who really enjoys the set-piece and scrum so it was the perfect place to go and when I heard I’d been selected, I just lit up with excitement.
“I know how much Argentina love their setpiece and it’s an amazing place to test your mettle. The mindset they have to scrummaging is brilliant and the whole Argentina pack, all eight of them, just thrive on that physical part of the game.
“They’ve got young looseheads trying to take up the mantle from Marcos Ayerza and doing a pretty good job, so it was a hell of a tour for me and Harry Williams.”
Enthusiastic Collier added: “There’s stiff competition throughout the England squad which is great, but there will be opportunities and I came off that tour thinking I 100 per cent wanted to be in that environment because it’s amazing. “The players you’re surrounded by, the coaching staff and everything that goes with it... you hear people talk about it but when you see that set-up under Eddie Jones it’s incredible and I’m trying to do everything I can to get back in.” Under the guidance of Harlequins scrum gurus Graham Rowntree and Adam Jones, Collier is working even harder on his all-round game. “Their input has been priceless,” Collier explained. “When Graham first came in I thought it was just going to be about focussing on the scrum, but a lot of the work I’ve done with him has actually been about developing my game in the loose. “I’m working hard on having a big impact there and getting my work-rate up because that’s what you need at international level now. “Graham’s had a lot of experience there and with Adam mainly focussing on the scrum, there’s no better people to be learning from. “Having played with Adam for the last two years, he has no qualms about telling us if something’s not right and he’s a real character with it. It’s just the mindset he has to scrummaging and the way he approaches it that’s impressive.”
Harlequins are dining at European rugby’s top table again after a two year absence and Collier knows big performances in Saturday’s Champions Cup clash with La Rochelle and the following week against Wasps could open doors.
“I love playing in Europe – the huge arenas, against the best players and it really gets the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. The French will come with a big pack looking to beat us up, but I’ll relish the challenge that brings.”