Owen Farrell shows England a glimpse of the future

EDINBURGH, Feb 5 (Reuters) - England never really saw the best of Andy Farrell after he converted to rugby union late in his career but his 20year-old son Owen, who made a nerveless debut in Saturday's 13-6 win over Scotland, is likely be a fixture for some time.

Farrell senior, now assistant to interim coach Stuart Lancaster, won just about everything in the game when he played rugby league for Wigan and Britain, and though he featured in the 2007 union World Cup final during his brief stint as a test union player, his best years were behind him.

Owen Farrell opted for the 15-man code as a schoolboy and looked completely at home in the cauldron of a Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield despite his tender years and relatively little senior experience.

He slotted home a tough, wide conversion of Charlie Hodgson's try early in the second half, then, after leaving a 50-metre penalty attempt short after 70 minutes, immediately made up for it by landing a 35-metre shot that crucially stretched England's lead to seven points.

Defensively, alongside fellow Saracens debutant centre Brad Barritt, he did not put a foot wrong, and though there was little opportunity for him to show the vision and deft hands that England have been seeking, he certainly has time on his side. “He's got a good temperament, hasn't he?” said Lancaster after handing out seven new caps.