CAPTAIN HOOK

Owen stunned to lose lead role

OWEN FARRELL was far from happy after learning he would not skipper England on the tour to Australia.

Head coach Eddie Jones met with Farrell before England even boarded the plane but kept the decision close to his chest until yesterday.

Jones has recalled Farrell, at inside centre, for tomorrow’s series opener here in Perth but Courtney Lawes is retained as captain.

Farrell, 30, has been Jones’ skipper since the 2018 tour to South Africa and this represents a big shift.

He missed the end of the autumn and the Six Nations with two ankle problems when Tom Curry and Lawes led the team.

Jones insisted his decision is for the good of the team given Farrell’s workload as goal-kicker and mentor for 23-year-old fly-half Marcus Smith.

“I told him he wasn’t going to be captain and he wasn’t very happy, which I expected,” said Jones. “It was exactly the sort of reaction I wanted from him because that is the sort of player he is.

“The captaincy takes up a fair bit of time. We feel there is enough on his plate being inside centre, he has got a young 10 next to him and that is the right role for him on this tour.

“He’s been out of the team for a long time.We want him to focus on his game, develop his game, and once he’s got his game strong then we’ll look at the captaincy again.”

Farrell, right, has played like he was making up for lost time since his return in April, leading Saracens to the Premiership final. Jones added: “He’s played with a lot of intent, his attacking game has been pretty good, his game control has been outstanding and physically, defensively I’ve never seen him better. Owen’s a winner. He’s played 94 Tests and won every trophy apart from the World

Cup. He’ll add considerably to our team.”

Billy Vunipola’s return at No.8 was well flagged up, as was Joe Cokanasiga’s on the wing.Vunipola returns after being coldshouldered since March

2021, while scrum-half

Danny Care is also back to win his 85th cap after being out since November 2018.