England sweat on injury to Farrell
OWEN FARRELL has given England another Six Nations injury worry that could pave the way for the return of Sale’s Danny Cipriani. Saracens fly-half Farrell and Bath centre Kyle Eastmond became the latest casualties yesterday. England meet today to prepare for their opener against Wales on February 6. Farrell injured his left knee early in Saracens’ 18-6 European Champions Cup defeat by Clermont Auvergne, leaving the ground on crutches. Eastmond went off with a shoulder injury in Bath’s win over Glasgow. England head coach Stuart Lancaster had already lost Manu Tuilagi, Ben Morgan, Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury. Now Farrell, Eastmond, Tom Wood and Geoff Parling are doubts. First choice fly-half George Ford also went off for concussion tests during Bath’s game. If he and Farrell are out, Cipriani could start in Cardiff.
IT WAS an afternoon for sharp mathematicians at the Stade Marcel-Michelin as Saracens squeezed through to the Champions Cup quarter-finals despite losing to French heavyweights Clermont Auvergne. Ed Griffiths, CEO of the London club, kept an anxious eye on unfoldings elsewhere as Toulouse’s narrow defeat by Montpellier ultimately booked Saracens a knock-out trip to big-spending Racing Metro. Castres’ decision to field a weakened side in their Pool Two matches created a skewed points difference that almost cost Saracens their hopes of progression as one of the three best runners-up. ‘It is so disappointing to see a club like Castres throw up the white flag,’ said director of rugby Mark McCall. ‘It is meant to be an elite competition and that should not be tolerated. We give a lot of thanks to Montpellier for fronting up against Toulouse.’ It transpired Saracens had a 35-point safety cushion in defeat. That effectively turned the fixture into a shootout for a home tie. Clermont fly-half Camille Lopez kicked the opening points before Owen Farrell missed a chance to level the score. There was concern when the England contender fell awkwardly in the 15th minute and he was replaced by Charlie Hodgson. Farrell walked off unassisted but later left the ground on crutches with his left knee in a brace. Hodgson, too, was off target with his opening kick at goal, and that lack of execution was punished by Clermont on the half-hour mark when Nick Abendanon scored. A powerful Saracens set-piece has been their most potent weapon this season and that was the case here. It provided territory for Hodgson to kick a penalty before the break and the fly-half added three more points from the boot later on. Vincent Debaty rumbled over for the decisive Clermont try after Saracens wing David Strettle was sent to the sin bin for a late tackle on man of the match Abendanon.