Farrell must be made to wait for England recall
MARCUS SMITH was in matchwinner mode again on Saturday and will be england’s No10 in the Six Nations, no question. But eddie Jones should shelve plans for a playmaker alliance with Owen Farrell, at least temporarily.
When harlequins finally found a way past exeter on Saturday, it was Smith who made it happen. As he did against South Africa in November, the precocious playmaker maintained his daring streak in search of a breakthrough.
he wasn’t imperious throughout but when Quins needed him to pull the proverbial rabbit out of a hat, the fly-half did so by creating Andre esterhuizen’s late try with a crosskick and then dispatched the decisive, wide conversion off a post.
english rugby’s new poster boy has not been operating at his peak lately but the signs are that he is on an upward curve again ahead of the england squad announcement a week tomorrow.
Jones wants the leeway to pick 32 players and that might provide a selection reprieve for one of the country’s experienced No 10s. But which one?
George Ford has been the best fly-half in the league all season and the Leicester talisman deserves a recall.
In contrast, Owen Farrell has been out of action for two months, recovering from ankle surgery. The perception is that he must be a shoo-in for inclusion, but that should not be the case. The 30-year-old is the established england captain, but that status must not provide a free pass. Farrell has only played five games since being dropped from the Lions’ match-day squad ahead of their series decider in South Africa last July. In his absence, england beat the Springboks with Smith pulling the strings and Courtney Lawes leading the team —with considerable authority. Farrell should not be selected on reputation next week. It would be a powerful statement to insist he earns a return like anyone else would have to. he is not the
best english 10 or 12 and has not been in vintage Test form for a long time.
Perhaps Farrell still has the credentials to scale the heights again — he certainly has the will — but first he must prove his readiness at Saracens.
The club would be delighted to have him when he would normally be away.
Farrell is on course for a comeback on January 23, five days after Jones names his squad. If he is not given special treatment he could play four games for his club, miss the early Six Nations fixtures in Scotland and Italy, then come into contention from round three.
The logical step would be for Jones to name Smith and Ford but not Farrell at this stage.
One lesson from the last Six Nations is that england cannot carry players lacking game-time.
Let Farrell get into the groove at Saracens. Let Lawes carry on as captain. Let henry Slade continue as a second playmaker in midfield. And let Ford return to support and challenge Smith.
Then, if Farrell is playing well by mid-February, he can be considered on merit. When it comes to justifying a Test place, there should be no exemptions.