Visionary Farrell put us back on track, says Tompkins
OWEN FARRELL sat the Saracens squad down and told the players they needed to change. The club talisman set out a new vision to his team-mates — and, within minutes, they were all on board.
The meeting happened on the first day of pre-season training, ahead of a campaign in which Saracens have topped the Gallagher Premiership table with room to spare.
It formed the considered, meticulous response to last term’s last-gasp 15-12 Premiership Final defeat by Leicester.
Tomorrow, Saracens will hope to bring that change to bear when they host Northampton at StoneX Stadium in the north Londoners’ 13th Premiership semi-final.
An expanded attacking blueprint devised between coaches and senior pros has delivered devastating results and thrilling rugby — and Wales centre Nick Tompkins believes Saracens have not looked back since.
“When you win a final, what happens next takes care of itself,” Tompkins told Standard Sport.
“When you lose, you still enjoy a chance to unwind, but you can’t lie, it doesn’t feel as great, it’s a bit depressing.
“But as soon as we got in for our first meeting in pre-season, Owen sat us down and spoke to us about how we needed to have a different vision, that we needed to change.
“Then, all the coaches got us together and played out this vision to us of how we were going to change who we are and the structure, and that we want to really start attacking teams.
“We basically said we never again want to feel how we felt in that final, mainly because we felt like we didn’t really throw a punch, that it kind of passed us by.
“And we’re okay with losing finals and going out there, but what we’re not okay with is not throwing punches and not showing who we are.
“As much as the fans want to see a good game, the boys want to enjoy the game and play running rugby as well.”
Saracens have run the entire campaign, winning every home league match and dropping just one try bonus point in the process.
England and Sarries captain Farrell has been central to the revamp, leaving Tompkins insisting that the 31-year-old already boasts all the credentials to thrive in the coaching arena.
“Owen was definitely the catalyst for all of that, speaking about how we were going to redefine the attack in our own way,” said Tompkins.
“He’s phenomenal. Honestly, he could stop now and be a coach, easily, and he’d be one of the best in the league.
“His rugby brain is ridiculous — it makes it intimidating just to be playing outside him, because you’re probably wrong if you try and say something about rugby; he’s probably correct and he knows a lot more than you!
“He’s just one of the most impressive players I’ve ever worked with; his knowledge and his sheer motivation. He’s relentlessness, it’s impressive.
“He can walk into a coaching gig whenever he wants, to be honest, but it’s great to see him being nominated for the Premiership player of the season award; it just shows how good a player he is.
“I know he can be in and out of the England stuff at points, or at 12 or 10, but for me it’s pretty clear where he belongs: it’s starting in that 10 shirt.”
Tompkins has thrived alongside Farrell and Alex Lozowski in Sarries’ fluid inside-back cordon this term, while also building his influence in Warren Gatland’s Wales squad ahead of the autumn World Cup in France.
“I’ve loved it and the season’s flown by,” said the 28-year-old. “It just feels so comfortable, you can really start to read body language for those in-the-moment elements.
“One of the boys gives a look or says one thing and you know exactly what’s going to happen.
“The stability, with Owen, Alex and Elliot Daly, it’s been class and I know it makes me a better player.”