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England back says his predecessor has had ‘a massive effect’ but his focus is fixed on Italy
Farrell reveals his huge debt to Wilkinson
It takes a lot to jolt Owen Farrell out of his obvious dislike of being interviewed, but the mention of Jonny Wilkinson’s name brings him to life. The torch of prolific scoring and dedication has passed from one to the other, with Farrell well placed to surpass the tortured hero of English rugby.
As England begin their quest for an unprecedented third consecutive Natwest Six Nations title, statisticians are weighing up Farrell’s chance of putting Wilkinson in history’s shade. Arguably more influential than “Jonny” with ball in hand at No10 or No12, Farrell has 613 points from 53 England appearances behind Wilkinson’s national record of 1,179 from 91 caps. To ask him what his prospects are is to elicit only a pained shrug, but Wilkinson’s influence on him is enthusiastically described.
“I’d say he’s had a massive effect on me, being able to draw on his experience, his knowledge,” Farrell says, “and to tap into someone like that is probably pretty rare for people. So it’s been brilliant for me.
“His knowledge about how to do things and why things work is brilliant – but also the feel that he has, the way you go about doing everything, not just game day. He’s had a big impact me.” Farrell’s demeanour is of one who needs no higher power to show him the way, except Eddie Jones, of course, with his “very clear” messages.
Yet his homage to Wilkinson suggests a greater level of curiosity than you would normally detect in one who is highly direct and reductionist in his approach to the game. It irks him, for example, to have to talk about anything beyond the immediate challenge of Italy in Rome. This clearly works for him – not everyone likes speaking in abstract or speculative terms – and should not be mistaken for a lack of thought about what he wants for England and Saracens. As for Wilkinson’s record, he says only: “It’s not for me to focus on.”
With Saracens in the chase for a third straight European title, England progressing nicely to the 2019 World Cup and his name on the shortlist again for best player in Europe, Farrell has a lot to feel smug about, but is allergic to showing off. In rugby terms, he is a superstar, but is largely famephobic and averse even to praise.
He has no interest, for example, in discussing how well the Lions played in New Zealand last summer, or how England might have taken encouragement from seeing the All Blacks held to a draw at home. And which Six Nations fixture is he most excited by? “The first one – Italy,” he says. “We don’t look ahead. All our prep’s been on Italy and putting a performance in on Sunday.”
But he does acknowledge the magnitude of the test for England, 10 months after Ireland ended their smooth passage to a Grand Slam, in Dublin. “Oh it’s massive. It’s a chance to get better, a chance to grow as a team,” he says.
Pressed on the lessons of that defeat, he says: “It was a tough Test match. There’s been a long time since then, we’ve had some camps, we’ve had a summer tour. Games like that make you look at yourself that bit more, probably. It’s not a bad thing as long as you make it make you better.”
To match the 2003 World Cup-winning side, Jones’s England will need to master the art of winning games that are going badly, of problem-solving in mid-battle. This part clearly appeals to Farrell, a calculating type: “That’s what winning teams do. Not everyone plays their best game every week – but the best team seems to win them. This group’s been together quite a long time. You’d hope that we’d become adaptable and be able to cope.”
He looks slightly affronted by the suggestion that he worked on his passing to add speed and creativity (“I’ve just been trying to improve – it’s a not a deliberate thing to focus on one thing”) and is wary of the claim that England’s deep pool of players gives them an advantage in these injury-ravaged times. “I think we’ve got good players,” he says, rejecting the numerical argument. “I think there are some exciting players that could get some opportunities. It’s good that them boys have showed up well already in training.”
No England graduate could fail to recognise Farrell as a player to follow. By deed and example, he is pivotal to England’s hopes for the next two years. He says: “The most important thing is that we’re hungry and we show that by how we work behind closed doors – and how we go after what we want to achieve.”
Behind the passive aggressive approach to interviews, you see a leader.