Farrell needs to rediscover mojo after Cardiff woe

The metamorphosis of England to a team comfortable in the image and control of Owen Farrell needs a reboot against Italy at Twickenham today after a lurching turn for the worse in Wales two weeks ago.

It is difficult to recall him looking anything like as discombobulated as he did when he spurned a shot at a dropped goal in the first half in Cardiff, or had scratchy kicks blocked or put out on the full in the second. The questionable tackling technique that had dogged Farrell in the autumn seemed to have been ironed out, and his relations with referees were improving, too, but the 21-13 loss to the Welsh was a jarring diversion in Farrell taking over from Dylan Hartley as England’s leader and most recognisable public face.

The cod psychology in the run-up to today’s meeting with Italy’s rank outsiders included speculation Farrell might have been put off his game by his part in preparing an International Rugby Players’ Council attack on World Rugby’s plans for a global season.

And at the start of this week there was another potential distraction to the stand-off with a newspaper story publicising Faz Investments, a company Farrell co-owns with Nigel Wray, the chairman of Saracens. Doubts were raised over whether the company might be a vehicle to circumvent the Premiership salary cap. Wray has since denied there is anything amiss.

Farrell himself gave no clues as England prepared to unleash what is believed to be their heaviest-ever backline against an Italy team who have lost 20 Six Nations matches in a row.

“Nothing,” was Farrell’s cu rt reply when asked what he wished to tell the media about Faz Investments.

An Italian win is unthinkable, and anything short of a four-try bonus point for England would be another blow to Farrell’s credibility.