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'Abyss of dismay': Owen Farrell branded a Top 14 transfer flop
By Liam Heagney
Former England skipper Owen Farrell has been branded a Top 14 transfer flop after failing to impress during his first five months in France . The 33-year-old left Saracens to take up a two-year deal at Racing 92, but the first part of his Parisian stay hasn’t resulted in him shooting out the lights – according to Midi Olympique, the French rugby newspaper.
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Currently injured following a November operation to mend a groin problem, Farrell made eight appearances for Stuart Lancaster’s side before being sidelined. He has now been described as the 2024/25 season’s number one transfer disappointment.
Midi Olympique wrote : “What does Owen Farrell represent? A world of his own: 112 caps and 1,237 points scored with England, six Premiership titles and three Champions Cup titles.
“The moment the former Saracens playmaker set foot in the Top 14, we were convinced that Racing would have the face of a French champion this year. And then? Disappointment is always proportional to the admiration we feel, Farrell’s more than neutral performances quickly plunged us into an abyss of dismay.
“He is certainly aggressive in the tackle but too slow in the offensive animation and, despite his pedigree, preferred to leave the penalty shootout to Nolann Le Garrec.
À l'heure de ce premier bilan, comment ne pas s'émouvoir devant les premiers pas si balbutiants d'Owen Farrell, maître de ce jeu pendant tant d'années ?
Découvrez nos flops à la mi-saison : https://t.co/H4BOZ5nHmT pic.twitter.com/4qwAhhfCAW
— RUGBYRAMA (@RugbyramaFR) January 3, 2025
“In Hauts-de-Seine, however, it is said that Farrell, recently operated on for a groin, only owed his poor form to this injury and that he will show a completely different face upon his return, on January 18 against the Stormers.”
Other players to feature in Midi’s top 10 list of transfer flops included at No3 Toulon’s Antoine Frisch, the French midfielder signed from Munster, at No4 Pau’s Harry Williams, the English prop signed from Montpellier, and at No8 Clermont’s Michael Alaalatoa, the prop signed from Leinster.
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The assessment on Frisch claimed he “has not yet kept the promises” born from his recruitment. “The native of Fontainebleau does not have enough influence on the Var game and is too timid with the ball in hand to make a real difference on an individual level.”
Switching to ex-England front-rower Williams, he said: “Harry Williams had a difficult first year in France with Montpellier and he arrived at Pau with the desire to show that it was just a sum of misunderstandings… but he has still not found his level of play from Exeter, which is more than frustrating.”
Alaalatoa, meanwhile, was criticised over Regis Montagne and Christian Ojovan getting more game time than him at Clermont.
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Im sure he will make an impact at some point but they have to play to his strengths to get the best out of him
I think the only thing Racing management can be applauded for is consistency at “putting down” their star recruits. Thought they were petty with Siya last season and now they’re onto Farrell. Common denominator? You do the math 🧮
Siya had a similar review pre exit, doing well since. Could be the something else.
Fat and transparent?
Paris seems to be a difficult place for proven rugby greats .... Siya last year, Owen this season ..... not sure what the issue is, but Siya has been at his best (for the Boks at least ...) since moving away from Racing, which proves at least that it's perhaps not the players alone to blame
It wasn’t for Carter, Rokocoko, Beale, Zebo or Nakawara, even for Tuisova or Fickou now, although it’s easier for them (Top14 knowledge or French).
And Finn Russell’s genius arose in Paris.
Whereas Sexton or Woki dropped down.
The team seems to be more of the issue, the coaching method (with Lancaster’s son potentially creating nepotistic frustration) and the role of Laurent Travers was not clear in the organization.
With still Le Garrec outshining everyone.
Farell is not the greatest flop, he is injured currently, he was a ghost since the begining of the season, but the greatest flop, even anybody was waiting for a miracle, is the coach son, who play every game and is abyssal every time.
"He is certainly aggressive in the tackle but too slow in the offensive animation" this is exactly what you get with Farrell, surely this can't be a surprise?
Passionate leader, aggressive defender, excellent kicker, zero running threat, can't draw defenders, constantly squanders attacking ball with speculative kicks because he can't run or draw defenders, has only ever performed in teams with dominant packs.
To top that off,he is a bit of a rugby thug,having gotten away with more dangerous tackles than i care to remember