1
Eddie Jones: Lack of Farrell appreciation, media overhype Smith
By Liam Heagney
Former England head coach Eddie Jones has told William Hill’s podcast, Up Front with Simon Jordan, that Owen Farrell remains underappreciated due to his unemotional and rigid nature.
ADVERTISEMENT
The former Wallabies boss, who is in Wales this week to take charge of the Barbarians next Saturday in Cardiff with Scott Roberston, said: “When you look at what Owen Farrell has done within the game, he has won every trophy there is to win other than the World Cup and he has been to the final of that.
“He is the highest point scorer in the history of England rugby and he has been a colossus in the game. Because he can be seen as quite an unemotional and rigid player, he doesn’t get the praise that he should get.
“The most emotional I have seen him was after the World Cup semi-final in 2019 when he said, ‘I am so proud to be English’. You could really feel his passion and his pride and you don’t often get that with him. I think he gets a bit of a hard time for that. I 100 per cent think that there is a lack of appreciation for him.”
Farrell last week skippered England to a bronze medal finish at France 2023 but Jones, who coached England from 2016 through to 2022, said that the combination of Dylan Hartley as captain and Farrell as co-captain was the best leadership combination when he was in charge.
“Dylan Hartley was my first England captain because he was what the team needed at that time,” he said. “They needed to come out of themselves because they had been through a tough period and they had turned into a very respectful and nice team. They needed Dylan to come in and give the team a bit of life, which he did.
“Owen Farrell came in off the back of that and he was much more serious and tough. He was brilliant on the field but off the field, he wasn’t quite as good as Dylan. There are two types of leaders in rugby and if you can get both in your captaincy set-up then you have hit the jackpot.
ADVERTISEMENT
“That is what we had. You have got people who are really tough on standards on the field and are obsessed by performance, then you have those who are better at bringing the guys together off the field. When we had Dylan Hartley and Owen Farrell as captain and vice-captain it was a great combination.”
Reflecting on the evolution of England in 2023 under new head coach Steve Borthwick, a year in which Marcus Smith lost his role as first-choice No10 and instead went on to start twice at full-back at the World Cup, Jones reckoned: “Marcus Smith is reasonably good at club level but the media make him out to be a superstar.
“He is not a superstar yet, he’s a promising young player. If you look at someone like Richie Mo’unga from New Zealand, he’s 29 now, he’s played 60 or so Tests and he’s an instinctive player. At Test match level, these instinctive players, particularly when they are in high decision-making positions, take time to mature.
“I think we will see over the next two years whether or not Marcus Smith has what it takes to go as far as his potential suggests he can. If he can stick at it for the next two years, he will get through it and these will be the most formative years of his rugby life if he can stick at it and not end up going to play overseas.
ADVERTISEMENT
“If he keeps playing for England, then Owen Farrell will be coming to the latter stages of his career, so there will be an opportunity for him to step up and he can be a really, really good Test player.”
Smith showed in semi and final that his defence is not good enough for fullback in international rugby. No doubt in part due to his physical stature, not questioning his bravery but his head on defence reminded me of Catt v Lomu at an earlier RWC. Leave him at 10 to fight for his place or I would try him at 9 where his speed of thought and trickery could open up a new and profitable rugby career.
Smith isn't a Fullback, getting away with one or two breaks doesn’t justify putting a player in a position that he isn’t a master of.
I think it’s premature to label Smith a great player.
He undoubtedly has great potential and is a naturally gifted footballer.
Sadly as with many players, we may never see him reach his true potential at international level because that would necessitate him being given a good number of starts at no 10, his natural position ( he isn’t a 15, nor will ever be) and I can’t see that happening under Borthwick, who I think will stick fairly rigidly to his kick to compete borefest strategy.
Sadly I doubt England will ever get the best out of Smith and he can join the long ranks of talented players on the scrapheap who didn't fit into England's turgid gameplan or have some perceived weakness. Borthwick knows Smith is supposed to be there because he's the most talented player in England but he doesn't really want him there and he doesn't know what to do with him. So we will see Smith continue for a while trying to be a square peg in a round hole playing s kick heavy game or coming on at fullback and the fans will decide he's shit without him ever being given a fair chance.