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The father and son snap that was the talk of the Six Nations launch in London

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Rugby union is a game littered with father and son duos.

Bill and Josh Beaumont; Bryan and Cameron Redpath; Bill and Tevita Cavabuti; and Johan and Ruan Ackermann all spring to mind.

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The most iconic of current father and son double acts, of course, is Andy and Owen Farrell. The latter is the incumbent England captain, the former takes up the reins as the head of coach of Ireland.

At the Guinness Six Nations launch in London the pair were doing the rounds for their respective camps, but of course their paths crossed and it made for a number wonderfully awkward father and son moments.

Continue reading below…

WATCH: Head coach Eddie Jones and captain Owen Farrell hold a press conference in London ahead of the start of the Six Nations tournament.

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One of those fleeting moments was captured on camera, and it really does paint a thousand words.

Farrell Snr was walking off stage during promotional photographs of the coaches, as Owen is lining up for his captain’s photocall.

‘Papa Faz’ – as he was known on the British and Irish Lions tour in 2017 – reaches out a hand to his son. ‘Baby Faz’ looks on with his arms folded, and there’s something of a teenage-like deportment to the usually assured flyhalf.

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Alun Wyn Jones and Jonny Sexton look on in the background.  It’s a terrific snapshot by photographer Ramsey Cardy for Sportsfile.

Owen Farrell Andy Farrell
(Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

“I spoke to him,” confirmed Farrell Snr when asked late in the schedule whether he had managed to catch up with his Farrell Jnr. “I have just had a protein bowl with him and a coffee in the green room out the back.”

Later, while reflecting on his son’s current conundrum at Saracens, the 44-year-old admitted that he had something of a personal insight. Owen is among several star players facing uncertain futures at the club following its relegation from the Premiership.

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“I have not got an opinion because you understand as a parent it is sensitive anyway.

“There is a lot of questions still to be asked and answered you know so, I don’t think they have got all the facts together yet of what that future looks like. I am sure that will come out in the not too distant future. I suppose I will have an opinion then.”

They may be in opposing camps, but they always have each other’s backs.

 

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J
JW 7 hours ago
France player ratings vs England | 2025 Six Nations

Sorry my delivery on that joke was a bit bland. But to reply to the couple of good points you make, to me it just seemed like they had no plan with why Gatland was staying on. I mean the plan seemed to be “just get us a win against Italy and we can continue on as we are”, which is just terrible if that’s what Gatland was trying to achieve for Wales imo.


Did it just happen to be Italy that he saw his team weren’t able to achieve his vision of success? I mean Italy are a very good side so its by no means a lost cause to not look like world beaters. Sure his focus should have been on more transient factors like growth and style for a full rebuild, not trying to avoid the wooden spoon.


Which brings me to you main point, that would be exactly what the benefit of dropping down a tier would be. A chance to really implement something, get good at it, then take it up a level again once you’re ready. Even for Italy it must have been an incredibly brutal environment to have been trying to develop as a side.


Not saying of course that the other EU teams would be any better, but it might be better for everyone if say ‘years of tough losses’ are shared between countries, rather than see Wales go through this journey two, three, possible four years in a row. Of course the main reason they don’t want to miss just one 6N season is because it would probably tank the game in their country missing out on all that revenue. I have always said they should look at widening the revenue share, there are plenty of competitions that have systems to keep bottom teams competitive, and the 6N would only make more money if it was a tierd competition with prom/rel.

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