1
Owen Farrell explains his final whistle clash with Willie le Roux
By Liam Heagney
Owen Farrell has shrugged off his post-final whistle altercation with South Africa’s Willie le Roux.
ADVERTISEMENT
Saturday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final ended in rancour in Paris, the England skipper getting involved in a heated exchange with the Springboks replacement and other players from both sides joined in before the anger eventually subsided.
Asked what had occurred, Farrell said: “It was nothing. Nothing. Just a misunderstanding.”
The out-half was the scorer of all 15 of his team’s points and it appeared for a long while that his 53rd-minute drop goal, which was preceded by four successful first-half penalty kicks, would be enough to edge England into the final next weekend versus New Zealand.
Video Player is loading.
However, the Springboks struck with a 69th-minute converted RG Snyman try to cut the margin to 15-13 and they then moved 15-16 ahead with Handre Pollard’s 78th-minute penalty from long range.
“I’m sat here disappointed but unbelievably proud of what this group has done over this past five months together,” said Farrell, sitting at the same auditorium top table where his father Andy had sat seven days earlier when talking about Ireland’s quarter-final exit to the All Blacks.
“It’s not all gone our way but to build up to a performance like we did, ultimately to come short to a great team like South Africa, I’m sat here disappointed but unbelievably proud of what this group has done.
“The contest was always going to be a good one. We knew that before the game. I thought the fight that we showed throughout the game, we thought we might have done enough to win but unfortunately South Africa had a bit to say in that, so congratulations to them.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I felt like we were playing well. I felt like we were playing to our plan. I felt like we were showing what we were capable of and to do that on a stage like this, in a semi-final, is exactly what you want.”
Well this was the clickbaitiest article of the year to date.
Farrell is an aggressive guy and people hate him so.. he's gonna get in a lot of fights.
It’s incredible how the ability to hide behind a keyboard turns people into angry 10 year olds.
A bigger pair of C U next Tuesdays you couldn't find.
It's not luck,it's pure determination, and drive. A win is a win
Willie leroux is such a puss
Wow that did not change anything, what’s your point. Throw slurs at people that’s the best you can do. It’s a sign of a weak mind.
So what was the explanation that was promised in the headline?
England played better smarter than South Africa. S/A were lucky to win.
It was certainly not SA best game, if they played a better game how different the final score would have been. If that was England best game and South Africa worst game, how good are you really England.
Did they? They did play well and they did disprupt SA’s game but how many times did they threaten the try line? If you break it down they did a bunch of high kicks that put SA under pressure but they never did anything with that advantage. SA took the game to the England try line 3 times - and in one case had Farrell escaping what should have been a yellow card for interferring with play in an off sides position. SA passed up two relatively easy penalties (to equal Englands bag) to go for position - the difference was Farrel’s drop kick.England deserve kudos for the way they played but lets get real - the only reason they had a sniff was because SA was playing extremely poorly.
Agree. But England were lucky to reach a semi final…
The best team wins the game who was the better team to win the game Bokke bokke
England at their best couldn’t beat the Springboks at their worst
But South Africa did win. What matters at the end of the game? The score and you dont get points for style or smarts. You do win games however by not giving up.
England played for penalties whereas the Springboks played 15 man rugby, scoring a seven pointer try and a penalty in the dying minutes of the game, which sealed the game for the Boks.
Didn't see any 15 man rugby from SA. The rest of what you said is true.
Farrell never can help himself, another misunderstandingeast it wasn’t a suspension, beyond my how he is captain, he gave SA the 3 point penalty that put us out the RWC..bravo
It’s all political, let’s pay attention to Farrells behavior or would the English press prefer to divert the attention to someone else. Farrel one hell of a player but your antics is disgusting.
A s.a would have a hybrid team too but no players want to go live in s.a
….yep Pat ol boy, they wouldn’t last a week in the sun and having to drink real beer, and learn the English language proper like what you fink ay?
Sorry we dont want or need your players. But sure you may take one or two of ours. We dont mind as we have plenty and dont mind to share.
60 million people live in South Africa and they support their teams whenever they play in all international games!
🥰👄
As I thought, your a cabbage 🤣
Keep taking the meds 😁
Can Willie le Roux every stop talking/whining. I’m so pleased he’s at the end of his career because I’m sick of seeing him complaining.
Absolutely!
We have been spared this for a few years while he was in Japan.
Playing for the Bulls next year, so we`ll see this every week-end in RSA.
🤣🖕🙄🥰👄
Are you drunk or on drugs!!!
Think you need to have a look at yourself Derek
An ugly and unnecessary post match scene as despite being bailed out by the Kiwi ref Willie point blank refusing to shout the first round of pints.
Boks and their supporters infamous for world's longest pockets and shortest fingers.
Kiwi ref had no idea who to send through to the final with both teams entirely focused on trying to finish second to avoid being this week's Argentina.
Every time the RWC is the same.
Many beautiful games, some surprises, then the final.
And a Southern Hemisphere team wins.
stop trying to stay relevant like your stupid de’ lollipop. He should rather get his financial affairs in order and stop cheating people out of money. Bye-bye Jojo
england played out of their skins .Best game in years.
Boks were poor.
We still won.
End of story.
“We”.
What position did you play?
Don’t forget Farrell hitting the ball out of Reinach’s hands while laying on the ground, that is a yellow card, a professional foul.
Farrel should have been carded many times. Surprising the non of the refs spotted the foul master!
If we had same ref from SA NZ game at Twickenham England would've had someone in the bin early on. Engaging maul before jumper had even got to ground, but NZ ref didn't see it, not once, plus the amount of off the ball interference to, Marlene holding onto Faf. PSDT rightfully got penalised for stepping in front of kick chaser, but every time SA kick England players were looking around for chasers to obstruct. First scrum penalty, England pulled their not fully taking the hit, which made our guys lose footing, cleaver play, but amounted to naught.
Refs need to start pinging Boks for their illegal lineout play, holding the jumper in the as or whilst advancing the lineout. And their constant taking out of players past the tackler in the ruck clearout.
For those who like to look for photo material after the game that may show the ref has cost them points!!! england offside with startoff drop kick. Penalty for Bokke - 3 points and minus the penalty for england.
No need, I think everyone knows England are playing terrible rugby at the moment and were lucky the rain fell and helped them spoil the game.
They have some good players for running rugby, hope they get a new coach soon.
England always show up in the World Cup. Great warrior mentality.
Rassie was not gaslighting when he said England would turn up.
Its the old enemy.
That’s it they show up and “Bore millions of Fans throughout the World. Once again never scored a try, cause they couldn’t break SA Defense and see that as “We showed up”
Jacked draw for England to make final by a corrupt old C called Billy Beaumont
The quarter finals should be determined by the respective teams’ ranking at the start of the RWC. This way you ensure that rankings are important and relevant until the start of the tournament. This will also provide a better semi and final.
Example. If the rankings of 8 teams to top pools are as follows:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11.
QF:
Match A: 1 v 11
B: 2 v 9
C: 3 v 8
D: 4 v 5
Semis
Winner A v Winner D
Winner B v Winner C
People don't know who will play in QF's before tournament anyway.
That’s a fair comment but it would exclude developing sides. That said I think they should make two tiers of 12 countries that play each other to qualify of the course of 4 years. Each year 4 are relegated from tier one. A bit like the premiership. there’s also SOOO much more that goes on logistically other than rugby. Hotels, training grounds, flights, transport so many things are booked a year in advance for teams. This couldn’t be done a month before kick off. That’s why the draw is done so early, but agree something needs to be done as 3 years is way over the top.
Simple answer like Warren Gatland said, finish better in the previous world Cup, problem solved.
I was cheering for England, but in the end, if they want to win games, they must start scoring tries against real contenders.
True. But you have to lay your foundation first by doing the basics right
Justin really ! Your comment has justification, but there’s a reason Owen is not liked. He mouths off too much. Maybe it’s due to his passion ?
Oh Willie Willie your another one that’s never probably played in an high intensity , decent level rugby match, wanting to win.
Thankfully Borthwick and Sinfield have.
“ It’s all about taking part chaps”
Le Roux was jumping around like a child because he knew they'd just scraped through, he deserved a slap for behaving like a kid, Owen Farrell shows the same passion as any leader and number two all time points scorer, he knows what he’s doing. NZ by 20 points next week.
Every opposition team always has a fall guy, that the fans give it to. Take it as a sign of respect that Owen is the most disliked Rose, coz he’s probably one of the best. Some extra self belief, and maybe they could have kicked for corners and scored a 7 pointer… tis tis. That was daylight robbery, but we'll take it. That winning mentality is probably not something you can teach, I think it’s in SA rugby DNA. And kudos to Rassie for the key subs. England played way above what people expected, so well done to them. That my UK friends was a south african smash and grab. Oh, and Willie is worse than Owen. He needs to keep his mouth shut and stop waving his hands at the ref. He’s not the captain, and a pretty average 15 at that.
You do realise that it was your hero, Owen, who didn’t have the balls to go for the 7 and instead wanted to pad his stat sheet by taking the 3. Oh no, you probably don’t realise, because based on your comment, you are incapable of stringing together a logical thought grounded in reality. You’re an embarrassment to English fans. South Africa were deserved winners, well done South Africa. From an England fan. We’re not all as obnoxious as Justin.
when you can do better than Willie then you can rant and rave. But until then maybe you should keep your mouth shut.