Owen Farrell: To ignore the evidence of our own eyes is not an option

Shortly after Kevin Pietersen was finally ditched by the England cricket team around a decade ago I sat next to one of his 2005 Ashes-winning team-mates at a benefit dinner.

“It’s all a bit of a balancing act with KP,” he said. “When he is scoring loads of runs you overlook the baggage that comes with him. But now he is getting older and not doing as well with the bat having him around just isn’t worth the hassle.”

Judged by social media, many followers of English rugby are now expressing similar sentiments about Owen Farrell’s presence in their national team.

Despite his sending off in yesterday’s World Cup warm-up game against Wales for a high shot on Taine Basham the England regime will doubtless circle the wagons around Saracens’ no.10.

After all, following his appointment as successor to Eddie Jones, Farrell was the man that Steve Borthwick quickly identified as his preferred captain. According to those with the inside track, even without the armband, the 31-year-old was the self-appointed ‘Guvnor’ within the England camp.

Through much of his 100-plus cap test career which has embraced Lions tours and produced well over 1,000 points the man who made his international debut as a callow 20-year-old in 2012 has set standards and broken records.

But Farrell is no Jonny Wilkinson. His career has also been littered with controversies relating to a dodgy tackle technique which values World Rugby’s safety drive and the need to own the possible consequences of your actions some way below being ultra-physical, abrasive and in-your-face – both metaphorically and on occasions literally.

In evidence there is the 2018 incident involving André Esterhuizen during England’s narrow win over South Africa to consider. Also, a pair of red cards earned while on Saracens duty one of which featured a truly horrendous assault on Wasps’ Charlie Atkinson, the other a high shot on Gloucester’s Jack Clement.

Ironically the second of these saw the RFU send their most experienced player to ‘tackle school’ so his ban conveniently ended just ahead of the 2023 Six Nations. When he again appears in front of the blazers this week this eyebrow-raising episode will not only ensure the rugby world is watching carefully but also reduces options to mitigate a full-length ban. Shiny shoes, club tie and a letter about his charity work may be his best option…

It seems that Farrell’s behind-closed-doors personality and contribution to both his club and country comes across very differently to his on-pitch persona. Is this the true Owen? Perhaps…but when you are England’s captain performing for huge sums of money in a packed stadium in front of the world’s media asking the wider rugby-watching public to ignore the evidence of their own eyes is not an option.

On this example-setting front, England’s skipper has on occasions treated match officials with total contempt. Like it or not, an ability to communicate effectively with the referee – in the style of Sam Warburton or Martin Johnson – is a key part of international rugby, so regardless of the knock-on damage this is causing in the recreational game Farrell’s attitude – like that of Johnny Sexton, Dan Biggar and various others – is not helping his team.

I once sat a couple of rows behind Farrell in the Ricoh Arena press box while he was rested by Saracens for a late-season Premiership game against Wasps. Seemingly oblivious to the journalists and spectators around him he spent 80 minutes arguing loudly with every decision that went against his club, often standing up to remonstrate. I remember watching the faces of a couple of young Wasps fans who, seated a few metres away with their parents, were taking in his every word. Passionate and committed but way beyond the mark and certainly not the behaviour of a role model.

Going back to the Pietersen analogy, Farrell’s record from the kicking tee has through much of his career borne comparison with the very best to have ever played the sport. Is this still the case? Last year’s Six Nations suggests not.

There is also the question of where he should play and how that allows Borthwick to best utilise his resources. The Ford-Farrell-Tuilagi midfield axis that took England to the 2019 World Cup final has for reasons of fitness and selection featured little since and when England paired Farrell with a smaller centre such as Henry Slade outside Ford or Marcus Smith they looked lightweight.

There is a reason why Saracens have always played Farrell at no.10 – where it must be noted he had outstanding decision makers in Richard Wigglesworth and Brad Barritt either side of him for much of his career.

But with England devoid of attacking inspiration and creativity there are plenty that consider Smith or Ford to be the men who could light the blue touch paper if given some freedom and the right options around them. Borthwick has clearly placed all his eggs in a ‘Farrell at fly half’ basket, but should his skipper get a lengthy ban this gives him an opportunity to recall the unselected Slade and totally change England’s direction of travel?

Borthwick won the 2021/22 English Premiership and by doing so earned himself the England job with a pragmatic, power-based Leicester side. England’s boss has now selected a World Cup squad with plenty of blunt objects and not so many rapiers – but we shouldn’t forget that 5ft 9, 13-stone George Ford was at the heart of the Tigers’ success and presumably is therefore a live option for him.

Throw in that many of England’s best performances in the second half of the Jones era came when the less domineering Courtney Lawes was captaining the side it is not unreasonable to conclude that the players felt more relaxed – even less suffocated – by Farrell’s absence.

Should Farrell pick up a ban that extends to three or more games – which he definitely should for a second identical red card in under 12 months and fourth in all – Borthwick has a big decision to make since this removes his captain from the World Cup opener against Argentina and potentially beyond.

With Smith presumably pencilled in to start game three against Chile, should England’s skipper receive a four-match ban – allowing for the remaining warm-up games against Ireland and Fiji – he is effectively not back in contention until his country’s final pool match against Samoa.

If England lose their opener against Argentina this could well be a qualification decider, in which changing your half-back axis is a very big call. Equally, should England win this game plus the Argentina and Japan games with Ford at no.10 why then make a change?

At this point, is there any point in Farrell being part of the squad in the intervening period instead of a match-fit and fully available alternative such as Slade?

In addition, Farrell’s 32nd birthday will have been and gone by the end of France 2023 so might the post-World Cup era begin with a younger man at fly half?

Food for thought.