'Abyss of dismay': Owen Farrell branded a Top 14 transfer flop

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.

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.

Paul Gustard on potential “signing of the season” Owen Farrell

Coach Paul Gustard is full of praise for Racing 92 signing Owen Farrell

Paul Gustard on potential “signing of the season” Owen Farrell

Coach Paul Gustard is full of praise for Racing 92 signing Owen Farrell

“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.

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.