Claims Owen Farrell on end of cheap-shot punch to face

The Saracens Harelquins Gallagher Premiership semi-final didn’t fail to deliver in terms of intensity at the Stone X Stadium and England star Owen Farrell was very much in the wars.

Saracens  claimed a place in the final with a 34-17 victory over London rivals Harlequins and rivalry lived up to expectation, with emotions boilover on occasion.

Some online are claiming that Saracens flyhalf  was on the end of a cheap shot. Farrell was involved in a tussle in the 57th minute and some believe that Quins forward Matt Symons was lucked not to be red carded for what looked like a right hook to Saracens playmaker delivered from behind.

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After a frenetic final weekend in the Top 14 regular season, we catch up with one of the key men from surprise table-toppers Castres and the top tackler in the Top 14 this season. Australian second row Tom Staniforth fills us in on his journey from Canberra to Castres, the family environment at the club, how a bunch of battlers go about beating off competition from a host of teams with much bigger budgets over 26 rounds and gives us an insight into what makes a club that often goes under the radar so special. There’s also a look into everything that happened on the final day, a look ahead to the Barrages and we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week…
Use the code FRENCHPOD20 at checkout for 20% off any full price item at Meater.com

The video evidence isn’t particular clear, although it does seem that Symons arms does swing around violently in the direction of Farrell’s face.

When camera panned back to Farrell after the incident, he was clearly bleeding from his face, suggesting that whatever happened in the melee, some sort of shot had hit the target. Farrell laughed off the incident and could be seen exchanging what looked like a light hearted exchange with a remorseful Symons – who is set to retire this week – immediately after.

Derby days ?

This one was always going to be a heated affair, tempers boiling over here ?#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/W0OKOPRtb5

— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) June 11, 2022

Saracens on This Day wrote on Twitter, a post that was echoed by a number of people on the platform: “Remarkable to me that Quins 4 Symons’ two punches on Farrell were neither investigated or commented on for the dual scuffles 56 minutes in.”

Remarkable to me that Quins 4 Symons’ two punches on Farrell were neither investigated or commented on for the dual scuffles 56 minutes in pic.twitter.com/bfDygoA6NB

— Saracens On This Day (@OTD_Saracens) June 11, 2022

It wasn’t the only knock he received.

A bandaged Farrell left the field after shipping some heavy collisions as he lead the Saracens to what was in the end a dominant victory, a result that cements their return to the top table after spending last season sin-binned in the RFU Championship.

Other than a few miss cues from the boot, it was a vintage Farrell display playing against positional rival Marcus Smith and one that will reignite the debate over who starts at 10 for England. Against that, George Ford’s all-court display against Northampton in the other semi-final means Eddie Jones will have a welcome headache in Australia.