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Farrell claims injury scare just 'cramp'
Captain Owen Farrell gave England an injury scare ahead of their three-test series in South Africa when he limped out of Saracens 27-10 Aviva Premiership play off final win over Exeter at a sweltering Twickenham today.
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Farrell left the contest after 66 minutes suffering what appeared to be a calf injury and was unable to kick for touch. Centre Alex Lozowski was preparing to kick to touch when the call came to get Farrell off the pitch. In March , Farrell was an injury worry for England with a lower leg problem leading into the Six Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield having suffered a grade one quadriceps injury on the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand last summer.
Farrell played down his leg problem helping his team win a fourth Premiership title and insisted it was cramp that forced him off. He said: “I had some cramp and we will celebrate this win and enjoy tonight and maybe tomorrow as well. We then meet up for an exciting challenge (in South Africa).
“It was a war of attrition and I am just chuffed for all the lads because we have had some tough times and we have come out and done it. We have been able to honest with ourselves and learn from things and have days like today which are brilliant.”
Farrell has been given the England captaincy by head coach Eddie Jones after Dylan Hartley was ruled out of the trip to South Africa by recurring concussion problems and the Saracens No10 is seen as the natural successor to the Northampton hooker, possibly before next year’s World Cup in Japan.
The Sarries No10 was able to join his teammates on the victory rostrum to celebrate another English title and for the lap of honour to the delight of the North London club’s fans in the 75,128 crowd.
While there is concern over Farrell, Jones will have been delighted with the form of key England forwards Billy Vunipola, Jamie George, Maro Itoje and Mako Vunipola, the Man of the Match after a thundering performance. Billy Vunipola lasted for 58 mintues to prove that his hamstring injury is not going to be a factor leading into the tour and the manner of his ball carrying proved the No8 was full of confidence – just like his older brother.
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The impact the Vunipola brothers made was clearly seen in the match statistics which showed Billy carried the ball a team high 17 times with Mako managing 15. Mako also made 18 tackles with George Kruis, who now undergoes ankle surgery, topping the table with a match high 22.
Wallaby coach Michael Cheika will have noted the contribution of giant lock Will Skelton who has just returned from yet another injury lay off. The Wallaby forward, who could be recalled for the World Cup, proved too big and powerful for the Exeter defence and constantly hammered is way over the gain line in the final quarter.
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments