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.
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.
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
guys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
1 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to comments