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'I never understood the vendetta against Farrell' - Saracens star lauded
Oft the villain on social media, England and Saracens star won rare praise on Twitter after putting in a masterful performance in the Challenge Cup against Cardiff this afternoon.
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Sarries eventually got over the line with a 40-33 victory over the Welsh region and the England man was front and centre, pulling the strings for Mark McCall’s side.
The flyhalf who has just regained fitness in recent weeks after months out with an ankle injury, caught the eye not least for some remarkable hand skills.
A subline try assist via an out-the-back door offload to winger Max Malins was the high point of the game for Farrell.
Yeah, but Owen Farrell doesn't have the hand sk… 🤫#SARvCAR | Credit: @btsportrugby pic.twitter.com/z2QU7mY2KK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 17, 2022
Popular content creator Squidge Rugby wrote: “Owen Farrell is an all-time great and it’s really boring when people pretend otherwise.”
Owen Farrell is an all-time great and it’s really boring when people pretend otherwise.
— Squidge Rugby (@SquidgeRugby) April 17, 2022
Rugby Youtuber Andrew Forde wrote: “I still don’t think I’ll ever truly understand the vendetta against Owen Farrell. He’s absolutely class and I think the only reason he isn’t rated as highly as he is, is because of his nationality.”
I still don’t think I’ll ever truly understand the vendetta against Owen Farrell. He’s absolutely class and I think the only reason he isn’t rated as highly as he is, is because of his nationality. #CARvSAR
— Andrew Forde (@andrewfrugby) April 17, 2022
The 30-year-old missed England’s Guinness Six Nations campaign, where Harlequins’ young gun Marcus Smith shone in his absence.
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Yet in contrast to Farrell, it was a rather difficult weekend for the Quins playmaker, who missed a relatively easy conversion that would have bagged his side a Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final berth.
The mixed fortunes of the pair weren’t missed on social either.
I’ll see your Marcus Smith and raise you an Owen Farrell…..class
— Matt Phillips (@MattTDphillips) April 17, 2022
The question for Eddie Jones heading into the summer series against Australia must surely now be: does he continue developing Smith as his starting 10 on tour, or does he bring in the veteran Farrell either at flyhalf or playing 12 outside Smith.
What is abundantly clear is that Farrell still has a huge amount to offer England, wherever he is picked to play.
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Farrell is a fantastic player who continually improves his skill set. Smith is a fantastic player at a much earlier stage of his career who also wants to learn and improve his great natural skill set. His blunder on one conversion -it can happen to anyone - is highlighted here. His previous brilliant pass which led to the try isn't -rather pathetic in that it was directly comparable to Farrells superb sleight of hand.
For me England needs both players - I wouldn't have the temerity to advise Eddie Jones how to use them :-)