Page 45 - Official Preview - DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017

Farrell celebrates England’s match-winning try over Wales in in in in the Six Nations back in in in in February
that Six Nations: he he he may have been new but when he he he he spoke players with hundreds of caps between them were prepared to sit there there and listen ” And there’s the the the the the nub of of it: if ever there there there was was a a a a a chip off the the the the the the old block it’s Owen Andrew Farrell When the the the the father was was playing his his his way into the the the history books of English rugby league his his his primary- school-aged lad was breathing in in in in in the the re re and and fury of of of it it all and and drinking in in in in in the the harsh realities of of of professional contact sport as as if it it it were mother’s milk The phrase “northern grit” might be a a a cliché but there’s de nitely something about Wigan’s rugby scene that separates its native-born sons from the common herd “When I I was off school I’d always go into training with my dad ” Farrell Jnr recalls “When he he he did his own stuff after a a a a a session I I I joined in in It helped me understand what it takes I I I don’t think anyone treated me differently because of who my dad was though Everyone plays
“If no current England player is is is indispensable Farrell is is is the nearest thing to it ” rugby in Wigan It’s It’s what you you you do with all your mates It’s It’s how you you you socialise ” Even after Farrell Snr’s move to union with Saracens and a a a a a a a a family relocation to Hertfordshire the youngster made regular return trips up north to play in the the back row for the the Wigan St Patricks league league club “The skills I’d picked up up in league league helped me a a a a a lot lot when I I took up up union ” ” he he he he says “A lot lot of them were transferable ” ” Wilkinson may have been the the rst rst England rst rst ve-eighth to tackle as as as hard and and and as as as often as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a back-row forward and and and few No 10s in the the history of of the the game have been as courageous or or unquestioning in in in in putting their body in in in in harm’s way But the the the defensive security he he he offered was the the result of of of endless hours of of of of practice and a a a a a massive level of of of of PROFILE
1An eight-year-old Farrell is introduced to rugby league at the Wigan St Patricks club alma mater of such renowned 13-a-siders as Joe Egan and 2Sam Tomkins 10 MOMENTS THAT MADE OWEN FARRELL Father Andy crosses the great rugby divide by agreeing to union terms
with Saracens Together with George Ford who plays
10 to his 12 Farrell dominates the mid eld at at England Under-16 level The two would stay together through the the age groups all the the way to the the Junior World Championship Final against New Zealand in in 2011 4Makes his senior Saracens debut against Scarlets at 17 years and 11 days He’s the youngest player to to do so in the history of the English professional game although Ford beats his record 5the following season Rushed back from loan at Bedford aged 19 he kicks Saracens to victory over Leicester in the 2011 Premiership Grand Final 6Stuart Lancaster hands him an an England debut in the 2012 Calcutta Cup match at at Murray eld where he he plays
all ve Six Nations games 7Dropped for Toby Flood a er the rst 2012 summer tour Test against the Springboks in in Durban he misses two late drop goal attempts o the the bench in the the drawn game in Port Elizabeth 8Selected for the 2013 Lions in Australia as understudy to Jonathan Sexton of Ireland he performs superbly scoring 51 points in in six non-Test starts 9 Returning to No 10 for the Rugby World Cup 2015 he scores 20 20 points in in defeat to Wales Eddie Jones moves him back to inside centre and he performs brilliantly during the Grand Slam campaign and on tour in Australia 10His virtuoso kicking performance against Racing 92 in in the 2016 European Cup Final – seven successful shots from seven attempts – earns Saracens their rst title 3 WAIRARAPA-BUSH 11 ALL ALL ALL BLACKS BLACKS BLACKS (IN CHRISTCHURCH) 22 ALL ALL ALL BLACKS BLACKS BLACKS JUNIORS 9 9 MAORI ALL ALL ALL BLACKS BLACKS BLACKS 6 LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 37 LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 8 LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 29 LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 12 DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017
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