Owen Farrell appears determined to put the well-being of himself and his family – and the chance of rejuvenation in France – above the possible return of England. Photo: Getty Images/Adam Pretty
There is a growing feeling that the axis of power in rugby is shifting. If England once harbored delusions of grandeur as the world's premier club destination, that status has now been definitively annexed by France. If the loss of Joe Marchand at the Stade Français smacked of misfortune, then the failure to stop Henry Arundell's Racing 92 seemed more like carelessness. Against this backdrop, reports that Owen Farrell is in talks to join his young international team-mates across the English Channel are a damning indictment of how much the luster of English rugby has dimmed.
Once upon a time, the concept of Farrell leaving England seemed ridiculous. For ten years it was the country's hardiest perennial, its World Cup linchpin, the one figure Steve Borthwick would happily rearrange any other piece of furniture around. But those realities changed dramatically after that bloody campaign in France, where the captain was booed by some of his own fans.
He has already taken time off to work on his mental health. And if he can regard even the Six Nations as unnecessary, it follows that he may begin to ask himself whether a career of unquestioning devotion to the England cause is worth continuing to worry about.
Even Borthwick expressed doubts about Farrell donning the white jersey again. In his latest comments on the No 10's decision to leave the team, he described himself as simply “hoping” for Farrell's return. The longer the separation continues, the less likely it is that he will be reunited with him without hindrance. A shocking connection to Racing makes these questions more pressing than ever. After all, Farrell, as England's playmaker, is not one to randomly move in and out of formations. If he does decide to return to the top 14, it is reasonable to assume that he will turn his back on England for good.
Owen Farrell appears unimpressed with his Rugby World Cup bronze medal in what could well be his last cap for England. Photo: Getty Images/Anne-Christine Poujoula
Borthwick can hardly afford this step. As a midfielder, Farrell is England's mainstay, the one player who epitomizes the attrition-heavy approach the manager is trying to create. In his repeated reintegrations of Farrell at the expense of George Ford and Marcus Smith, Borthwick suggested that his captain's presence was crucial to England's success. But the mood of the music from France suggests that the old confidence is quickly dissolving.
At first glance, one can understand the temptation to run over Pharrell. At 32, he has more of his best playing years behind him than ahead of him, and it seems as though he is tired of the scrutiny on his every move. France offers a chance not only for reinvention, but also for rejuvenation: the Top 14 is now firmly established as the most vibrant and physically intense club championship on the planet.
Last season's final between Toulouse and La Rochelle was a feast for the senses, while the system of promotion and relegation generated constant intrigue. With such an exotic alternative, why should Farrell once again consider hesitating in England, where a sclerotic Premier League has just seen three clubs collapse in one campaign?
The answer, of course, is the call of international duty. The Rugby Football Union has made it clear that it will only call up overseas-based players to England in “special circumstances”. While Arundell would have received a release, having been without a club since London Irish went bankrupt, Farrell, who continued to play for Saracens throughout his forced exile from England, would not have been automatically entitled to the same treatment.
And for a player who portrayed captaincy of his country as the honor of his life, the irrevocable severing of ties would certainly be a difficult ordeal.
But Farrell's order of life is in flux. Where once his eligibility for the England team was non-negotiable, it now seems a worthwhile sacrifice for his well-being. And if the Premier League was once his only natural habitat, the glory of his home league has now decisively eclipsed the offer before him in France.
If Farrell takes the plunge, it will say much more about the diminishing appeal of English rugby than about the values of the man himself.
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