Owen Farrell will miss the Six Nations next year after deciding to take a break from international rugby in order to “prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing”. Farrell, who captained England to third place at the recent World Cup, has not put a timeframe on his international absence but will continue to lead his club Saracens in the interim.
In a bombshell announcement, Farrell’s decision to make himself unavailable for England leaves Steve Borthwick needing a new captain for next year’s Six Nations and possibly longer. With Courtney Lawes retired from international rugby, Ellis Genge is favourite for the role, while George Ford is the leading contender to assume the No 10 jersey.
Farrell’s decision comes after he eclipsed Jonny Wilkinson as England’s top points scorer and reached 112 caps during the World Cup but the criticism that has dogged the 32‑year‑old throughout his career continued in France and he was loudly booed before matches at the tournament. A red card during England’s tournament warm-up win against Wales at Twickenham in August sparked a furore and led to his father, Andy, to hit out at what he called the “disgusting circus” surrounding his son.
Borthwick, who also sprang to the defence of his captain at the time, said on Wednesday: “Everyone at England Rugby is fully behind Owen’s decision. Since making his debut, he has been an integral part of the England setup for over a decade and the demands on elite athletes are extremely challenging. He is an exemplary player, captain and leader and always gives his all for his country. It is with typical courage that Owen has made this decision to open up in this manner. Together with all of us at England Rugby, I will do everything I can to ensure that he has the support he requires going forward.”
As much as Farrell has Borthwick’s backing, his decision will be a blow to the England head coach who was keen to continue to build the next stage of his side’s evolution around his captain. Borthwick is already without senior figures such as Lawes, Ben Youngs and Jonny May, who announced their international retirements after the World Cup, leaving the head coach short on senior leaders. Like Lawes, Genge was a vice-captain in France, but he lost his place to Joe Marler for the World Cup semi-final defeat by South Africa.
Lawes has ruled out answering an SOS call from England, who begin their Six Nations campaign in Rome on 3 February, but recently tipped Genge as a future captain – a prediction that looks all the more salient given Farrell’s decision.
Responding to the news, the former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio wrote on social media: “I’ve said it many times [Owen Farrell] is our captain and potentially England’s greatest ever player. The level of abuse he receives is sickening. I really think it’s time for player sabbaticals, such are the demands of the game today.”
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The Rugby Players’ Association also released a statement promising support for Farrell. “He is a leader and figurehead in the English game, but is also an individual, husband and father,” it said. “His wellbeing comes first and we will support him in every way we can going forward.”