Farrell a chip off the old block
Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards reckons England’s Owen Farrell will cope just fine with the responsibility of playing at flyhalf in a Six Nations international at Twickenham on Saturday.
The 20-year-old Farrell, in what is only his third Test, has been moved from centre into the key playmaking role after Saracens teammate Charlie Hodgson was ruled out with a finger injury.
But Edwards, who played alongside Farrell’s father Andy – now a member of England’s coaching team – in the successful Wigan Rugby League side of the 1990s, expects the youngster to cope with the pressure.
“You’ve got a guy playing at flyhalf who recently won the Grand [Premiership] Final in the English championship in that position,” Edwards said at Wales’s hotel in London on Friday.
“I’m sure he will look back at that game and it will give him confidence.
“Every time Owen seems to get into a team people ask if he will be able to take it in his stride and he does. Everything that seems to be thrown at him he just responds to it with great maturity.
“He reminds me very much of his dad – he was like that.
“He [Andy] came into the Wigan team when he was 17 and they put him in a room with Dean Bell, who was our captain, to ease his nerves.
“The morning of the match Dean Bell was being sick in the toilet and Andy was saying to him ‘don’t worry – we’ll win this game no problem’.”
As for father and son working together in the England set-up, Edwards added: “I don’t think it’s a strange dynamic for Owen because he’s always had his dad as his coach.
“If anything it will be very comforting for him – not comforting in a father-son way, but because he’s got the same coach in his club team as the national team.
“He’s in a position where you have a lot of say in the running of the team and it will be a help to him not to have to change coaches.
“But it’s his first game as England flyhalf and we will obviously try to pressure him with our defence.
“It’s also the first time England’s axis of No.8, No.9, No.10 [Ben Morgan, Lee Dickson and Farrell] have played together and like any axis you’re going to try to put pressure on it.”
World Cup semifinalists Wales lead the Six Nations table on points difference from England and what would be only their second Twickenham victory in 24 years would give them the Triple Crown following wins already this season over Ireland and Scotland.
“We’re just excited to play rugby on such a big stage and in such a big game. It’s probably the biggest game I’ve been involved in for a few years outside the World Cup,” said Edwards, himself an Englishman.
Wales, vastly more experienced than a fledgling England team, will start favourites but Edwards said: “I’ve played Test rugby and when you are carrying that ball into the first collision or making the first tackle you’re not thinking about who’s favourites. It’s of no consequence.”
Meanwhile Edwards was wary of the threat posed by fit-again England centre Manu Tuilagi, who will be filling the gap caused by Farrell’s positional switch.
“It certainly makes the back line bigger and I’m sure whoever’s doing the defence for them will be pleased about that.
“He’s probably the best ball-carrying centre in England and he adds a lot of size and power to the back line, which is going to counteract something we have a lot of.”
AFP
