England Player Profiles

Owen Farrell

Key Facts

Squad	Saracens
Position	Fly half/Centre
Age	21
Height	1.88m (6'2")
Weight	96kg (15st 1lb)
Caps	16

It has taken Owen Farrell precious little time to impress with his game management and goal-kicking prowess for Saracens in the Aviva Premiership and in European competition. Five years ago, he became the youngest player at the time to make his debut in the professional game.

Another four on-target attempts against Wales at Twickenham, four out of five against France in Paris, seven out of eight against Ireland and four out of five in the subsequent first Test against South Africa in Durban took him towards 54 successful place kicks from 70 attempts in his initial 16 Tests. A thigh injury ruled him out of the match against Italy in mid March.

He landed seven from eight against Scotland at Twickenham in the opening RBS 6 Nations Championship match this year, became man of the match and then kicked four out of six as Ireland were beaten 12-6 in Dublin. Owen had an identical return against France in late February, having also become the Aviva Premiership Player of the Month for January 2013.

Three days after being nominated alongside All Blacks Richie McCaw and Dan Carter and Frédéric Michalak of France, as the 2012 IRB Player of the Year, he played a vital role in England’s record win over New Zealand and scored 17 points, including his first dropped goal in Tests. By mid March 2013, he had also amassed 388 points in 43 Premiership matches for Saracens.

Owen had added to his two appearances for the 2011 Grand Slam England U20 side with another four in the IRB Junior World Championship in Italy. He landed five penalty goals and converted the only try of the Aviva Premiership final by James Short when Saracens won the title for the first time, by beating Leicester Tigers 22-18, at Twickenham in May 2011.

His earlier kudos include a Heineken Cup Man of the Match award when Saracens edged out Racing Métro 92 by 19-14 in December 2010 after he had made a powerful impression for England U16, a side he captained, and for the U17 and U18 teams.

When returning from an England U17 tour of Argentina, he not only trained with his father and fellow Saracen Andy, a rugby league icon who won eight caps at union for England, including three in the 2007 RWC. When Farrell Snr fractured and dislocated a thumb against Western Force in August that year, Owen joined the match as his replacement.

A product of St George’s School in Harpenden, Owen has been studying Business at Hertfordshire University and also spent time on loan with Bedford Blues. He began playing rugby league at the age of eight, for Wigan St Patricks, like his father. Owen most admires All Blacks fly half Dan Carter and wore the No. 12 jersey at union and switched to fly half before returning to his role at centre.

Rugby’s distinctly in the family with loose forward Sean O’Loughlin, his uncle, playing for Wigan Warriors, England and Great Britain. Dad Andy, who was Saracens’ first team coach and the now the England backs coach, had followed a similar path.