England captain Owen Farrell has been backed to follow in his dad’s footsteps and make the move to league.
The 31-year-old began his rugby-playing in league, the 13-man code, when growing up as a youngster in Wigan – a team where his Dad Andy is renowned as a club legend.
“I know that he [Farrell] likes rugby league but I know that he is ultra successful in rugby union and if I was him I would be doing exactly what he is doing,” said England fullback Sam Tomkins, who was talking on The Big Jim Show
“He is enjoying himself, he is a star in the game and a star over the world in rugby union. If he ever did fancy it at the end of his career it would be amazing to see what he could do because I do genuinely believe he would be an unbelievable rugby league player.”
After switching codes from rugby league, the fly-half made his Saracens debut in 2008 aged just 17, the youngest player at the time to have ever played professional rugby union in England. His breakthrough came in the 2010/11 season, when he was brought back from a dual-registration deal at Bedford Blues as injury cover, and capitalised on his chance in a first-team environment.
His debut season with Sarries saw him round off a series of sublime performances with a flawless kicking display against Leicester Tigers to help the Men in Black win their maiden Premiership title.
His high-level displays at club level continued through subsequent seasons, guiding Saracens to a further four domestic titles and three European Cups.
The 31-year-old’s Saracens success has also been replicated in his international game, which has gone from strength to strength. Earning his first senior England cap in 2012, a year rounded off by a resounding win over the All Blacks at Twickenham, he was also a recipient of an IRB Player of the Year nomination alongside two New Zealand legends in Richie McCaw and Dan Carter.
Since firmly establishing himself as one of the leading lights in the professional game, Farrell has amassed over 200 appearances for Saracens, over 90 caps for England and he has also been selected for three consecutive British and Irish Lions tours in 2013, 2017 and 2021.
OWEN FARRELL FACTS:
1. He started off in Rugby League
His education began in rugby league – he joined Wigan St Patricks at the age of eight.
2. School days
It’s well known that the Saracens star went to school with England teammate George Ford, however, it’s less well known that he went onto study Business at Hertfordshire University.
3. Celebration
Farrell celebrates every point he scores by linking his index fingers together to make a ‘JJ’ sign, the Joining Jack salute, Joining Jack being a charity dedicated to the needs of sufferers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.[ Farrell is also a patron for Duchenne muscular dystrophy charity Duchenne UK.
