Owen Farrell is very much his own man. A determined, focused and outrageously talented individual, he led England to the 2019 Rugby World Cup final.
The way the Wigan-born fly-half has progressed reflects the rise that Wilkinson experienced when he was brought into Sir Clive Woodward’s squad when he was an emerging 18 year-old.
Master meets apprentice 🏉
— ESPN Scrum (@espnscrum) November 1, 2019
Jonny Wilkinson drops in on England training to give Owen Farrell some last minute pointers. pic.twitter.com/zaE7yUswzL
Despite attempts to wrestle the shirt from Wilkinson’s possessive reputation, not one of Charlie Hodgson, Olly Barkley, Andy Goode or Toby Flood could make it their own, with Wilkinson even returning to take his country to another World Cup final in the most unlikeliest of campaigns in 2007.
There is still some way to go if Farrell will overtake Wilkinson as the best ever England fly-half, but we’d never write him off.
Owen Farrell v Jonny Wilkinson
Wigan (1991) Born Surrey (1979)
83 England Caps 91
11.01 Points per game 12.96
10 Tries 6
150 Conversions 162
185 Penalties 239
3 Drop Goals 36
914 Points 1179
69.87 Win % 73.07
Owen Farrell facts: 10 things you didn’t know about the England star
Being one of the most popular players on the globe is likely to generate an incredible fan-base globally, but we are fairly confident that there are some aspects of Owen Farrell’s life and career you are not familiar with.
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.