“100 caps for your country is remarkable.”
When battle commences at Twickenham, on Saturday evening, England captain Owen Farrell will be officially part of the 100-cap club.
Farrell and Brodie Retallick, of New Zealand, will both be making their 100th Test appearances when both sides go at it in the Autumn Nations Series. Both sides have not met since England left the All Blacks reeling in the 2019 World Cup semi-finals.
Farrell, who also has six Test appearances for the British & Irish Lions, is named at inside centre, alongside Manu Tuilagi, and with Marcus Smith in the 10 jersey. England got back on track with a win over Japan, last weekend but their shock loss to Argentina, at the start of the month, had some suggesting Farrell should move back to outhalf:
Former Ulster fullback Louis Ludik reckons Eddie Jones should start Owen Farrell at 10 over Marcus Smith 👀
Together w/ @bankofireland pic.twitter.com/Flc5AywLkL
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 10, 2022
Alex Goode pays tribute to Owen Farrell
On the latest episode of House of Rugby UK, Saracens and England star Alex Goode paid tribute to his long-time teammate, and suggested Owen Farrell does not always get the credit he deserves.
“It’s incredible. 100 caps for your country is remarkable, but to do it with the level of consistency that he has done is just amazing.
“Over the whole tenure of Eddie Jones, Owen has been a huge leader. He has captained the side, driven their standards in training, on and off the field, and he is just an incredible competitor and a top player.
“I’d probably go so far as to say, if he was from Ireland, France or Wales, he would be a national hero, and he’s still got so much to offer.
“Sometimes, it is easy to pick up on other young players, or new players that come through, but he has really been the key man of that side for the last eight years or so, and he continues to showcase how good he is – like he did last week against Japan – week-in, week-out.”
As for that game against the All Blacks, Goode believes England will go back to the version of their hard-running game-plan from the 2019 World Cup and will be ‘too powerful’ for the Kiwis.
Listen to more from House of Rugby right here:
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