England team completely ignore Owen Farrell during team talk
Owen Farrell might not be England captain anymore, but it was wrong for the entire England 23 to ignore him last Saturday in Brisbane while he gave a team talk.
In the latest episode of O2 Inside Line: The Next Level Down Under, a clip has been shared of the England centre talking to the team after the first 40 minutes, where England had a 19-7.
He shouted at the side: “Let’s lift it. Let’s not hang on to it, let’s go for them.”
Well anyone who watched the second half will know that they did not lift it, they did hang on to it and they didn’t go for them, in what was now a performance that has become common with Eddie Jones’ side.
England were comprehensively the better side in the first half at the Suncorp Stadium, and the lead that they built was ultimately what got them over the line. However, they did lose the second half 10-6, and came close to producing a display like the week before (and many England matches), in which the penalty count increases and the intensity in defence decreases.
Even though this was the complete opposite to what Farrell had said, to be fair to him captain Courtney Lawes had just told the team to watch their discipline, which clearly fell on deaf ears as well.
Take a look:
https://youtu.be/MiSExqH21CI?t=682
England XV for the third Test
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 12 caps)
14. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 41 caps)
13. Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)
12. Owen Farrell (Saracens, 96 caps)
11. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 12 caps)
9. Danny Care (Harlequins, 86 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 38 caps)
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 68 caps)
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 22 caps)
4. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
5. Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 14 caps)
6. Courtney Lawes (C) (Northampton Saints, 95 caps)
7. Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 13 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 63 caps)
Finishers
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 36 caps)
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 69 caps)
18. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
19. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 7 caps)
20. Jack Willis (Wasps, 3 caps)
21. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
22. Will Joseph (London Irish, 1 cap) *apprentice player
23. Henry Arundell (London Irish, 2 caps) *apprentice player
