England coach Borthwick gives Farrell ultimate validation

LONDON: Anyone wondering if Owen Farrell's England days might be numbered would only have needed to listen to new coach Steve Borthwick for a few minutes on Monday (Jan 16) to understand that he will remain the heartbeat and focal point of the team.

Sitting down at Twickenham to discuss his Six Nations squad, Borthwick immediately announced: “The England rugby team is to be captained by Owen Farrell.”

This was despite the return of Courtney Lawes, who replaced Farrell as permanent captain last year only for the flyhalf/centre to regain the honour when Lawes was injured for the November series.

Farrell, 31, and Borthwick, a teak-tough lock and former England captain, are cut from the same competitive cloth and know each other well from their days at Saracens and through Borthwick’s five years as assistant coach to Eddie Jones.

"It's normal that when a 17-year-old enters first team training at the start of their career, they are quiet, reserved. Owen was different," Borthwick told reporters.

"Everyone was struck with awe by how hard he pushes himself and by how much he demanded of those around him. That's Owen, it's what he does and why he is captain.

“He has evolved as a captain and it is still special for him. He has always been that incredibly competitive, driving character, but he has added more layers to his leadership and whenever I’ve chatted to anyone who has played with Owen, they have talked about how he has helped them to be better players.

"Every captain needs to lead by example in terms of the way they approach the contest but I think Owen also has an incredible understanding of the game. From a tactical point of view, he is one of the best I’ve ever come across.”

Borthwick was keen to stress, however, that leadership