Farrell ban could give England World Cup clarity

LONDON : All the talk after England's 19-17 win over Wales on Saturday was about Owen Farrell's dangerous tackle red card and how many World Cup games he might miss, yet the flyhalf's enforced absence could well work in the team's favour.

The England captain was sent off after smashing his shoulder into the face of Wales forward Taine Basham in the sort of no-arms tackle that earned him a four-game ban earlier this season when playing for Saracens.

That ban was reduced by a match for attending "tackle school" - which he can do only once - so a minimum of another four would look the most probable outcome. That would rule him out of England's remaining two warm-ups against Ireland and Fiji and their first two World Cup games against Argentina and Japan - their biggest pool rivals.

However, while Farrell is undoubtedly the beating heart of the team, a warrior who every coach wants in his side, his enforced absence paves the way for George Ford to slot in at flyhalf, with the mercurial talents of Marcus Smith on the bench.

Ford had already come on at 10 in Saturday's match, with Farrell moving to centre in the arrangement that worked so well during the 2019 World Cup.

Ford delivered a cool performance as England, down to 12 men against 15, somehow fashioned a try for Maro Itoje and then won the game with Ford's late penalty.

His precision and leadership - less vocal but more structured than Farrell's - were key in the comeback, and England would hardly be weaker with him as the starting 10.

Coach Steve Borthwick's admiration of him and Farrell meant it was looking increasingly unlikely that Smith would play a major role at the World Cup. But he now looks to have the opportunity to come on from the bench and unleash his bag of