Owen Farrell “fully accepts he needs to change” his tackle technique after he was named as England captain for the Six Nations despite his three-week suspension. In a further development which lays bare the extent to which a disciplinary loophole has been exploited, it is also understood Farrell is due to play a full part in England’s training camp next week despite his “availability” for a club fixture.
Farrell was on Monday unveiled as captain by Steve Borthwick, who also left out Billy Vunipola, Jonny May and Jack Nowell from the first squad of his England tenure. The 20-year-old fly-half Fin Smith is among the eye-catching uncapped inclusions while Dan Cole, Elliot Daly and Ben Earl all return having fallen out of favour under Eddie Jones.
