It has been 10 years since Owen Farrell played his first Test for England, against Scotland at Murrayfield back at the start of the 2012 Six Nations. By the dog years in which rugby players measure their Test careers, that’s a lifetime or so ago. Ben Youngs is the only other player from that match who is still playing international rugby. Most of the rest moved on a long time ago, into second careers in or outside the sport. Farrell, 20, fresh faced and whippet thin, played at inside-centre that day. The Scottish fans booed him all game. It didn’t make any difference, he kicked eight points, and England won by seven.
If Eddie Jones’s plan works out, Farrell will be back there at Murrayfield in a fortnight’s time. It is, even by Jones’s standards, a particularly mulish bit of thinking. Farrell, who spent most of last year struggling to find his best form, hasn’t played a single minute of competitive rugby since he injured his ankle playing against Australia last autumn.
