Steve Borthwick has lashed out at World Rugby’s decision to put Owen Farrell in the disciplinary dock again, leaving his captain sweating on a ban that would stop him from leading England into the World Cup. Borthwick also took aim at the “personal attacks” against Farrell, echoing Owen’s father and Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, who hit out at the “disgusting circus” surrounding his son on another extraordinary day in the saga over the fly-half’s red card.
Borthwick expressed his frustrations after World Rugby on Thursday appealed against the decision by an independent panel to rescind the red card Farrell received last weekend as well as at what he perceives is a witch-hunt against his captain. The upshot is that England, for the second time this week, are facing the prospect of losing Farrell for the start of the World Cup, with another disciplinary hearing set for early next week.
F Steward (Leicester); A Watson (unattached), J Marchant (Stade Francais), M Tuilagi (Sale), E Daly (Saracens); G Ford (Sale), B Youngs (Leicester); E Genge (Bristol), J George (Saracens), W Stuart (Bath), M Itoje (Saracens), D Ribbans (Toulon), C Lawes (Northampton, capt), B Earl (Saracens), B Vunipola (Saracens).
Replacements: T Dan (Saracens), J Marler (Harlequins), K Sinckler (Bristol), O Chessum (Leicester), J Willis (Toulouse), D Care (Harlequins), M Smith (Harlequins), O Lawrence (Bath).
“The situation is one I find really disappointing,” said Borthwick, who has left Farrell out of his team to face Ireland on Saturday as a result of the disruption. “We thought we had reached a conclusion on this matter. It had an impact in terms of the disruption this week and now it’s going to be ongoing.
“The situation with the England team and Owen in particular seems to be amplified. The commentary around it seems to move from an issue around the tackle to personal attacks on the character of the man, which I think is just wrong.”
Farrell Sr insisted he would have preferred to be preparing his side to be facing an England side containing his son before detailing the personal toll that has been taken on his family. “I don’t normally say too much because of that reason about my son. What I probably would say, at this moment in time, is that the circus that has gone around all of this is absolutely disgusting, in my opinion, disgusting and I suppose those people who have loved their time in the sun get a few more days to keep going at that,” he said.
World Rugby confirmed its intention to appeal against the original disciplinary panel’s decision before the Six Nations, organisers of these summer fixtures, revealed a new hearing will take place early next week.
Ultimately the appeal will hinge on whether it can be proved that Farrell’s actions were “always illegal” when tackling the Wales backrow Taine Basham. Farrell was given a reprieve because the panel took mitigating factors into account, namely that Jamie George propelled Basham towards Farrell just before the tackle.
According to World Rugby’s head contact process, however, there is no scope for mitigation if the action is “always illegal” or intentional. In other words, if it is proved that Farrell was at no stage legal, George’s attempted tackle on Basham becomes irrelevant. An entry point six-match suspension, reduced to four, or possibly five, would rule Farrell out of England’s key pool stage matches against Argentina and Japan.
In Farrell’s absence, George Ford makes his first start for England since the 2021 defeat by Ireland in Dublin while Courtney Lawes captains the side and Manu Tuilagi and Anthony Watson return at inside-centre and right wing respectively. Ollie Chessum has been deemed ready for a place on the bench but David Ribbans is back after his head injury and slots in the second row alongside Maro Itoje. Ben Youngs comes in at scrum-half for Jack van Poortvliet in a side that looks near to Borthwick’s first choice, injuries and pending suspensions notwithstanding.
