Replaced: Owen Farrell will not captain England on their tour of Australia this month
(Picture: PA)Owen Farrell was “very unhappy” after Eddie Jones relieved him of the England captaincy today and placed Courtney Lawes in charge for Saturday’s series opener against Australia in Perth.
Coach Jones opted for Lawes after the Northampton flanker impressed in the role while deputising for the injured Farrell during the autumn and Six Nations.
Farrell has made a full recovery from the ankle injuries that have disrupted his season and he plays at inside centre alongside Joe Marchant, but the news that he would not be leading England out at Optus Stadium was taken badly.
Asked how Farrell, who has skippered the side since 2018, felt about his demotion, Jones replied: “Very unhappy. Owen expresses his feelings clearly and he wants to be captain. When I told him he wasn’t going to be, he wasn’t very happy.
“But that’s okay. Owen’s had a fair while out of the team and, at this stage, we feel it’s the best thing for the team and for Owen, because he’s a very important player.
“He has played 94 Tests for England and he has won every trophy in the world, apart from the World Cup. It’s an opportunity for him to play three Tests back to back and produce his best.”
