French club Racing 92 have denied an agreement for England captain Owen Farrell to join when his contract with Saracens expires at the end of the 2023/24 Gallagher Premiership season; a move to the Top 14 would likely make the 32-year-old ineligible for England selection due to RFU rules
Racing 92 are in talks to sign England captain Owen Farrell, but have denied that an agreement has been reached.
Numerous reports in France on Friday stated Farrell, whose contract with Saracens expires at the end of the 2023/24 Premiership campaign, was on the verge of signing a two-year deal with the Top 14 team.
However, the six-time French champions released a statement via their official website on the same day refuting any agreement had been reached but not denying interest
Racing are coached by former England boss Stuart Lancaster, who gave Farrell his international debut in 2012.
Farrell, the son of rugby league great and Ireland national team head coach Andy Farrell has spent his entire club career in England, making his Saracens debut at the age of 17 in 2008 and spending time on loan with Championship side Bedford Blues in those early years.
He is currently taking a break from international rugby union after deciding to prioritise his and his family’s mental well-being, informing England head coach Steve Borthwick late last year that he would be unavailable for the upcoming Six Nations campaign.
Owen Farrell will miss the Six Nations after deciding to take a break from international rugby to prioritise his and his family’s mental well-being.
What would Farrell moving to France mean for England?
If Farrell were to move to Racing, he would likely be unable to play for the national team under current RFU eligibility rules.
The governing body’s regulations prevent England boss Borthwick from selecting players based overseas, meaning the 32-year-old – England’s record points scorer – would be unable to add to his 112 international caps for the duration of his contract with Racing.
There is an ‘exceptional circumstances’ clause which has previously allowed Jack Willis and Henry Arundell to represent the national team after signing for clubs in France following Wasps and London Irish respectively withdrawing from the Premiership due to financial issues.
However, this dispensation is unlikely to apply to Farrell as he would have chosen to join the Paris-based club of his own accord. Arundell will also be ineligible for England after agreeing a long-term deal with Racing.
England head Steve Borthwick said he admired captain Owen Farrell for his decision to step away from international rugby, but was hopeful he would return
Speaking to Sky Sports on Thursday, Borthwick expressed his hope the fly-half or inside centre would return to the England set-up after deciding to make himself unavailable for the Six Nations in the wake of the third-placed finish at last year’s Rugby World Cup.
“Let’s be clear, we’re all hoping at some stage he will come back into the England team,” Borthwick said. “Owen will make that decision, if and when he chooses to.
“There’s a big societal issue there that we need to be very conscious of, that rugby’s trying to get to grips with.
“We’re ensuring we’re giving every bit of support we can to the players and the families, to ensure we deal with all those other factors that are part of society now.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
