Cancelled: Next month's Owen Farrell return to international rugby

Owen Farrell has been denied a return to international rugby next month as the planned World XV match versus France in Bilbao has been cancelled.

It was just 13 days ago when the former England skipper announced he would end his recent Test sabbatical by lining out for an Ian Foster selection against Fabien Galthie’s Les Bleus in Spain on June 22.

The 32-year-old had announced last November a Test rugby sabbatical away from England duty following the completion of the Rugby World Cup.

However, the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour hopeful was poised to return to the international arena with next month’s outing eight months after he led the English to a bronze medal October final win over Argentina in Paris.

That return, though, has now been shelved with organisers of the match stating that refunds for purchased tickets would be refunded. According to French media reports, reasons relating to the staging of the match resulted in its cancellation.

Farrell’s impending two-year switch to Racing from Saracens will make him unavailable for an England recall due to the RFU’s rules governing player selection, but the match in Bilbao was to serve as a reminder that the out-half very much still has what it takes to impress against Test-level opposition.

He had spoken a fortnight ago about his excitement that he had been invited to play against the French by Foster, the former All Blacks coach. “The prospect of playing for the World XV is incredibly exciting," he said.

"This will be the first time I will have played for an invitation team such as the World XV.

“Joining up with guys you normally line up against for club or country, such as Semi Radradra, Camille Lopez, Maxime Machenaud, in a less pressurised environment is something I am really looking forward to.

“I am sure the players will want to get out there and play entertainingly and put on an amazing spectacle for the Basque and French people to experience.”