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England skipper Owen Farrell has shrugged off latest injury scare

(Photo by Rob Newell/CameraSport via Getty Images)

Saracens’ optimism regarding last weekend’s injury suffered by England skipper Owen Farrell has paid off as the out-half has recovered quickly enough to be named in an unchanged XV for this Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup round-of-16 game at home to Ospreys.

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Farrell limped off with an ankle injury in the 70th minute of last Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership victory over Harlequins, but the England captain has made a rapid recovery.

Farrell had cried out in pain after rolling his left ankle while making a tackle close to Saracens’ try line at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and hobbled off. The 31-year-old fly-half had injured the same joint while on England duty in the final stage of the Guinness Six Nations, raising concerns that an aggravation might have caused more significant damage.

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However, it was Wednesday when Saracens boss Mark McCall reported: “Owen took part in some of the training today [Wednesday], so we are relatively optimistic that he will be available for this weekend.” So it has proved, Saracens now naming an unchanged starting line-up.

SARACENS: 15. Alex Goode; 14. Max Malins, 13. Alex Lozowski, 12. Nick Tompkins, 11. Sean Maitland; 10. Owen Farrell (capt), 9. Ivan van Zyl; 1. Mako Vunipola, 2. Jamie George, 3. Marco Riccioni, 4. Maro Itoje, 5. Hugh Tizard, 6. Andrew Christie, 7. Ben Earl, 8. Billy Vunipola. Reps: 16. Tom Woolstencroft, 17. Eroni Mawi, 18. Alec Clarey, 19. Nick Isiekwe, 20. Jackson Wray, 21. Aled Davies, 22. Duncan Taylor, 23. Alex Lewington.

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OSPREYS: 15. Mike Collins; 14. George North, 13. Owen Watkin, 12. Kieran Williams, 11. Luke Morgan; 10. Owen Williams, 9. Rhys Webb; 1. Nicky Smith, 2. Sam Parry, 3. Tom Francis, 4. Adam Beard, 5. Alun Wyn Jones, 6. Ethan Roots, 7. Justin Tipuric (capt), 8. Morgan Morris. Reps: 16. Dewi Lake, 17. Gareth Thomas, 18. Tom Botha, 19. Rhys Davies, 20. Dan Lydiate, 21. Reuben Morgan-Williams, 22. Gareth Anscombe, 23. Iestyn Hopkins.

  • Click here to see all the team selections across this weekend’s Heineken Champions Cup round-of-16 matches

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Comments on RugbyPass

T
Toaster 7 minutes ago
Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

I like top 6

Just enough to have quality teams

We see the blues beat the chiefs

And give enough of a carrot for the bottom 4

23 Go to comments
f
fl 8 minutes ago
Rassie Erasmus names 54-man Springboks squad with 9 uncapped players

If that’s true, why do URC teams skew towards being older than most of their competitors? And why does Rassie select so few young players?


All the evidence points towards the latest generation of South African players being of a lower standard than previous generations.

36 Go to comments
D
Derek Murray 10 minutes ago
The Reds' 'whimpering' exit shows Super Rugby scrums still matter

AAA and Slips are in top form. Slipper is proving a tough opponent for every TH he faces right now, and his work around the park is top drawer. AAA is unstoppable near the line.


Any chance of some analysis on what makes certain guys tougher to stop there than others, Nick?

71 Go to comments
f
fl 10 minutes ago
Only two Lions make Gallagher Premiership team of the season

Honestly I’m sure if he had the choice he’d rather get a test cap!

11 Go to comments
T
Tom 25 minutes ago
Red Bull's Newcastle deal imminent with Barrett providing inspiration

I now know that Newcastle have signed Jordie Barrett.

1 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 30 minutes ago
Premiership Rugby bosses give their take on breakaway R360 league

DOA

1 Go to comments
T
Tk 46 minutes ago
Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

The rugby is good but the administration is pretty woeful. What serious competition allows a team to be able to qualify for finals with a losing season record? Does everyone get a cuddle and a Well Done certificate afterwards too? Make all competition rounds mean something - top four into semis then a final. Losers go home. Are we not trying to create an AB team with the mentality to win World Cups?

23 Go to comments
T
Tk 54 minutes ago
Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

Games that matter? What the hell are those 16 rounds meant to be? If only the top 4 go through then every single one of those games should matter. Not just turning up in the last few weeks to get a losers spot. Extended finals and second chances make the rest of the competition Mickey Mouse. Making the finals with a losing record should not be possible end of story.

23 Go to comments
T
Tk 59 minutes ago
Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

No. 16 rounds of regular season play. Win if you want to be the winner.

23 Go to comments
N
Nickers 1 hour ago
Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

To play in an effective quarterfinal that will be followed by a home semi final whether you win or lose is a farce.


This game should not have taken place, and if they were desperate to do so the teams should have been reseeded afterwards with the “lucky loser” OBVIOUSLY seeded last.


Am I just bitter because the Hurricanes got knocked out? Yes. But also it’s a stupid format.

23 Go to comments
C
Carlos 1 hour ago
The Reds' 'whimpering' exit shows Super Rugby scrums still matter

I do like Geoff’s writing. He is the one I am most likely to read. I miss Harry’s or JD’s articles mostly because I don’t get to the site with enough frequency.

71 Go to comments
T
Toaster 1 hour ago
Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

There’s always going to be a trade off but also possible positives with injuries and rest

Take Tamaiti Williams as an example

23 Go to comments
C
Carlos 1 hour ago
Argentina confirm squad for historic British and Irish Lions clash

A very average side. Too many players with no high level experience. Good I didn’t spend the money to get to Dublin.

1 Go to comments
T
TokoRFC 2 hours ago
Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

Mate, what TK and Ben Smith are forgetting is that a comp needs more games that matter, and its a balancing act getting that right.

They haven’t understood that having so many teams fighting over the 6th spot is what fueled the back end of the regular season. Not to mention the games to decide the top end of the finals seeding. It would have been a bit flat if the 4 bottom teams were out of the running with a few rounds still to go.


The current finals format is a bit funny to get used to, I agree. But if they sort out the scheduling guff where the BRU vs HUR match could have been a non knockout game, as well as giving more punishment for the lucky looser (dropping them to 4th seed in the semis). The current format creates more meaningful matches than the alternatives.


Some examples of finals formats:


Top 6 ≈ 14 matches that matter

With the improvements above, the current system creates 6 competitive finals, plus say 8 matches in the regular season that are effectively knockout games. 14 games that definitely matter. Plus some games to decide the finals seeding in there too.


Top 4 ≈ 10 matches that matter

3 finals matches and say 6 games to fight over the top 4. At a best case you may get 12 crucial games


If offered the choice, the sponsors, the broadcasters, the fans, the players and the all blacks selectors would all take more meaningful games over any alternative format.

23 Go to comments
G
Gavin 2 hours ago
Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

They tried a bye for the top 2 teams back in the day. It had the opposite effect, as coaches of the teams that had a bye lamented how they felt off pace compared to the sides that just came off a serious challenge the week before.

23 Go to comments
P
PR 2 hours ago
Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

If you are a Bok supporter (you might not be) you should be grateful that SA is in the URC and Champions Cup. Playing teams from Ireland, England, Scotland and France much better preparation for Test rugby than playing teams from Australia, Fiji, Samoa etc…


I appreciate that you prefer a Super Rugby style of play but maybe give URC another chance. There are some amazing games and rivalries out there.

23 Go to comments
S
SK 3 hours ago
The Reds' 'whimpering' exit shows Super Rugby scrums still matter

Let the ref put the ball into the scrum. It will go straight down the middle and come in without warning

71 Go to comments
A
AH 3 hours ago
Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

Nah. Live in SA. Dream about multi phase rugby. Top 14 as good I will say

23 Go to comments
N
NB 3 hours ago
The Reds' 'whimpering' exit shows Super Rugby scrums still matter

I think Joe is a conservative selector at heart Miz.


I reckon he’ll stick with Fraser at 7, his attitude to Harry at 8 may depend on whether he sees big Will starting at 4. If he does, Harry will be the guy left out to make room for a bigger lineout 6.

71 Go to comments
N
NB 3 hours ago
The Reds' 'whimpering' exit shows Super Rugby scrums still matter

Knows the news but not how to predict it JD.

71 Go to comments
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