OWEN FARRELL and his dad Andy played on the same side for Saracens in 2008.
But they will be in rival camps as England chase Grand Slam glory in Dublin on Saturday.
Owen lines up at centre for the Red Rose against Ireland, who have Andy as their defence coach.
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But the England star, 25, seems much less bothered about the family conflict than Mrs Farrell, Owen’s mum Colleen, who will be watching the Six Nations finale.
Farrell jnr said: “She probably wants a 3-0 England win!
“I wouldn’t say I’m coming up against Dad — he’s not playing, is he?
“I think the only person it will affect is my mum. She just wants everyone to do well.
“Me and Dad speak to each other what I would say is the normal amount. Just normal, as any family would. We chat a bit of rugby.”
The pair’s rare father-son moment came in a pre-season friendly against Aussies Western Force.
Owen was 17 then and a few months later became the youngest-ever player to appear in English pro rugby when he faced Scarlets in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.
He lost that record to current England team-mate George Ford a few months later.
And the Saracens coach who gave Farrell his debut was a certain Eddie Jones — who is now bidding to mastermind England’s to back-to-back Grand Slams and a world-record 19-match winning run.
Farrell’s parents were childhood sweethearts in Wigan and their first son arrived before they turned 17.
On Owen’s birth certificate, father Andy’s occupation was listed as ‘apprentice joiner’ although, just a year later, he was a household name and the youngest winner of rugby league’s Challenge Cup.
Owen appeared destined for greatness after mastering the drop goal when he was just two years old.
Farrell snr swapped his glittering rugby league career to join Saracens in 2005, winning eight England caps in the 15-a-side game before taking up coaching with Sarries and then England.
So Saturday will also be an event for the Red Rose stars who had Farrell snr in their corner when they kicked off the current 18-match winning run by beating Uruguay in the final pool match of the 2015 World Cup.
One of those, full-back Mike Brown admitted: “Andy and Owen are very similar.
“They both bring a lot of energy. Owen backs up words with actions.
“But Owen has probably not taken a second thought about it because he’s so focused on his job.
“It was weird when Andy was first coach of England, but not now.
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“At the start it was a bit strange because, being a rugby league fan, I grew up watching his dad on TV.”
Elliot Daly is fit to face Ireland on Saturday after passing concussion tests.
The Wasps winger was forced off after a tip-tackle by Scotland’s Fraser Brown on Saturday.
Boss Jones has also kept last year’s lucky charm Tommy Taylor in a 25-man squad for Dublin.
Wasps hooker Taylor is England’s third-choice No 2 but was with the squad when England beat France in Paris to clinch the Grand Slam 12 months ago.
Brown has been cleared to face Italy on Saturday after being cited for the dangerous tackle on Daly at Twickenham last week.
A panel ruled the hooker’s yellow card was sufficient.
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