Captain’s likely absence from start of World Cup highlights a weary familiarity hanging over team showing no sense of momentum
So here we go again. Owen Farrell in high shoulder charge trouble? Tick. England flattering mostly only to deceive? Tick. Injuries and unavailability threatening to disrupt their World Cup? Tick. Tick. They may have finally won a match but, in truth, an air of weary Groundhog Day familiarity hangs over English rugby that extends well beyond the length of ban awaiting their national captain before next month’s global tournament.
Farrell will certainly be experiencing a powerful sense of deja vu as he awaits the verdict on Tuesday, which is almost certain to sideline him from his team’s keynote opening pool game in France. As recently as January he was lucky not to miss the start of this year’s Six Nations championship after a longer suspension was reduced to three weeks because he agreed to attend World Rugby’s “tackle school”. Does that mean, as several wags have observed, that he is now eligible for a masters degree?
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