The England Rugby World Cup captain, Owen Farrell, has faced criticism in the first half of the quarter-final match against South Africa.
Farrell has a history of being a controversial player, known for his moments of brilliance but also for actions that can put his team in jeopardy. He was sidelined for the first two matches of this World Cup after receiving a red card for a high tackle in a warm-up game against Wales in August.
During the first half of the South Africa match in Paris, England conceded a penalty that was initially out of kicking range. However, due to Farrell’s argument with referee Ben O’Keeffe, the penalty was moved 10 yards forward, allowing the Springboks to secure their first three points, closing the gap to 6-0.
ITV pundits, including Ben Kay, expressed concern, with Kay commenting, “Someone needs to take control of him. He’s not benefiting his team with his behavior.” Social media users also took notice, with rugby journalist Peter Jackson asking, “Why does Owen Farrell persist in disputing with the referee?” Some fans questioned Farrell’s role as the England captain, and one person remarked, “You could assemble a team of 14 very likable players, but add Owen Farrell, and you create a team that’s hard to support.”
In a previous incident, England full-back Henry Arundell was reportedly visibly upset by a comment from Farrell during training before their World Cup quarter-final against Fiji.
Former England fly-half Andy Goode suggested that Arundell’s absence from the team, despite his impressive performance with five tries against Chile, was due to a training altercation with Farrell.
However, this allegation has been denied by all parties involved. Instead, Mail Sport reported that Arundell was distressed by Farrell’s demanding leadership style during training, where Farrell urged him to “pursue those kicks” to raise the intensity levels before the crucial quarter-final match.
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