From his sporting relatives to the reason behind his kick celebration, here's the lowdown on Owen Farrell
Who is Owen Farrell: Ten things you should know about the England star
Owen Farrell has been a stalwart player for England since winning his first cap against Scotland in 2012 and he captained them to the World Cup final in 2019 as well as a Six Nations title in 2020.
He plays fly-half or centre and also toured with the British & Irish Lions in 2013 and 2017. Below are a few more facts about him.
Related: Owen Farrell kicking at 47% in Six Nations so far
Ten things you should know about Owen Farrell
1. Owen Farrell was born on 24 September 1991 in Billinge, Merseyside, and he is the eldest of four children. He has two younger sisters, Elleshia and Grace, and a younger brother, Gabriel.
2. Farrell went to St George’s School in Harpenden, which was also attended by his England team-mates George Ford and Maro Itoje.
related: Owen Farrell celebration: Why does England captain link fingers?
3. While his professional career has been in rugby union, he started his life in rugby league and played for Wigan St Patricks.
Who is Owen Farrell’s dad?
4. Farrell’s father, Andy, is a rugby league legend who played for Wigan Warriors and Great Britain. In 2005, he switched to union and played for Saracens until 2009 while he also won eight England caps. He then moved into coaching with first Saracens and then England and the British & Irish Lions. He is now Ireland head coach.
5. Farrell’s father isn’t the only family member to have a sporting history as his uncle, Sean O’Loughlin, is another rugby league icon. He was capped for England and Great Britain and played his entire 19-year Super League career for Wigan Warriors.
6. Owen Farrell signed for Saracens in 2008 and won five Premiership and three European Cup titles between 2011 and 2019. He also opted to stay at the club when they were relegated at the end of the 2019-20 season for breaching the salary cap.
Related: Owen Farrell’s tips on kicking out of hand
Why does Owen Farrell link his fingers?
7. Farrell links his fingers in a J-J formation every time he kicks a goal. The fly-half’s kick celebration is in aid of Duchenne muscular dystrophy charity Joining Jack, for which Farrell is an ambassador. The charity was set up by schoolboy Jack Johnson’s parents, who are friends of the Farrells.
8. He married his childhood sweetheart Georgie in 2018 and they have since welcomed their son, Tommy.
9. Farrell had a goalkeeping trial with Manchester United when he was 13. There were talks of him being signed but his father started playing for Saracens and the family moved to London.
10. He studied Business at Hertfordshire University.
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