England captain Owen Farrell admitted to wondering whether he would be “any good” at rugby league.
He revealed a love of coaching which seemed to confirm he will follow in dad Andy’s footsteps when his playing days end. And he told stories of growing up with George Ford, his friend who he goes head-to-head with in today’s Premiership final.
On the eve of Saracens’ Twickenham showdown with Sale the 31-year old was happy to chew the fat. But he was crystal clear that come this afternoon all that matters is righting the wrong of last year’s showpiece defeat by Leicester.
Losing to Freddie Burns’ dramatically late drop goal haunted Sarries through the summer. “Not great for your family holiday,” boss Mark McCall confirmed.
It became a catalyst for change which over the course of the season would transform the north Londoners’ approach.
Farrell said: “That 80 minutes made us look at everything because we didn’t get the best out of ourselves in that game. We were nowhere near.
"There were times we were trying to stay in the fight. We had more in us that we didn't show.
“We want to be good enough to play any way the game demands and we feel we have taken a step forward with that this year.”
According to McCall, the manner of defeat left the entire club “agitated and aggravated”.
A year on he is full of praise for how his fly-half led the makeover, saying it proved “for sure” that he will make a good coach.
“I do love that side of the game,” Farrell agreed. “Watching the game, analysing it, trying to see how teams work and how to get the best out of things.
“But I'm not done (playing). I want to get everything out of my career and enjoy what’s to come in the future.”
The likelihood is small that it will include a return to the league code he played as a child given his standing in union, but he confessed: “I always wonder if I could do it, if I’d be any good.”
England RL captain Sam Tomkins has labelled him as the ‘best rugby league player of the last ten years’ despite Farrell having never played the code as a professional.
“I love the game, I love watching Wigan,” the 31-year old admitted. “I’m obsessed with the NRL, I watch as much as I can.
"Until I moved down south, until there was talk of my dad moving to rugby union, I didn't know what rugby union was. Like, I'd see the England games sometimes and see the World Cup and I’d see some Six Nations, but I weren’t really into it, if I’m honest.
"The love for the game came later on. But my first love was nothing but rugby league.”
He describes league as his “first love” and says last month he sat alone at home watching Wigan-St Helens thinking, ‘How good’s this?!’
Come tea time Farrell’s team mates will hope he is his saying the same about Saracens. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.
