Owen Farrell has left the door open for a future England return, as he prepares for his Saracens swansong.
Farrell will leave sole club Saracens for Paris’ Racing 92 this summer, bringing to an end 16 years of senior action for the StoneX Stadium club.
Farrell’s move overseas puts him off-limits for England selection, but he will be available for the Lions’ 2025 Australia tour.
The 32-year-old will notch his 250th Saracens appearance in Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership clash London derby clash with Harlequins at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, when the league resumes after a seven-week break.
Saracens boss Mark McCall insisted Farrell will number among one of the few players capable of resuming his Test career after an extended break.
Farrell stepped down from England duty, relinquishing the captaincy, after the World Cup – and has since signed a two-year deal with Racing.
The 112-cap England star could return to home soil in 2026, whereupon McCall believes he could easily resurrect his Test career – and that would be in time for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Asked about a potential future Saracens and even England return, Farrell replied: “I’ve not said anything, I don’t know.
“I’ve stepped back and there’s obviously a change happening next year. Then we’ll see.
“There’s no point in saying anything now because I don’t know how I’m going to feel later down the line. We’ll see.”
Farrell will reunite with his former England coach Stuart Lancaster in Paris next season.
While leaving Saracens will prove a wrench, he admitted the time was right for a new personal challenge, and a big family adventure.
Farrell has been part of all six of Saracens’ Premiership titles, and all three European triumphs too.
A magnificent seventh league crown could still yet be sealed this term, while a Champions Cup knockout clash in Bordeaux awaits too next month.
If Farrell does decide to resurrect his England career in future, McCall has no doubts he will pull it off.
“I think there are very few players who can, but he’s one of them,” said McCall.
“You’ve got to have the drive to do that, you’ve got to have the competitive spirit to do that.
“And I think he has that, so I think he can keep going for as long as that drive and that competitive spirit is there.
“Johnny Sexton was able to play some of the best matches of his career in his last two years with Ireland, he was 36 and playing some of his best rugby, which was remarkable.
“Regardless of what happens in the next 10 weeks, Owen’s legacy is firmly established here.
“He’s done everything and achieved everything here. And to go and explore the opportunity that he has in France, to experience something different with his family, I think it’s a great thing at this stage of his career.”
Farrell already approaches rugby with a coach’s mindset, and McCall admitted he expects the Saracens talisman to take up an off-field leadership role in future.
Just as George Ford could easily end up coaching for both club and eventually country, so too Farrell can be considered a future Saracens and England boss.
“I can’t imagine Owen Farrell not being in rugby for the rest of his life to be honest,” said McCall.
“Given the rugby IQ that he has, the motivational ability that he has, the communicator that he is, the good person that he is, you could see him stepping into coaching very readily – and we hope in time that might be here.”
Farrell watched the Six Nations as a supporter, for the first time in 12 years.
He attended an Ireland match, having watched his younger brother play age-group club rugby for Belvedere.
Then he was on hand at Twickenham for England’s 23-22 win over dad Andy Farrell’s Ireland side.
Saracens enforced a four-week break for Farrell during their long Premiership hiatus, to give him a complete mental and physical break.
“It must have been a very odd experience for him, watching the Six Nations and not being there,” said McCall.
“Which is why getting away from here for a lot of that time was important.”
