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<\/p>\nOwen Farrell will take a break from international rugby during the Six Nations <\/p>\n
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Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall has hit out at the abuse and criticism that has forced Owen Farrell to take a break from international rugby. <\/p>\n
The club announced on Wednesday that Farrell would be taking a break from England duty and miss next year\u2019s Six Nations \u201cto priorise his and his family\u2019s mental wellbeing\u201d. The fly half will remain available for his club.<\/p>\n
Farrell described the abuse that teammate Tom Curry and his family had received during the Rugby World Cup as \u201cunacceptable\u201d, while match officials Wayne Barnes and Tom Foley have recently revealed that they received threats after overseeing the final of the tournament.<\/p>\n
Suggesting an \u201cunfair narrative\u201d had been created around the England captain, an emotional McCall said that he hoped that Farrell\u2019s decision and the testimony of others would serve as a \u201cwake-up call\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve worked with Owen for 15 years, every day, and the person that has been portrayed in the media bears no resemblance to the person I know,\u201d McCall explained. \u201cHe\u2019s a family man, they\u2019ve always come first.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn top of that, he\u2019s a brilliant, caring, supportive team-mate and a loyal friend to many. And a very good, decent human being. That\u2019s the person I know.<\/p>\n
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Mark McCall (left) has coached Owen Farrell for 15 years <\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, this began in the mainstream media – not from everybody – and the narrative that was created around Owen. And then there was a pile-on on social media.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are some in the media industry who need to look at themselves. Down the years he has been made to feel that he has done something much worse than he has done. <\/p>\n
\u201cEvery single thing has been picked up on and scrutinised – that doesn\u2019t happen with other players. You might say\u2018he\u2019s the England captain, but I\u2019m not sure that other England captains have faced the level of scrutiny that he has. <\/p>\n
\u201cVery rarely is it positive. We\u2019re talking about someone who is a model professional, who cares deeply about what he does and who he does it with. He has been portrayed in a way that doesn\u2019t fit the person that people close to him know. We\u2019ve ended up where we\u2019ve ended up. There has been an unfair narrative and I don\u2019t know why.\u201d<\/p>\n
McCall confirmed that Farrell could feature in Saturday\u2019s Premiership fixture against Northampton Saints if he overcomes a knock.<\/p>\n
The fly half has steered Saracens to three wins in three starts since returning from a World Cup at which he became his country\u2019s leading points scorer.<\/p>\n
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Owen Farrell led England to a third place finish at the World Cup<\/p>\n
Farrell starred in the quarter-final win over Fiji and almost led England to a shock semi-final win over South Africa as Steve Borthwick\u2019s side fell one point short. <\/p>\n
McCall believes that it is \u201cremarkable\u201d that the 32-year-old was able to perform so well at the tournament. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s only so much that someone can take,\u201d the Saracens director of rugby stressed. \u201cIt\u2019s remarkable that he played the way he played during the World Cup, if we take into account how he was feeling. <\/p>\n
\u201cA person who is right on top of his game at the moment, yet he and his family have been made to feel the way they feel. It is shameful. He does [get the credit he deserves] from some and he definitely doesn\u2019t from others.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t tell you why he feels the way he feels. Certainly, his happiness – and his family\u2019s – are the most important thing going forward. And he\u2019ll have the club\u2019s full support going forward, as always.\u201d<\/p>\n