Owen Farrell: Former England captain admits social media abuse ‘arduous to get away from’ | Rugby Union Information

Owen Farrell mentioned he nonetheless felt the sting of social media abuse throughout the Rugby World Cup, regardless that he deleted his accounts throughout the event.

Former England captain Farrell was the goal of critics throughout the World Cup and introduced on the finish of November he would step again from worldwide rugby to guard his and his household’s psychological well being.

Talking publicly for the primary time since making that announcement, forward of his membership Saracens’ Gallagher Premiership match towards Harlequins at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, the fly-half acknowledged he tries not to concentrate to social media feedback, however continues to be conscious of it.

“I do not actually attempt to look an excessive amount of into it and clearly it is arduous to get away from these days,” Farrell mentioned.

“You type of really feel it at occasions, however you would be incorrect to entertain it an excessive amount of as a result of anybody’s opinion I respect or anybody who I consider or anybody I do know, to be sincere, I would not see them going into feedback sections and writing stuff.

“My ideas could be why would I give it some thought an excessive amount of? However you do get a way of it. I deleted social media for the entire of the World Cup. You continue to really feel it is there, however the one factor that stays fixed is you attempt to be your greatest.”

The criticism Farrell confronted throughout the World Cup, which noticed England attain the semi-finals earlier than being edged out by eventual champions South Africa, was not restricted to social media.

It included him being booed by some England followers when his identify was learn out forward of the quarter-final win over Fiji, though he put his resolution to step again from the nationwide group right down to a wide range of causes.

“The World Cup was troublesome at occasions, however I actually loved the enjoying aspect of it and the being concerned aspect,” Farrell mentioned. “I used to be making an attempt to get again to having fun with my rugby, loving what I am doing, and I am having fun with it now.

“It is by no means one factor why you make a decision. Usually it is loads of issues which come collectively which make these selections.

“I believed it might be greatest for me and my household, there is a change taking place subsequent 12 months off the again of it. I’ve finished that as a result of I feel will probably be good for me and I hope that may give me the area to get again to having fun with what I am doing.”

Farrell will likely be ineligible to play for England till summer time 2026 not less than after agreeing to hitch French membership Racing 92 when his contract with Saracens expires on the finish of the present Premiership marketing campaign.

The 32-year-old doesn’t know whether or not he could but pull on an England shirt once more as soon as his cope with Racing concludes, however is worked up by the prospect of a brand new alternative after being a part of Sarries’ squad since making his debut in 2008.

“If you come to the tip of your contract and there is a World Cup, folks see what your future plans are and I might by no means actually entertained something earlier than,” Farrell mentioned. “But it surely was the primary time us as a household thought it may be good for us to go and expertise one thing completely different.

“I used to be open and sincere with the folks right here [at Saracens] as early as I may very well be, and there was no resolution made at the moment however I used to be simply laying out what I used to be pondering and the way I used to be feeling.

“All people right here was actually supportive. This place will not be straightforward to go away, it has been my residence for so long as I can bear in mind, I’ve acquired loads of good pals right here and been right here for 14 years or so. It wasn’t a straightforward resolution, however hopefully a very good one for us in the long term.”