Anthony Watson says England need Owen Farrell back and he should be invited to rejoin the squad ahead of their Nations Championship clash with South Africa.<\/p>\n
Farrell, England\u2019s record points scorer, has not worn the Rose since stepping down from the captaincy and taking an indefinite break from Test rugby after the 2023 World Cup in order to prioritise his and his family\u2019s mental well-being.<\/p>\n
The 112-cap star did return to the international arena to play two Tests for the British and Irish Lions in Australia last summer, but he was a stranger to the England<\/a> team that endured its worst ever Six Nations campaign.<\/p>\n Inside centre role<\/p>\n On Saturday Farrell<\/a> lines up at inside centre for Saracens<\/a> at Bath<\/a> in an Investec Champions Cup<\/a> Round of 16 clash the Londoners are given little chance of winning having been trounced 62-15 by the same opponents in the league a fortnight ago.<\/p>\n Yet Watson, who won the majority of his 56 England caps alongside Farrell, is steadfast in his belief that the 34-year-old would add value to a national team which has lost its way this year.<\/p>\n \u201cShould he be part of things in South Africa<\/a> or at least offered the opportunity to be? 100 per cent,\u201d said the former back-three star. \u201cI had the same opinion across the Six Nations, across last autumn as well.<\/p>\n \u201cFitness aside, I didn\u2019t think there is a playing reason for him to not be in the squad. Historically England have played some of their best games with him at 12 and the 12 position is probably the only one which hasn\u2019t been nailed down by anyone yet.\u201d<\/p>\n Investec Champions Cup round of 16: Predictions, teams, kick-off times, how to watch and referee appointments<\/a><\/p>\n Watson, who will be on punditry duty for Premier Sports at the Rec, added: \u201cFor me, Owen is someone who could slot into that 12 shirt immediately and be unshakeable.<\/p>\n \u201cHe could provide the gel to that backline, become the final nailed-on England backline player. Then, I would argue, they have one of the top-three backlines in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n What only those closest to the player and England boss Steve Borthwick can know is whether a conversation has already been had and Farrell has politely declined, leaving the under-pressure coach to whittle down a list of alternative 12s which includes Seb Atkinson, Fraser Dingwall and Max Ojomoh.<\/p>\n Another take is that at 34, and two and a half years out of the shirt, Farrell has lost some of the powers that made him such a force with England over 12 years in which he scored 1,237 points, reached a World Cup final and semi-final and won three Six Nations titles.<\/p>\n Watson, for one, does not buy that. Asked whether this year\u2019s Champions Cup provides a last opportunity for Farrell to win a major trophy, the former London Irish, Bath and Leicester ace said: \u201cNo way!<\/p>\n \u201cIf there\u2019s one man you don\u2019t count out, it\u2019s Owen Farrell. I don\u2019t know how long he intends playing on for, but a squad with Owen Farrell in is better than one without him. Your chances of winning silverware improved drastically with him around.<\/p>\n Ranking seven England tighthead options as Steve Borthwick dealt hammer Trevor Davison blow<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cTherefore, if he chooses to play for three more seasons, let\u2019s say, in each of those seasons I would say Sarries will be competing, at the very least, for honours.<\/p>\n \u201cKnowing him as the competitor I do, I\u2019d say he has plenty more playing years ahead of him. And knowing him as Steve does, he will be well aware how powerful having him in the group is.\u201d<\/p>\n For all that, it has hard to imagine Sarries, even with Farrell in harness, troubling Bath in a Round of 16 in which it is difficult to see an away winner, with the possible exception of Sale at Harlequins.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s fair to say that when you look at this game in the context of recent form you would put a lot of money on Bath,\u201d Watson acknowledged. \u201cBut there\u2019s something about Saracens when they\u2019re underdogs that makes them dangerous.<\/p>\n Never count out Saracens<\/p>\n \u201cWith that in mind, if I was a betting man I would steer clear of this game. You never count out a squad with Owen, Maro Itoje, Ben Earl, Jamie George and Elliot Daly.<\/p>\n \u201cI think back to the 2023 Six Nations when we got battered at home by France, shipping 50 points. The week after we went to the Aviva to play unbeaten Ireland.<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as\u00a0a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a>\u00a0for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone was counting us out and who were the guys driving a reaction, Owen, Maro and those guys. We didn\u2019t win the game but we gave Ireland a real rattle.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Bath take this game lightly, they could be in for a shock. But Johann [van Graan] will know that. He will be very aware of the challenge these guys pose.\u201d<\/p>\n All the action from the big weekend of knock-out Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup rugby action is live on Premier Sports this Easter weekend with quarter final places at stake. Anthony Watson is part of the Premier Sports team bringing every minute of the drama from the biggest international club rugby games live across the UK and Ireland. Visit premiersports.com<\/a> to join in from just \u00a311.99 a month @PremSports.tv<\/p>\n