Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Owen Farrell: Saracens captain says Premiership champions can 'raise ceiling higher'

Written by 
Published in Rugby
Saturday, 27 May 2023 12:10

Saracens captain Owen Farrell believes the team can still "raise the ceiling" of their ambition after winning a sixth Premiership title.

Farrell kicked 13 points as his team beat Sale 35-25 at Twickenham for their first title in four years.

It was Saracens' seventh Premiership final in the last 10 years.

But the England fly-half said victory was not redemption for last year's final, where Sarries were beaten by Leicester in the last minute.

"I think what's more important is how we've been all season - the difference that we made at the start of the year, the difference in probably raising our ceiling of where we can go," he said.

"At this moment in time, regardless of how today went, it still feels like there's a lot for this young team now still to go.

"There's a feeling of wanting to get the best out of ourselves and that will carry on for a long time now."

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said Farrell is currently playing his "best rugby of his life".

Despite this being the 31-year-old's sixth Premiership title win, it was the first where he lifted the trophy as captain.

"If you spent the week at our training ground you wouldn't believe just how influential he is, how clear he is with the playing group, how emotive he is, what standards he sets, how supportive he is to team-mates young and old," McCall continued.

"He's played the best rugby of his life as well but his leadership is going to a whole new level.

"When the game is in the battles and it was 25-23 and we lacked a bit of energy, it wasn't just Owen but our senior players grasped the nettle really and saw us through very well in the last 15 or 20 minutes.

"We had a lot of control in that period of time and I think that's down to their experience in those situations. They've been there and done it before and they showed all that experience when we needed it most."

'Saracens only just starting'

Before the game, director of rugby Mark McCall spoke about how his side changed their mentality at the start of this campaign and committed to a "certain way of playing".

Despite dominating the regular season from start to finish and reasserting their position as the English game's dominant force following their return from the Championship, McCall still believes they can get better.

"Today feels really good and it's great to win but it feels like we're only just starting in lots of ways," McCall said.

"We knew if we wanted to play the way we wanted to play, we certainly needed to get fitter and we worked really hard at that.

"We looked a bit dead in the first 20 minutes of the second half and sometimes that's emotionally driven, but we found a way out of that and through that."

Sarries lost prop Mako Vunipola to injury before kick-off while hooker Jamie George departed with a head knock after just 10 minutes and wing Sean Maitland to a knee injury by the end of the first quarter.

Theo Dan impressed off the bench after replacing George, one of a growing number of emerging younger players in the Sarries squad.

"We've been playing some of these younger players all year," McCall noted. "To lose Mako before the game and Jamie after 10 minutes is a significant blow, given who else was already missing from the pack.

"But these young lads stepped up - but guided around by unbelievable senior players."

Two of those - number eight Jackson Wray and replacement centre Duncan Taylor - were playing their final games for the club.

"Jackson Wray and Duncan Taylor will go down as probably two of the best players ever to put on the Saracens jersey," added George. "What incredible players and more importantly, what incredible men. They deserve this."

Sale 'need to be more clinical'

Sale were playing in their first Premiership final in 17 years since they won the title in 2006 and director of rugby Alex Sanderson said the result left him "unbelievably gutted" and "ripped apart".

While he had no complaints about the result, he hopes the experience of reaching the Twickenham final and coming up just short will help the Sharks squad grow stronger and more determined to take the final step.

"Saracens deserved to win as we needed to be a bit more clinical at times," Sanderson told BBC Radio 5 Live. "But you don't win finals by shipping 35 points. There are simple lessons there.

"But we're growing. This is the start. I'm hugely optimistic about where we can take this. We've built something here which we can build on again and move forward with.

"We've got a really young, really enthusiastic group and I hope they get a taste for it as we'll be back here again at some point in the future."

Read 100 times

Soccer

Vini Jr. focused on UCL amid Ballon d'Or clamor

Vini Jr. focused on UCL amid Ballon d'Or clamor

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsVinícius Júnior has dismissed speculation that he could win the Bal...

Bayern fume at offside call 'disgrace' in UCL exit

Bayern fume at offside call 'disgrace' in UCL exit

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel said the linesman apologised to...

Messi's Barça napkin auction opens at $275k

Messi's Barça napkin auction opens at $275k

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe auction for the napkin which famously launched Lionel Messi's B...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Murray takes 'full responsibility' for losing his cool

Murray takes 'full responsibility' for losing his cool

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDenver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, acknowledging that he and his te...

Cops investigate Beverley for throwing ball at fan

Cops investigate Beverley for throwing ball at fan

EmailPrintINDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis police announced Wednesday they've opened an investigation in...

Baseball

Stanton's 2nd-deck blast hardest-hit ball of '24

Stanton's 2nd-deck blast hardest-hit ball of '24

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton hit a 119.9 mph home...

Mizuhara wired Ohtani money to reality TV star

Mizuhara wired Ohtani money to reality TV star

EmailPrintRyan Boyajian, a current cast member of Bravo's reality TV series "The Real Housewives of...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated