Brian O’Driscoll 'at a loss for words' over England fans booing of Owen Farrell at Rugby World Cup

Brian O’Driscoll has praised the “bravery” shown by Owen Farrell in announcing his plan to skip next year’s Six Nations to prioritise his and his family’s mental health.

Farrell is one of the sport’s most high-profile players and has come under more scrutiny than most in recent years.

It was evident ahead of this year’s Rugby World Cup when he was the subject of a social media storm after his red card for a high tackle on Wales’ Taine Basham in a warm-up game was rescinded.

A World Rugby appeal against that decision to downgrade his red to a yellow was successful and meant Farrell was suspended for England’s first two games in France, but he returned to take his side to the brink of the final, losing to South Africa by a point in the last four.

But now he has decided to step away from England duty.

TNT Sports expert O’Driscoll acknowledged that Farrell’s record when it comes to tackling in particular isn’t squeaky clean, but described him as “a really good guy” and admitted he was left bemused at the treatment he received from England fans during the World Cup, where he was sometimes booed.

“I think there’s great bravery in announcing it the way he did,” O’Driscoll said, ahead of Saracens’ clash with Northampton Saints on TNT Sports.

"He could have fudged it and said, ‘I just need a little bit of a break’. But he's come out and said, ‘Actually, for the mental wellbeing of myself and my family, I'm going to step away from the international set-up for a while’.

“He's only 32. He's got a huge amount of miles on the clock, and maybe he just needs a freshen up. I think a lot of what's gone on the last couple years is crazy.

“I know the guy, I played with him back in 2013, he's a really top guy.

“Has he gotten a few things wrong on the pitch over the years? He has, mistimed tackles, but it doesn't mean he's this thug that there's a perception of out there - far from it.

“He's a leader, he's a general, he's a really good guy to hang out with, and I just don't get it. I can't understand how during the World Cup his own fans were booing him. I was at a loss for words with that one.”

O’Driscoll’s fellow TNT Sports expert Ben Kay echoed his thoughts.

Kay, a World Cup winner with England in 2003, said Farrell is often the scapegoat for any failings on the field and hopes this will make people show some more compassion on social media.

“The reason it is a massive story is because he's always appeared like the most resilient rugby player out there,” Kay said.

“His playing style is a winner. Sometimes he wears his heart on his sleeve, he doesn't give an enormous amount off the field in terms of public persona, he doesn't court the media, but he's an absolute fantastic bloke off the field.

“On the field, he's just driven to win. And I think partly as well, some of the England stuff he was almost held up as the totem of England’s style of rugby.

“And when people were saying, ‘Well, it's not particularly good’, it's because he's that winner, and if your coach is telling you this is the best way to play when we haven't got front-foot ball, that's how he will go out and play.

“I think he was unfairly almost held up as the reason that England were playing in a certain way. Social media is a bit like road rage. People do stuff that they'd never do in real life face to face with people.

“You say stuff and you don't realise that it's getting through to people that. Maybe if there's any good that can come out of this, people will just stop and think.”

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