Rugby-I struggle to comprehend 'social media poison' says Farrell
(Reuters) -Former England captain Owen Farrell says he does not understand the social media "poison" that often surrounds top level sport and that contributed to him walking away from international rugby after the 2023 World Cup.
The 33-year-old was named by his father, British & Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell, as captain for Tuesday's match against a First Nations & Pasifika XV in Melbourne, after joining the tour as replacement for the injured Elliot Daly.
He has not played a test since stepping back from national duty in November 2023 to prioritise his mental health, before joining French side Racing 92, returning to Saracens in June.
"I understand times are different and things catch fire quicker. Things grow legs, take a life of their own, go wherever they go and there's momentum behind them. But no, I don't always understand it," Farrell told reporters on Monday, when asked about the online discourse.
"Both are a poison... the good and the bad. Not to say that it's all bad, but the things that should matter to me and should matter to us as players are the people that matter to us."
Racist abuse online forced England women's footballer Jess Carter to step away from social media on Sunday, with the defender saying she had been a target since Euro 2025 began.
Farrell previously spoke out against social media abuse when he condemned the online vitriol faced by England flanker Tom Curry during the 2023 World Cup after he accused a South African opponent of abusing him during a match.
"I guess the people I think we should listen to are the proper rugby people, your mates. Not that those people will just pat you on the back," Farrell said.
"You have people who will tell you where it is at the same time, but they will give you a real answer. If you do that and you are in a good place yourself, then you can deal with it."
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
33 minutes ago
- The Star
Sailing-France's Bonafous becomes first woman skipper to win Fastnet in an IMOCA
(Reuters) -Elodie Bonafous carved out a slice of offshore racing history on Tuesday, becoming the first woman to win the IMOCA class in the Rolex Fastnet Race after a nail-biting duel that went down to the wire. The 29-year-old French sailor, skippering the freshly launched Association Petits Princes–Queguiner IMOCA with Vendee Globe veteran Yann Elies aboard, crossed the line in Cherbourg just seven minutes ahead of Jeremie Beyou's Charal after more than two days of racing in a record 444-strong fleet. Bonafous held her nerve through a tense final night of drifting conditions and tactical gambles that saw the lead change hands in dramatic fashion. After guiding her crew around Fastnet Rock at the front of the pack, she was briefly overhauled by rivals in the Channel. But the breakthrough moment came east of Guernsey, where Bonafous fought back to reclaim top spot in what turned into a gripping match race with Charal that came down to the final miles. 'We are very happy to be here,' Bonafous said, beaming upon her arrival. 'We are in good shape. It was tight at the end. It was a great victory." Sailing a boat launched only in February, Bonafous blended smarts, steel and speed to outfox some of the IMOCA fleet's biggest names and her victory marked a defining moment in the race's centenary edition, delivering a masterclass in timing and tenacity that will be remembered as a watershed moment for women in offshore sailing. Beyou was sanguine at settling for second place. 'When the wind is steady, I think we are quicker, but when it's light, we are stuck. But it was a lot of fun and it was never over until the finish," he said. "This was a very classic Fastnet race, upwind to the Rock and then the wind coming from behind on the way back. "It was nice to sail with a crew on the IMOCA and to race it at 100% so you could carry out all the strategic tacks and gybes you wanted. It's always intense in an IMOCA race, but a bit more like this.' The IMOCA class (International Monohull Open Class Association) is a fleet of cutting-edge, 60-foot offshore racing yachts designed for competition in some of the world's toughest ocean races. IMOCAs are characterised by their lightweight carbon construction, towering masts and distinctive 'Dali' foils that lift the hull partially out of the water to reduce drag. The biennial Fastnet Race traces a challenging 695-nautical miles course from Cowes on England's Isle of Wight around Ireland's famous Fastnet Rock before finishing in Cherbourg — a test that has challenged sailors' skill and endurance for a century. (Reporting by Ossian Shine; Editing by Ken Ferris)
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Rugby-Piardi call in Australia-Lions test should be accepted, Erasmus says
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - South African head coach Rassie Erasmus' Press Conference - SARU House, Tygerberg Park, Cape Town, South Africa - March 5, 2025 South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus during the press conference REUTERS/Esa Alexander/ File Photo (Reuters) -South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus believes the decision to award the British & Irish Lions a series-winning try in last weekend's 29-26 win over Australia was "touch-and-go" but World Rugby's explanation of the contentious call should be accepted. The Lions won the test with a try from Hugo Keenan in the final seconds but Australia believe a ruling from referee Andrea Piardi at a ruck immediately beforehand was incorrect. Australia coach Joe Schmidt said the call was an error in his post-match press conference, suggesting Jac Morgan's clear-out of Carlo Tizzano was dangerous, and Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh said he would seekg "accountability" from World Rugby over it. But Erasmus, who received a two-month ban from World Rugby for a 62-minute video that was critical of Australian referee Nic Berry after the first Lions test in South Africa in 2021, said he could see both sides of the argument. "I had Australia (winning) by four points in the game, so I lost our internal (coach's competition) on that one," Erasmus told reporters with a smile on Tuesday. "It's such a tough decision. World Rugby has come out to say it was the right decision. It was a very tough call for the referee to make. "If I was Joe, I would be really disappointed, and if I was (Lions coach) Andy (Farrell), I would be really happy. I think it was touch-and-go, so I can understand both sides of what each coach sees. "But World Rugby has ruled on it and that is what everybody has to accept." World Rugby chief Alan Gilpin backed the call from Piardi earlier on Tuesday. "We do share with Joe and the coaching team why the match officials made that decision," he said. "Joe's got a view about what was wrong with that decision and there'll be a debate so that Joe and his players can go into the next test understanding how that game's going to be officiated." South Africa will host Australia in two Rugby Championship tests in Johannesburg and Cape Town next month. Italian Piardi will officiate the defending champion Springboks' final match in the competition against Argentina in London in October. (Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Ken Ferris)
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Popovici says came close to going home before winning world gold
SINGAPORE: Paris Olympics champion David Popovici claimed a thrilling 200m freestyle gold at the swimming world championships on Tuesday – then revealed he had very nearly pulled out. The popular 20-year-old Romanian timed it perfectly to reel in US rival Luke Hobson in the closing stages and take the title in 1min 43.53sec. Hobson was forced to settle for silver (1:43.84) with Japan's 18-year-old Tatsuya Murasa taking bronze (1:44.54). "Even better than the Olympics to be honest," said Popovici, who reclaimed his world crown from 2022. "You know why?" he added. "I trained a lot for the Olympics but this year has been more relaxed and easygoing." He added: "I am very proud of myself." The final in Singapore was billed as a duel between Popovici – the Olympic champion – and Paris bronze medallist Hobson. And so it turned out, with Popovici putting on the afterburners in the dying stages of the race. Popovici said afterwards that fear of realising his full potential had made him seriously think twice about racing. "Frankly, just one or two days before the competition I wanted to pull out," he said. "I just wasn't feeling well. It wasn't fear of competing or fear of losing, it was the fear of – how do I put it – I scratched my own potential, the huge potential I realised I have this year, I scratched it, I saw it, I tasted it, and then the fear of reaching your own potential. "That's very scary. And so I'm really glad I didn't quit." Asked how close he had come to not competing, Popovici said: "I started looking for flights back. "It was a mental thing and it had to do with the fear of seeing my real potential." Britain's Matthew Richards, who took silver in the French capital a year ago, was a surprise casualty in the semi-finals. South Korea's Hwang Sun-woo, who went to the first turn in front, finished just outside the medals in fourth.
