Rugby-Farrell rejoins Saracens on two-year deal
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Premiership - Saracens v Bristol Bears - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 26, 2022 Saracens' Owen Farrell Action Images/John Sibley/File Photo
LONDON (Reuters) -Former England captain Owen Farrell will return to Saracens after spending one season with French club Racing 92, the English Premiership club said on Monday.
The 33-year-old flyhalf, who spent 16 years at Saracens, has signed a two-year contract with the London club starting from next season.
Farrell, who helped Saracens win six Premiership titles and three European Champions Cups, stood down from England duty after the 2023 World Cup saying he needed to do so for his mental health.
"Saracens is my home and the opportunity to come back is one that excites me enormously," Farrell said in club statement.
"Having watched from afar this season, it is clear to see that the club has incredible potential, and I can't wait to get back in the mix for the 2025-26 season."
Farrell has made 256 appearances for Saracens, earned 112 England caps and played six tests for the British and Irish Lions.
The former Saracens captain joined Racing last year on a two-year deal but form and injuries restricted him to 17 appearances for them.
He was omitted from the Lions squad, coached by his father Andy Farrell, for this year's tour of Australia.
"Owen has Saracens in his DNA; his competitive spirit is woven into the fabric of this club, and we are delighted he has chosen to come home," Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said.
(Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Healthy crowds and Messi mania lift Club World Cup, but quality gap shows
MIAMI (Reuters) -The expanded Club World Cup has kicked off with healthy crowds, "Messi mania" and a festival atmosphere in Miami, giving an early vindication to world football body FIFA after fears of empty stands and global disinterest. FIFA controversially awarded Lionel Messi's Inter Miami a backdoor route into the tournament, ensuring the sport's biggest name would be there after he propelled soccer to new heights in a country often ambivalent to the world's most popular game. Some 61,000 fans packed the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday to watch the Argentine and teammates play Egyptian giants Al-Ahly in a goalless draw. Another strong crowd turned out on Sunday for the clash between Paris St Germain and Atletico Madrid, which ended in a one-sided 4-0 win for the Champions League winners. However, Bayern Munich's 10-0 demolition of semi-professional Auckland City underscored the worrying gulf in quality between some of the competing clubs. But the opening weekend largely delivered what FIFA had hoped for: vibrant crowds and global representation. South American supporters made their presence especially felt. More than 1,000 Boca Juniors fans in blue and gold turned Miami Beach into a party strip on Sunday ahead of their opening match, singing club anthems and waving flags in scenes reminiscent of a World Cup carnival. "Wherever you go, Boca is here,' Gaston San Paul, a fan who flew in from Entre Rios in Argentina, told Reuters. 'Wherever we are we do this,' he added, referring to the "Banderazo" (flag party), a fan gathering destined to mark territory ahead of a game. Boca and Real Madrid games were among the top early ticket sellers, according to FIFA, which said that top markets after the U.S. were Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. Talk of empty stands was at least provisionally dismissed as well as heightened anxiety in the immigrant-heavy Miami area following recent federal immigration raids. At the heart of the opening weekend buzz was Messi, whose presence has elevated Inter Miami's profile and guaranteed global glamour for the tournament. $1 BILLION DEAL Messi, who received a standing ovation before kickoff, was unable to find the net against Al-Ahly but provided flashes of brilliance in a tightly contested, physical match. FIFA is banking not only on Messi's star power but also on a radical new broadcast strategy. The tournament is being streamed for free worldwide by DAZN in a $1 billion deal. That agreement followed Saudi Arabia's SURJ Sports Investment, a subsidiary of the country's Public Investment Fund (PIF), acquiring a minority stake in DAZN for a reported $1 billion — another marker of the kingdom's growing investment footprint in sport. The partnership, one of the largest broadcast packages in football history, is central to FIFA's push to maximize digital engagement and position the Club World Cup as a global spectacle ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America. The $1 billion prize money, which ensures a hefty $125 million for the winners, was an obvious incentive for the European clubs. "There's a lot of money at stake. If you have the chance to earn a lot of money at a tournament, you should take the chance," former Bayern legend Karl Heinz Rummenigge said in the run-up. DAZN has yet to provide viewership data. While the crowds gave FIFA reason to be cheerful, the Bayern Munich v Auckland City match raised awkward questions about the tournament's balance as the German champions obliterated their opponents 10-0. Despite the lopsided contest in Cincinnati, the overall mood among organizers was one of optimism, calling the opening weekend a resounding success. Many Floridians, however, did not know a global soccer event was taking place in their state. "There is a World Cup? Hockey?," said one person working in a restaurant in Miami Beach. "This tournament is new, and it is different. It is the very first time clubs and players from all over the world have had the chance to face each other in competitive matches on a global stage," FIFA said, referring to the 32-club format after the previous editions featured seven. With group matches continuing through the week and Boca's opener against Benfica expected to draw another bumper crowd in Miami later on Monday, FIFA will be hoping to build on the early momentum — and avoid more one-sided encounters like the one in Cincinnati as European teams appear to be a level above those from other continents'. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
New Straits Times
8 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Malaysia blow 3-0 lead in crushing New Zealand defeat in Nations Cup
KUALA LUMPUR: The national hockey team threw away a three-goal lead to suffer a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat to New Zealand in a Nations Cup Group B match at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Monday. It was the Speedy Tigers' 15th loss to the Black Sticks since the 1975 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia, who drew 3-3 with Pakistan in their opener on Sunday, looked to be cruising after goals from Akhimullah Anuar Esook (18th minute), Fitri Saari (38th) and Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal (39th) gave them a 3-0 advantage. But the defence, led by captain Marhan Jalil, crumbled after the 44th minute. Poor decision-making and two yellow cards proved costly as the hosts conceded four goals in just eight minutes. Fitri was shown a yellow card and sent to the sin bin in the 44th minute, and the Black Sticks quickly capitalised with strikes from Finn Ward (44th), Simon Yorston (45th), and Sean Findlay (46th). Things went from bad to worse when Muhajir Abdu Rauf received a yellow in the 52nd minute, and Ward fired home the winner moments later. The defeat leaves Malaysia with just one point from two matches. They now face a must-win clash against Japan on Wednesday to keep their semi-final hopes alive. New Zealand sealed their spot in the last four with back-to-back wins, while Pakistan, on four points, only need a draw against the Kiwis to join them in the semi-finals. National coach Sarjit Singh was livid after the collapse. "We had the game under full control but paid the price when we picked up two yellow cards," he said. "It's really disappointing. We had three points in our hands, but we blew it." New Zealand coach Greg Nicol admitted his side were fortunate. "I'm really proud of our second-half performance. I never expected us to score four goals in eight minutes." Meanwhile, Pakistan edged Japan 3-2 to stay on track for the semi-finals. The Green Shirts netted through Ali Ghazanfar (8th), Ashraf Rana Waheed (34th) and Sufyan Khan (52nd), while Kazumasa Matsumoto (9th) and Koji Yamasaki (11th) replied for Japan. Ashraf, who was named player of the match, said: "We achieved our mission by collecting full points. We hope to get a good result against New Zealand to reach the last four." Results Group A: South Korea 3 Wales 2, South Africa 3 France 4; Group B: Japan 2 Pakistan 3, New Zealand 4 Malaysia 3. Fixtures Tuesday Rest Day Wednesday Group A: South Korea v South Africa (2pm), France v Wales (4pm); Group B: New Zealand v Pakistan (6pm), Japan vs Malaysia (8pm). * All matches at National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil
The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Rugby-Farrell rejoins Saracens on two-year deal
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Premiership - Saracens v Bristol Bears - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 26, 2022 Saracens' Owen Farrell Action Images/John Sibley/File Photo LONDON (Reuters) -Former England captain Owen Farrell will return to Saracens after spending one season with French club Racing 92, the English Premiership club said on Monday. The 33-year-old flyhalf, who spent 16 years at Saracens, has signed a two-year contract with the London club starting from next season. Farrell, who helped Saracens win six Premiership titles and three European Champions Cups, stood down from England duty after the 2023 World Cup saying he needed to do so for his mental health. "Saracens is my home and the opportunity to come back is one that excites me enormously," Farrell said in club statement. "Having watched from afar this season, it is clear to see that the club has incredible potential, and I can't wait to get back in the mix for the 2025-26 season." Farrell has made 256 appearances for Saracens, earned 112 England caps and played six tests for the British and Irish Lions. The former Saracens captain joined Racing last year on a two-year deal but form and injuries restricted him to 17 appearances for them. He was omitted from the Lions squad, coached by his father Andy Farrell, for this year's tour of Australia. "Owen has Saracens in his DNA; his competitive spirit is woven into the fabric of this club, and we are delighted he has chosen to come home," Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said. (Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
