Farrell not considered for England tour
Coach Steve Borthwick says he will allow Owen Farrell to settle back into life at Saracens this summer, rather than calling him up for an immediate return to England duty.Farrell, 33, has signed a two-year deal with Premiership side Saracens, ending his stint at French side Racing 92 and bringing him back into England reckoning.This July, Borthwick's side will take on Argentina away in two Tests before a one-off match against the United States in Washington.They will do so without 13 first-choice players who have been selected for the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.However, Borthwick says he won't rush Farrell, who has 112 appearances for England, back to fortify the squad.While the experienced George Ford is on tour, uncapped Charlie Atkinson is the back-up specialist fly-half. Farrell can also play in midfield, where England are without the injured Ollie Lawrence and Fraser Dingwall"No, he wasn't part of the plan," said Borthwick, when asked by Rugby Union Weekly whether Farrell had been under consideration for the summer."Owen has been on record saying he just wants to get back playing and get settled with his family back in Hertfordshire, and we wish him all the best with that."
Borthwick, who captained Farrell at Saracens at the tail end of his own career, said he had been in regular contact with him during a spell in Paris which was blighted by injury and upheaval among the club's coaching staff.England have a policy of only selecting those playing their club rugby within the country.Farrell's Racing team-mate Henry Arundell is also moving back to the Premiership next season, having agreed a move to champions Bath."Hopefully there will be more players coming back because we want our league to be the strongest and the very best," said Borthwick.
Woki cleared of Twickenham clear-out red
Meanwhile France flanker Cameron Woki has been cleared to play immediately after a foul-play review committee ruled that he should not have been sent off in the win over an England XV at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.Woki was shown a yellow card after he made contact with Jamie George's head while clearing a ruck early in the second half, which television match official Mike Adamson reviewed and upgraded to a 20-minute red card.However a three-person panel, part of a new streamlined disciplinary process being trialled for the first time, reassessed the incident and disagreed that Woki's action constituted a high degree of danger.Woki has been named in the France squad for a three-Test series against New Zealand this summer. Leinster's veteran prop Rabah Slimani, who appeared in a France shirt for the first time in nearly six years at Twickenham at the weekend, is also included.Up to five players from Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles, who are contesting this weekend's Top 14 final, can be added to the squad later as part of an agreement between French federation and their top-flight clubs.
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