What is it really like to play against Owen Farrell  and is the England captain ready for the Lions tour?
Alongside confirmation of Saracens relegation from the Premiership in January 2020 came a lingering curiosity. In the case of England captain Owen Farrell, that feeling only intensified after his mixed Six Nations. Warren Gatland has endorsed him with selection for a third British and Irish Lions tour. But, ahead of the first leg of a play-off final against Ealing Trailfinders, four rival fly-halves from the Championship paint a picture of Farrells form. Loud leadership and competitive edge  The compliment repeated most about Farrell is the one most difficult to quantify for those who will never share a playing field with him: that he is a serial winner. Gatland labelled him as a warrior two months ago. Matt Riddington, a recent graduate in business management and accounting, admits that taking on Saracens and their full internationals for Nottingham seemed surreal. He captures Farrells on-field persona vividly.