Farrell focused on forging another team identity after teeing up Donald

Fresh from a chat with the Ryder Cup captain, the Saracens stalwart is back at his old club with half an eye on an England return too, he tells Gerard Meagher

- Gerard Meagher

By his own admission, Owen Farrell was exhausted after the first weekend of the season. A stray boot to the face inside 10 minutes made for a bloody nose and a rude awakening on his second Saracens debut against Newcastle, 17 years after his first.

Farrell soldiered on to the hour mark, helping Saracens to a bonus-point victory before an early train home on Saturday morning. It was Sunday that left him “emotionally drained”, however.

Farrell was glued to Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph, watching Luke Donald’s side so nearly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The 34-year-old is a keen golfer - he took the phone call from his father, Andy, to join the British & Irish Lions tour in July in a clubhouse - and played alongside Donald at last month’s PGA Championship Pro-Am at Wentworth.

In the buildup to Europe’s victory, Donald suggested he had spoken to Farrell about dealing with hostile crowds - no doubt aware of what was coming at Bethpage. Farrell insists the conversation was brief and limited to forging a team environment. Clearly he is being modest, not least because teammates, particularly those on the Lions tour this summer, hang on his every word. There are similarities too between putting a Ryder Cup team together and gelling as a Lions squad.