HE failed to do so on a Monday night in the New Year to collect the Rugby Writers’ Club’s highest accolade, the Pat Marshall Memorial Award won down the years by Mervyn Davies, Sir Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, David Campese, Jonah Lomu, Sean Fitzpatrick, Lawrence Dallaglio and so forth.
Owen Farrell had accepted the writers’ invitation before giving the chairman, Sarah Mockford, 24 hours notice of his inability to attend after all. Steve Borthwick, the England coach and former Saracens captain, made a few platitudes and collected the trophy on Farrell’s behalf.
The ...