England v Italy Six Nations preview: How Owen Farrell’s attacking influence has increased ahead of 50th cap
England may not have played their best rugby of the Eddie Jones era so far at this year's Six Nations, but for Owen Farrell it has been a tournament to remember.
Farrell, tucked in alongside No10 George Ford at inside centre, has impressed Martin Johnson and Brian O'Driscoll to such an extent in England's wins over France and Wales that both former British and Irish Lions captains have touted the 25-year-old as a possible skipper of the touring side when they visit New Zealand this summer.
"He looks calm and controlled and is playing brilliantly," said O'Driscoll, the most-capped European player of all time.
World Cup winner Johnson said: "Owen has been captain of England at the end of games, he will go on tour and he will be an important part of the leadership group."
Farrell, who is set to win his 50th cap against Italy at Twickenham on Sunday, has played a crucial role in England's two closely contested victories, providing match-winning try assists when they were most needed in the final 10 minutes of each game.
His long, flat pass — made at pace and under intense pressure — that took out two defenders and set up Elliot Daly to put England into the lead with four minutes remaining against Wales will live long in fans' memories.
Farell has is hitting the target with 80 per cent of his kicks at goal this year (Source: Getty)
The Saracens man, who was once earmarked as the solid-as-a-rock defender and effective organiser to Ford's fleet of foot playmaker, has been more direct and effective in his running.
According to data from Accenture, official technology partner of the Six Nations, Farrell has been more influential in his attacking play for England than in previous years.
In what is his fifth Six Nations, Farrell has so far been involved in a higher proportion of England's effective carries with the ball and clean breaks.
Under Jones, Farrell has primarily been deployed as a No12 rather than as first-choice fly-half, as he was under Stuart Lancaster in 2014, 2013 and 2012.
Yet there has even been a marked uptick in his attacking influence compared to last year.
The Saracens man has been involved in seven per cent of England's effective carries over the gainline so far this year. He was involved in three per cent during last year's tournament and averaged the same amount over previous Six Nations.
Farrell is now breaking the gainline with nearly one in two carries. Although the figures come from a small sample size of just two games, the clashes with France and Wales have been two tough affairs and yet Farrell has increased his effective carry ratio to 46 per cent from previous scores of 35 per cent, 37 per cent, 38 per cent and 15 per cent.
More impressively, Farrell has been involved in 18 per cent of the team's clean breaks so far this year, a significant increase on his Six Nations average of four per cent before the tournament began.
It is nearing the kind of attacking impact O'Driscoll, arguably the best ever European midfielder, used to make on games.
On average, O'Driscoll was involved in 14 per cent of Ireland's clean breaks at the Six Nations and nine per cent of effective carries — although at his peak the Irishman hit 31 per cent and 15 per cent in the respective categories.
Farrell might not have reached the heady heights of an O'Driscoll just yet and this year's Lions tour may have come too early for the captaincy. But at 25, he still has plenty of time left yet to get there.