#1. Owen Farrell (England)
Carter told the Mail Online: “What Owen Farrell’s contributed to English rugby has been immense,
“I played against him at international and club level and he drives the teams he plays for. He demands excellence and to sustain that for 100 caps is an incredible.
“People have their different views of him and his style of play, but the game will miss him when he finishes playing. I always remember him setting the tone with his body language against the haka in 2019.
“He’s one of the rare characters and rare leaders that the game needs. I think he’ll get a lot more respect when he finishes the game. He’ll go onto beat my points scoring record and then he can retire after that!”
Owen Farrell Facts:
- The Saracens star went to school with England teammate George Ford
- His education began in rugby league – he joined Wigan St Patricks at the age of eight
- He became the youngest ever player to appear in English professional rugby, making his debut aged 17 and 11 days. This record was later beaten by schoolmate Ford
- It’s well known that Owen is the son of Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. However, it’s less commonly know that his uncle Sean O’Loughlin is also a rugby league legend, winning 34 caps for Great Britain between 1993 and 2009
- He was not at first registered as a Farrell, but took mum Colleen’s family name of O’Loughlin. The couple married in 1995, changing Owen’s surname to Farrell the following year.