Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Tue Jul 22, 2025 11:13 pm
I guess I’m drawing a distinction between “tackling guys high deliberately” meaning he’s always looking out for the man-and-ball league style big hit, staying on his feet and allowing others to deal with it, and actually going around trying to injure people or hit them in the head.
I think it’s much more the former, and it still wasn’t a good look, but again being the media darling and getting off light isn’t really on him.
Him getting an extra lenient ban going in to the World Cup seemed to be the big spark for a lot of people turning on him. I don’t know how clear it is whether it was really England fans booing him or not, but it’s pretty pathetic and certainly feeds in to the notion of Twickenham being full of wankers that don’t really care about the game.
It seems the scale of online abuse was just as far out of proportion as most other discussion around him tends to be. It sounds like it got very personal and affected his family. Categorising that as him not being able to hack it just doesn’t feel fair.
Again, I’m not really a fan in general. His aggression and physicality is a blessing and a curse, and he wasn’t very good at striking the balance, but I don’t put him in the same category as people like Bakkies Botha who just seemed to enjoy hurting people.
I think he is fully aware of what he's doing, he targeted George North with head shots for years, if I could remeber all the games I'd get the footage but this was during North's repeated concussion period so that shows the sort of player/person Farrell is.
I find it amusing that even that video which is specifically about his tackling devolves into him getting into fights after getting late tackled himself!
I'm not going to claim that he's competent or clever or a legitimate tackler. But I'm baffled that people are seeing it as deliberate attempts to hurt. I don't think there's anyone who dislikes Fazlet more than the EMB and we're looking at that and seeing poor-techniqued idiot, rather than active villainy (and I really do question "targetted North with head shots for years". That's a hell of an accusation - have you any examples?).
I also find it amusing that yet another thread that wasn't originally about Fazlet has turned into a thread about Fazlet. They say the Lions is about shared and enjoying the experiences of our neighbours - here guys, have the quintessential EMB experience!
Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Tue Jul 22, 2025 11:13 pm
I guess I’m drawing a distinction between “tackling guys high deliberately” meaning he’s always looking out for the man-and-ball league style big hit, staying on his feet and allowing others to deal with it, and actually going around trying to injure people or hit them in the head.
I think it’s much more the former, and it still wasn’t a good look, but again being the media darling and getting off light isn’t really on him.
Him getting an extra lenient ban going in to the World Cup seemed to be the big spark for a lot of people turning on him. I don’t know how clear it is whether it was really England fans booing him or not, but it’s pretty pathetic and certainly feeds in to the notion of Twickenham being full of wankers that don’t really care about the game.
It seems the scale of online abuse was just as far out of proportion as most other discussion around him tends to be. It sounds like it got very personal and affected his family. Categorising that as him not being able to hack it just doesn’t feel fair.
Again, I’m not really a fan in general. His aggression and physicality is a blessing and a curse, and he wasn’t very good at striking the balance, but I don’t put him in the same category as people like Bakkies Botha who just seemed to enjoy hurting people.
I think he is fully aware of what he's doing, he targeted George North with head shots for years, if I could remeber all the games I'd get the footage but this was during North's repeated concussion period so that shows the sort of player/person Farrell is.
I find it amusing that even that video which is specifically about his tackling devolves into him getting into fights after getting late tackled himself!
I'm not going to claim that he's competent or clever or a legitimate tackler. But I'm baffled that people are seeing it as deliberate attempts to hurt. I don't think there's anyone who dislikes Fazlet more than the EMB and we're looking at that and seeing poor-techniqued idiot, rather than active villainy (and I really do question "targetted North with head shots for years". That's a hell of an accusation - have you any examples?).
I also find it amusing that yet another thread that wasn't originally about Fazlet has turned into a thread about Fazlet. They say the Lions is about shared and enjoying the experiences of our neighbours - here guys, have the quintessential EMB experience!
I was expecting that to be a video of the North incident. I can’t say I recall it.
Most of those are the stupid, reckless tackles we’ve been talking about, with a couple of decent ones and a few of him on the receiving end of poor tackles/niggle as well for some reason.
The Rodda tackle is a good example of why coaches can’t resist having him on the field. There is no other way of stopping a guy so much bigger than you 3m out from the try line, and the refs keep letting it go so I guess coaches will just keep picking him. That’s part of what has made the rolling back of head injury precautions from world rugby so bad.
I’ve been calling him a chippy twat for years, so I’m not sure how I’m in this position of defending him, but I’m not sure what I’m supposed to take away from that video. If he were specifically trying to exacerbate North’s head injuries that would be awful, but I don’t know how we’re judging that.
Hes not a dirty player, but his tackling is and he should have learned years ago. The thing that pisses me off most is the hologram cloak over the right side of his body that somehow shows refs there was an attempt to wrap.
Oakboy wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 8:19 am
It's many years since I posted amything praising Owen Farrell. However, he is reported in the press as having been heard geeing up the players with words like "you shouldn't leave it to a 21 year-old to motivate you."
Indeed. Much more motivating being harrangued by a 33 year old ex- England captain who's been parachuted in by his dad.
Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Tue Jul 22, 2025 11:13 pm
I guess I’m drawing a distinction between “tackling guys high deliberately” meaning he’s always looking out for the man-and-ball league style big hit, staying on his feet and allowing others to deal with it, and actually going around trying to injure people or hit them in the head.
I think it’s much more the former, and it still wasn’t a good look, but again being the media darling and getting off light isn’t really on him.
Him getting an extra lenient ban going in to the World Cup seemed to be the big spark for a lot of people turning on him. I don’t know how clear it is whether it was really England fans booing him or not, but it’s pretty pathetic and certainly feeds in to the notion of Twickenham being full of wankers that don’t really care about the game.
It seems the scale of online abuse was just as far out of proportion as most other discussion around him tends to be. It sounds like it got very personal and affected his family. Categorising that as him not being able to hack it just doesn’t feel fair.
Again, I’m not really a fan in general. His aggression and physicality is a blessing and a curse, and he wasn’t very good at striking the balance, but I don’t put him in the same category as people like Bakkies Botha who just seemed to enjoy hurting people.
I think he is fully aware of what he's doing, he targeted George North with head shots for years, if I could remeber all the games I'd get the footage but this was during North's repeated concussion period so that shows the sort of player/person Farrell is.
I find it amusing that even that video which is specifically about his tackling devolves into him getting into fights after getting late tackled himself!
I'm not going to claim that he's competent or clever or a legitimate tackler. But I'm baffled that people are seeing it as deliberate attempts to hurt. I don't think there's anyone who dislikes Fazlet more than the EMB and we're looking at that and seeing poor-techniqued idiot, rather than active villainy (and I really do question "targetted North with head shots for years". That's a hell of an accusation - have you any examples?).
I also find it amusing that yet another thread that wasn't originally about Fazlet has turned into a thread about Fazlet. They say the Lions is about shared and enjoying the experiences of our neighbours - here guys, have the quintessential EMB experience!
Puja
OK, so why if he just has poor technique has it gone on for so long?
Numbers wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 10:37 amhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/BtsEyyQlQhA
I think he is fully aware of what he's doing, he targeted George North with head shots for years, if I could remeber all the games I'd get the footage but this was during North's repeated concussion period so that shows the sort of player/person Farrell is.
Am I the only one trying to find a tackle of North in that video?
Or even one where it looks like he's trying to hurt someone, as opposed to putting a shoulder tackle on the ball (illegal, and the source of much angst on the EMB for the last decade+). I'm not sure there are even any head shots in there (as opposed to a shoulder tackle that ends up with a head-on-head - which was allowed at the time of most/all of those tackles shown).
If that's a collection of the worst tackles that Farrell''s ever made, then all our bitching over his tackle technique has been disproven
ETA: Sorry, 8 other posts whilst I was watching the video
Last edited by Which Tyler on Wed Jul 23, 2025 11:18 am, edited 2 times in total.
Danno wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 11:03 amHes not a dirty player, but his tackling is and he should have learned years ago. The thing that pisses me off most is the hologram cloak over the right side of his body that somehow shows refs there was an attempt to wrap.
I think he is fully aware of what he's doing, he targeted George North with head shots for years, if I could remeber all the games I'd get the footage but this was during North's repeated concussion period so that shows the sort of player/person Farrell is.
I find it amusing that even that video which is specifically about his tackling devolves into him getting into fights after getting late tackled himself!
I'm not going to claim that he's competent or clever or a legitimate tackler. But I'm baffled that people are seeing it as deliberate attempts to hurt. I don't think there's anyone who dislikes Fazlet more than the EMB and we're looking at that and seeing poor-techniqued idiot, rather than active villainy (and I really do question "targetted North with head shots for years". That's a hell of an accusation - have you any examples?).
I also find it amusing that yet another thread that wasn't originally about Fazlet has turned into a thread about Fazlet. They say the Lions is about shared and enjoying the experiences of our neighbours - here guys, have the quintessential EMB experience!
Puja
OK, so why if he just has poor technique has it gone on for so long?
Because the vast majority of his dodgy tackles aren't high shots, but are shoulders to the ribs, and he has an incredible natural ability which makes refs and citing officers see a slight movement of his arm as being "an attempt to wrap". Thus he only ever gets punished for the high shots (of which there's only been about 4-5) and so never has to change his technique.
Trust me - if you think you're annoyed about him, you wouldn't believe how pissed off he makes us.
This thread has got strange. I don't like him, mainly because he has always been overhyped, and he has got away with (actually, been praised for) some really bad tackles over the years, but I never realised some people saw him as this super villian headshot merchant who was out there to cause head injuries. I have just seem him as an aggressive uber competitive player who gets let away with a bit much.
But then I have also missed this NZ number 7 who was apparently the same.
Cameo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 11:36 am
This thread has got strange. I don't like him, mainly because he has always been overhyped, and he has got away with (actually, been praised for) some really bad tackles over the years, but I never realised some people saw him as this super villian headshot merchant who was out there to cause head injuries. I have just seem him as an aggressive uber competitive player who gets let away with a bit much.
But then I have also missed this NZ number 7 who was apparently the same.
Banquo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 11:02 am
also, I blame the WMB for sorting of defending a player I've been moaning about for 13 years. Ba5tards.
It was you lot that brought Junior into this. The OP was to do with pops.
Nope blaming you personally!
I'm happy for England to bring him back into the fold. You were starting to look alright in the 6Ns, you were obviously missing his test match animal status and limited skillset.
It was you lot that brought Junior into this. The OP was to do with pops.
Nope blaming you personally!
I'm happy for England to bring him back into the fold. You were starting to look alright in the 6Ns, you were obviously missing his test match animal status and limited skillset.
I'm happy for England to bring him back into the fold. You were starting to look alright in the 6Ns, you were obviously missing his test match animal status and limited skillset.
Danno wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 11:03 amHes not a dirty player, but his tackling is and he should have learned years ago. The thing that pisses me off most is the hologram cloak over the right side of his body that somehow shows refs there was an attempt to wrap.
That's a bit of a contradiction there mate.
Not really. It's shit technique but it's not malicious. But I suspect we aren't going to agree. For what it's worth I've been complaining about it as long as anyone on the EMB and think he's gotten away with a lot - see my complaint about not wrapping.
Danno wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 11:03 amHes not a dirty player, but his tackling is and he should have learned years ago. The thing that pisses me off most is the hologram cloak over the right side of his body that somehow shows refs there was an attempt to wrap.
That's a bit of a contradiction there mate.
Not really. It's shit technique but it's not malicious. But I suspect we aren't going to agree
So, after x number of iterations of said technique, you go from incompetent to being a......
