'˜Obsessed' Farrell tipped to shine on his England return

The childhood friends are set to continue as twin playmakers when South Africa visit Twickenham on Saturday with Ford operating at fly-half and Farrell at inside centre.

Farrell missed the opening six weeks of the season through a niggling injury that prevented him from kicking, but marked his comeback with a man-of-the-match performance in Saracens’ 33-21 victory over Toulon on October 15.

“I wasn’t surprised by Owen’s form. He would have been on top of things constantly even if he was not training to his full capacity,” Ford said.

“He is obsessed with the game. He’d have watched the games on TV and he’d have been having input with his team at Saracens.

“Mentally he would have been on it and I am sure physically he would have been doing as much as he can to put himself in the best position he could for when he returned.

“I am sure you would have seen he’s playing brilliantly and picked up where he left off in Australia.”

Farrell is one of three England players shortlisted for World Rugby’s player of the year award, alongside Billy Vunipola and Maro Itoje, with the winners announced on Sunday.

“There have been some outstanding performers in the team and those three especially. Other players could have made it as well,” Ford said.

“The reflection of that is the way the team has gone. If the team are not winning every Test match then there are going to be less names on that list and less chance of lads playing to their potential.”

Tom Wood is poised to provide the solution to England’s problematic openside position by starting against South Africa.

The Northampton captain, whose shaggy appearance has earned nicknames of ‘Samson’ and ‘Rambo’ from head coach Eddie Jones, appears to have edged Nathan Hughes and Teimana Harrison for the No 7.

Jones jettisoned Wood after last autumn’s World Cup, viewing him as “distinctly average”, but has turned to the 30-year-old veteran of 42 caps in the injury enforced absence of James Haskell, Itoje, Jack Clifford, Sam Jones and Mike Williams.

He was a surprise inclusion in the squad named last month for the Old Mutual Wealth Series, but his experience, work-rate and line-out expertise are set to be favoured above the explosive potential of Hughes and Harrison’s more traditional openside skill-set.

Jonny May and Marland Yarde will occupy the wings against South Africa after Semesa Rokoduguni was trimmed from the 34 who trained in Portugal last week.

Replacement scrum-half Danny Care has a minor shoulder complaint but will be ready to face the Springboks with Jones due to name his team tomorrow morning.

England 25-man squad

Forwards (15): J Beaumont (Sale Sharks), D Attwood (Bath Rugby), D Cole (Leicester Tigers), J George (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton Saints), N Hughes (Wasps), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton Saints), J Marler (Harlequins), C Robshaw (Harlequins), K Sinckler (Harlequins), T Taylor (Wasps), B Vunipola (Saracens), M Vunipola (Saracens), T Wood (Northampton Saints).

Backs (10): M Brown (Harlequins), D Care (Harlequins), E Daly (Wasps), O Farrell (Saracens) , G Ford (Bath Rugby), J Joseph (Bath Rugby), J May (Gloucester Rugby), B Te’o (Worcester Warriors), M Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).