Owen Farrell is eager to make his mark on the Rugby World Cup after riding an emotional roller coaster watching England’s opening two matches.
Farrell has been reinstated as captain and fly-half for Saturday’s clash with Chile having served a four-game ban for the dangerous tackle made against Wales almost six weeks ago.
England’s talisman watched from the stands as Argentina were routed in defiance of Tom Curry’s early red card and eight days later a slow start against Japan made for a high-octane final quarter.
Having put himself through the wringer as spectator, Farrell will find relief in finally being thrust into the action.
“I don’t detach myself from it – I’m knackered by the end to be honest! Especially after that first one against Argentina,” Farrell said.
“I wouldn’t describe myself as a good watcher. I feel involved, I feel like I’m out there at times.
“I feel every emotion that goes with it, sometimes even more than I would if I was playing. I wouldn’t describe myself as the best in the stands!
“I wouldn’t say I am unbelievably loud, it’s just more the emotion of the game. I feel like I go through it all time.
“I’m massively excited to be back. I’ve been looking forward to getting to the World Cup and it’s been tough-ish not playing.
“It’s been brilliant to see how well the lads have been doing on the pitch and I’m desperate to be a part of it.”
George Ford has excelled at fly-half in Farrell’s absence by winning back-to-back man of the match awards, including a masterclass in game management against Argentina.
Ford drops to the bench for Saturday’s Pool D showdown but is expected to appear in the second half, reforming the playmaking axis with Farrell last seen two and a half years ago.
“George has obviously been playing fantastic. It’s exactly what you want as an England player,” Farrell said.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the way he’s been performing – and the lads as a group. It can only be good for the team with players playing well all across the park.”
With Marcus Smith starting at full-back, England could have three fly-halves on the field in the second half.
“To have two very good players around you is a very big plus for me,” Farrell said.
“The way we go about working together is pretty open and we’re constantly talking about the game and constantly trying to get on the same page about the way that we see the team.
“I’d hope that over the however many weeks that we’ve been together that we’ve developed a better relationship over the course of that.
“Marcus has come on and impacted the game at full-back. He wants the ball, he wants to make a difference, he wants to get the team on the front foot and I see it being no different on Saturday.”
Archer included in England's T20 World Cup squad
Jofra Archer has been recalled to England’s provisional squad for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States this June.
The 29-year-old, who has not played competitive cricket since May due to a long-term elbow injury, could make his first appearance for the international team since a tour of Bangladesh in March 2023.
Archer has been limited to just 15 T20Is since his England debut in 2019 and missed their 2022 World Cup success in Australia due to the same injury.
There is a recall for fellow fast-bowler Chris Jordan, who last played for England against New Zealand in September 2023, at the expense of Chris Woakes.
Uncapped Lancashire left-arm spinner, Tom Hartley, is also named in Jos Buttler’s 15-man squad, which includes nine players from the 2022 World Cup.
England will play a four-match T20 series against Pakistan at Headingley in May before they begin their T20 World Cup title defence against Scotland in Barbados on 4 June.
England’s provisional squad:
Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, To Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingston, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.
England and Saracens number eight Vunipola fined after arrest in Mallorca
England international Billy Vunipola has confirmed he has been fined after an incident which saw him arrested in Mallorca on Sunday, with his club Saracens set to launch an internal investigation.
On Monday, widespread reports claimed Vunipola had been tasered by Spanish police in the early hours of Sunday morning, with an altercation taking place after he left a club in Palma.
Saracens later confirmed they were aware of an incident and said they would deal with it internally.
The number eight, who was born in Australia but has represented England 75 times, later released a statement of his own via his club, denying that any violence took place and confirming the police investigation was now closed.
"I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand," that statement read.
"Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.
"I was charged with resisting the law and, following an 'express trial', I have paid a fine of €240. The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.
"I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved."
Bayern star Kane scores 400th senior goal
Harry Kane surpassed the 400-goal mark for his senior career as his double helped Bayern Munich beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.
Kane moved within one of the milestone as he put Bayern 1-0 up after just nine minutes, coolly finishing from close range after Konrad Laimer's pass had set him up.
Then, after Frankfurt levelled through Hugo Ekitike, Kane slotted home a penalty with typical aplomb following a foul on Thomas Muller to move himself onto 400 career goals and ultimately lead Bayern to victory.
Kane scored 280 of his goals in 435 appearances for Tottenham, overtaking Jimmy Greaves to become the club's all-time leading scorer when he netted for the 267th time in Spurs colours against Manchester City last February.
His tally of 213 Premier League goals, meanwhile, puts him just 47 behind the competition's all-time leader Alan Shearer, who scored 260 times for Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United.
Kane is also the most prolific player in England's history, his 62 goals for the Three Lions coming in 89 international appearances.
He memorably missed the chance to surpass Wayne Rooney's previous record of 53 when he blazed a penalty over the crossbar in the Three Lions' quarter-final defeat to France at the 2022 World Cup, only to clinch his place in history in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy three months later.
The very first goal of Kane's senior career came in League One during a loan spell with Leyton Orient as they thrashed Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 in January 2011.
That was the first of five goals Kane scored in O's colours, while he also netted nine times in a loan spell with Millwall in 2011-12 and twice during a stint with Leicester City the following season.
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