Owen Farrell reveals he was affected by social media abuse during Rugby World Cup

we're going to start tonight though with Owen Farrell who's been speaking to the media for the first time since he announced he would be unavailable to play for his country to focus on his mental well-being the former England Captain has revealed he deleted social media for last year's Rugby World Cup but was still affected by the abuse he suffered which also saw him booed by some England fans during the tournament obviously the the World Cup uh was was difficult at times uh but again I really enjoyed really enjoyed the playing side of it really enjoyed the being involved side uh and just trying to get back to enjoy myself I think the one thing that people will be wondering is how much specifically the social media element of it has defined the decisions you've made recently I thought it' be the best the best thing for me thought it be the best thing for me family and obviously there's a there's a change there's a change happening next year off the back of it as well so um yeah I've I've obviously done that because I think it'd be good for me do you feel let down at all by English fans maybe even English press is there part of you that feels a little little hurt by the way that you've been treated I'm not sure I'm not sure it is it is what it is I guess to listen when people when it when it does get personal I guess to listen to that would be would be silly on my part so um I was just trying to do the right thing by by us and and me you know when you're getting booed when when that and I know you can kind of chill us off but does it ever feel like come on man like I've given my decades to England the captain I don't really try and look too much into it and obviously it's hard to get away from nowadays uh you kind of feel it at times but it'd be wrong on me to entertain it too much I guess because I guess anybody's opinion I respect or anybody's opinion who who I think of or any anybody I know to be honest I wouldn't see them going into comment sections and writing stuff I mean I deleted social media for the whole of the World Cup and you still kind of feel that it's that it's there so um as I said the one thing that stays constant is that you you you try and do your best well let's speak to our reporter Ellen aropa who was in Farrell's news conference and joins us now Ellie very good evening uh it's been a while since we heard heard from Owen Farrell um did he mention or talk about the fact that he may or may not play for his country again yeah he did I think it was an opportunity for people to look back um you mentioned there him taking the decision it was in November that he announced that he would be stepping down and would not be available for selection for England for the Six Nations but nobody's heard from him s since so it was an opportunity to look back and to hear more as you heard there about that decision but also an opportunity for people to ask him about the future and what that might look like whether we will indeed see him play for England again now asked about that today um he didn't really want to comment he said it was almost pointless to talk about it now because he doesn't know how he'll feel or what the situation will be in a couple of years time what we do know for sure is that he will leave Saron at the end of the season to go to Paris to go to rasling 92 for two years um and I think then he'll take a view as to what the situation is here's what he had to say I don't know I don't know I've I've of set back there's obviously a change a change happening next year and [Music] um and then and then we'll see there's no point making anything um there's no point there's no point in saying anything now cuz you don't know how I'm going to feel uh let let it down the line so we'll see there's a lot left you want to achieve of course there is of course there is uh I want to play for as long as as long as I possibly can as long as I'm enjoying it I love playing and that's that's always been the case like even during the tougher bits as as I've been spoken about I loved I loved the game uh and I loved the the rugby um and I want to I want to enjoy all of it a bit more okay Ellie he's not sure whether he'll play for England again but of course the lions are going to be in Australia his dad is going to be coaching the Lions did he have anything to say about that yeah it was definitely an interesting question we'll hear from him in a sec but it is clear okay Owen Farrell is an enormous competitor we know how much he's achieved in an England shirt he's England's record Point scorer ask whether he's maybe taking his foot off the gas having stepped away from England maybe going to enjoy life a bit more he says it is clear he still wants to compete at the top level and he still has lows that he wants to achieve now it is a natural question I guess the Lions tour next summer with his dad in charge does he see himself playing a part here's what he had to say it's not something that I've thought about as of yet no you not spoken to your dad at all I've I spoken to me dad about it I've told him I've told him well done that if that counts that count no it's like it's it's not it's it's not there's nothing to talk about whatever whatever happens happens like it I like it's nothing there's no there's no decisions uh to be MRI about about any of that and when it gets closer to time um I guess things become clearer they don't um and um and you see you see how people how people are at that time so um there's there's nothing there's nothing to talk about I don't think there at the minute so who knows what the next couple of years have in store whether we will see Owen Farrell back in an England shirt or indeed playing for the Lions next summer but he appears happy relaxed enjoying his rugby and he's definitely got a lot more to give now this weekend he will make his 250th appearance for his Club sarens when they take on Harley quins at that's at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium he says he can't wait to get out there with his teammates with his two little boys to take them onto the pitch and there's definitely a lot more to come Mike Ellen Roper thank you very much