England internationals were 'excited' to get back to Saracens, says Owen Farrell
Sunday 27 March 2016 23:10, UK
Saracens fly-half Owen Farrell says he has found it easy to return to club rugby, following England's Grand Slam Six Nations triumph.
Farrell, along with fellow England internationals Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Maro Itoje and George Kruis, returned to help Saracens record a vital 36-18 victory over title rivals Exeter on Saturday.
Sarries, who returned to the top of the Premiership following the victory at Allianz Park, next play Bath on Friday before facing Northampton in a crucial European Champions Cup quarter-final on April 9.
Farrell says he is relishing the upcoming fixtures and believes his side are well placed to challenge for both the English and European titles.
"They are big games," said Farrell.
"You don't feel like you have to pull yourself out of bed to get up for a game against Exeter, and next week we've got Bath away and then Northampton in the quarter-final in Europe.
"It is easy for us to come back into this. Everyone was excited this week to get playing with the boys and to put a good performance in. It is good that we did that.
"We've just come back (from England duty) and cracked on with it.
"Everyone wants to get better here, and that is all everybody wants to do at England. It is just a case of getting on with what's in front of you.
"To have nine lads away in a period where there is no break between Premiership games is tough for any team."
Meanwhile, Saracens chairman Nigel Wray believes that this year's Six Nations schedule has detracted from the Premiership season.
Wray thinks that Test matches should be played around club fixtures, as in the norm in the southern hemisphere's Super Rugby competition.
"Our supporters don't get to see some of the best players in the land for probably one-third to one-half of the season," Wray said in his programme notes for the Exeter match.
"The southern hemisphere has worked it out so that their Super Rugby season does not compete with international series.
"It is absolutely essential that we organise our season so that the Premiership is not seen as some second-rate product to the Six Nations, but we play at different times and support, rather than compete with, each other.
"We need to work together, not against each other, but the drive has to come from the Premiership clubs, the ones being wounded, the ones seeing their product downgraded."
Farrell believes the issue has been exacerbated by the World Cup held in England last year.
"It's not something I've thought about. It's different this year," he said.
"There have been eight weeks of Premiership games (with the Six Nations players away). Normally there's, what, four? This is a different year because of the World Cup.
"It will be a tough period for some clubs, yeah. They are the cards you are dealt. We just get on with what we've got to do."
