Watch England vs Australia live on Sky Sports Action from 2pm on Saturday
Tuesday 20 November 2018 15:40, UK
Owen Farrell has drawn praise from England team-mates Henry Slade and Richard Wigglesworth for his telling contribution off the bench against Japan on Saturday.
England ran out 35-15 winners over Japan at Twickenham, but trailed 15-10 at half-time with the 2019 World Cup hosts coming firing out of the blocks.
The deficit led to some stern half-time words according to Slade, who said Farrell's introduction for the second half gave England a much-needed bounce a week after their narrow loss to New Zealand.
"In this game he came on at half-time, and he was on about increasing the excitement levels in the side," Slade said, ahead of England's final match of 2018 against Australia on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
"At the start of the New Zealand game, you could feel how ramped everyone was to get stuck into them, the challenge was to make that [against Japan] as well.
"He brought that at half-time. Everyone was much more bouncy come the second half. Every time there was a break in play he was telling the boys what he wants in the next play.
"He's a good leader because he leads by words and actions. He was a good addition at the weekend."
On the half-time team-talk, Slade added: "The matchday captains, George [Ford] and Maro [Itoje], were speaking as they always do, Dylan [Hartley] and Owen were saying their bits as well. We've got quite a few leaders, and no one is shot down for saying things. Everyone can put their view across.
"The second half showed how we're evolving as a squad and proving we can turn things around. We were talking each other through the whole game in that second half - we really enjoyed it."
Wigglesworth, a second-half substitute in the win over Japan, echoed Slade's sentiments, claiming Saracens team-mate Farrell has been Engand's best player during the autumn internationals.
"Everyone sees what I've seen for quite a while. In the three games he has been outstanding, probably the best player on the field every week," Wigglesworth said.
"The first two games his kicking was unbelievable, his leadership in terms of his physicality and the energy, but also the decision making with it and clarity of what he wants to do, everyone has seen what us at Saracens already know."
Get Sky Sports Action to see England take on Australia. Find out more.
