Robinson: Farrell needs time
Robinson is pleading for time to allow Farrell to adapt to an alien sport
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Wednesday, 04, Oct 2006 09:41
England head coach Andy Robinson has defended rugby league convert Andy Farrell and asked his detractors to give him time to adjust before judging him.
The vehement defence of the player comes on the same day that Farrell was released from an England squad get-together to return to his club, Saracens, and continue training with them to help his adjustment.
Great Britain rugby league's former captain switched disciplines 18 months ago but has had only one full top-flight game since his transition to help him adapt to the intricacies of rugby union and Robinson has said that experience of playing will see a vast improvement.
"To judge Andy on a couple of performances, which I think is what is taking place, I find bizarre," said the England coach.
"This is a guy who has been out of the game for 18 months, so physically he has got to get his match-fitness right, first and foremost."
Robinson said it would be "at least three or four months" before critics could decide whether Farrell's switch was a good decision or not as it would take him this long to adjust to an alien sport.
However, detractors of 31-year-old Farrell's move, having been arguably the greatest rugby league player of his generation, say it has come too late in his career and, perhaps more pertinently - at least in the short-term - too late for him to make an impact at next year's World Cup in France.