England rugby captain Owen Farrell is taking a break from the national team and will miss the Six Nations tournament to “prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing”.
The 32-year-old will continue to play club rugby for Saracens.
“Everyone at England Rugby is fully behind Owen’s decision,” England coach Steve Borthwick said.
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“Since making his debut, he has been an integral part of the England setup for over a decade and the demands on elite athletes are extremely challenging.
“It is with typical courage that Owen has made this decision to open up in this manner.”
Farrell has made 112 appearances since his England debut in 2012 and has scored 1271 Test points - second only to New Zealand’s Dan Carter (1598).
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He was the England captain at the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups and has been involved in three British and Irish Lions tours.
Farrell was at times booed by his own fans during this year’s World Cup in France, at which England finished third.
England’s first Six Nations game is against Italy in February.