Here’s the reason why some England players didn’t wear rainbow laces

The match has been pegged to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights charity Stonewall UK and the RFU have given England’s match-day squad pairs of the laces to help raise awareness.

Underhill explained: “It is more to do with, and it sounds a bit ridiculous given the size of the issue they are representing, the thickness of the laces.

“They are actually really uncomfortable in my boots and they are really long. I won’t be wearing them, but I fully support the LGBT community. That is something we are all very, very keen that people know.

“On game day, little things can make quite big differences. It is a fantastic cause to support. If it was on a shirt or something like that, I don’t think anyone would say anything.

“It’s just the fact that you get two bits of kit, your boots and your gum shield. Those are the only bits of kit that are yours. Changes in things such as your laces, it sounds stupid but it can make a big difference to a player. You like to keep your routine the same.

“So I won’t but it is an incredibly worthy cause, an incredibly important cause, and it is something I am very glad is coming to the fore in terms of support.”

He married his longtime girlfriend Georgina “Georgie” Farrell (née Lyon) in July 2018. Their son, Tommy Farrell, was born in March 2019. They keep their life largely private.

In 2005, the 13-year-old Farrell had a trial at Old Trafford, and did enough to convince the club's academy executives that the then goalkeeper deserved an extended spell with the club. Years later, they dressed him up as a goalkeeper on his stag do.

He was not at first registered as a Farrell, but took mum Colleen’s family name of O’Loughlin. The couple married in 1995, changing Owen’s surname to Farrell the following year.

It's well known that Owen is the son of Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. However, it's less commonly know that his uncle Sean O'Loughlin is also a rugby league legend, winning 34 caps for Great Britain between 1993 and 2009. He also has two younger sisters, Elleshia and Gracie and one younger brother, Gabriel.

The England captain celebrates every point he scores by linking his index fingers together to make a 'JJ' sign, the Joining Jack salute, Joining Jack being a charity dedicated to the needs of sufferers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Farrell is also a patron for Duchenne muscular dystrophy charity Duchenne UK.