STATEMENT: Owen Farrell's international comeback has been scrapped

about his ongoing rivalry with Owen Farrell.

He was scheduled to play for the World XV against France on June 22, but the match in Bilbao has been called off for reasons related to its organisation.

The match in Bilbao - which was also set to feature the likes of Semi Radrada, Camille Lopez and Billy and Mako Vunipola - has been called off due to "reasons linked to the organisation of the match", according to promoters Live Rugby.

Midi Olympique reports that a press release from the organisers issued on Thursday reads: "The promoter is endeavouring to find a new date in the international calendar for the organization of this match. Tickets already purchased will be fully refunded via the dedicated website."

Farrell will join Racing 92 at the end of the season, making him officially ineligible for an England return.

However, the Lions have insisted overseas-based players will be considered if Farrell wants them in his squad, even if the finish date of the Top 14 means they might be unavailable for the early games.

“We don’t have a policy that closes off anyone from being selected,” chief executive Ben Calveley said.

“If you just look at previous Lions tours, we’ve had people come on a tour who haven’t been playing for a national side.

“Will Greenwood is a great example, even though we are going back a way there (1997). In 2021 Finn Russell was based in France, so we don’t have any restrictions on selection.”

Former England lock Attwood has opened up on the latest RugbyPass Offload

He revealed: "On the pitch, I struggle a lot with Owen Farrell. We just don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things,

“He hates me with a passion. Despite my earthy roots, he thinks I am a posh c***. He hates that. I bagged rugby league once jovially. I was saying it to take the piss kind of thing, ‘a bloody sport for the peasants’. He f**kin’ hated it."

He made 157 appearances in Blue, Black and White over an eight-year period during his first spell at Bath before returning in 2022

His debut came against Newcastle Falcons at the beginning of the 2011/12 season after arriving from Gloucester, scoring four tries in his first campaign

The lock quickly established himself as a key player in the Bath pack and excelled at international level too, with 22 of his 24 England caps coming whilst at the Re

The former England international has also played for Bristol (twice), Gloucester and Toulon during his established career

The Scotland back-rower was the instigator in some tunnel argy-bargy when the players returned to the changing rooms after the warm-up back in 2018 with Farrell at the centre.

Footage of the incident shows all hell breaking loose when Farrell barged his way past a number of Scotland players to confront Wilson, who had been attempting to get inside the head of George Ford.

Wilson later revealed he was banned from Twickenham following the incident.

“I remember that game, I was actually injured and after tunnel-gate, after everything that happened in the tunnel against England, I’d lined up a corporate gig at Twickenham,” he recalled to Rugby Pass in November.

“Had it all lined up, a little bit of cash, all excited, only to get a message back saying the RFU have banned you from Twickenham Stadium after everything that happened the year before.

Farrell and De Klerk ended up at arm’s length from each other in 2018 during their summer tour just before the 20-minute mark and the rest of the two sides quickly joined in.

The pair have since clashes on multiple occasions, including during the World Cup final a year later. Klerk is clearly someone who gets under the England skippers skin and their appears to be little love lost between the pair.

Speaking about the pair, Tom Curry said they are 'very different characters'.

Certainly so. Could he ever play for Ireland? No.