Cape Town - Legendary former Ireland centre Brian O'Driscoll has warned England flyhalf Owen Farrell to clean up his tackle technique.
Farrell made headlines last month with controversial tackles in Tests against South Africa and Australia.
His late no-arms hit on Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen at Twickenham was steeped in controversy when he escaped unpunished.
England won the Test 12-11, with the Boks denied a potential game-winning shot at goal when Australian referee Angus Gardner deemed Farrell's hit a fair one after viewing replays.
Gardner later admitted he got the call badly wrong.
Farrell was involved in a similar controversy against the Wallabies when he again escaped penalty for a shoulder charge on Wallabies lock Izack Rodda in which no arms were used. England went on to win 37-18.
O'Driscoll told the Daily Mail at the Dubai Sevens last weekend that Farrell must surely have received a “wake-up call”.
“Owen has had two wake-up calls and maybe he will look at improving his technique but you won’t see any of the ferocity taken out of the collisions.”
O’Driscoll, who played 141 Tests for Ireland between 1999 and 2014, called on England coach Eddie Jones to have a word with Farrell.
“He wants to show he is a good defender and he made some illegal challenges in the November Tests and ran the risk of going to the bin twice.”
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