Rugby World Cup: Owen Farrell breaks Jonny Wilkinson's England record

Owen Farrell has broken Jonny Wilkinson's record to become England's all-time top goalscorer.

Farrell kicked an 18th-minute penalty in England's World Cup win over Samoa in Group D to surpass Wilkinson's career tally of 1,179 points.

The England captain could have gone for the record earlier in the game but missed a conversion attempt after Ollie Chissom's opening effort in Lille.

Farrell converted a second penalty and a conversion to take his tally to 1,186.

He also became the first player in World Cup history to be suspended for taking longer than the 60 seconds allotted in the “shot clock” for the third penalty kick.

Wilkinson won 91 caps for England from 1998 to 2011, while Farrell was playing in his 109th Test after making his debut in 2012.

The 32-year-old Muslim full-back succeeded Dylan Hartley as England captain under Eddie Jones in 2019.

Farrell returned to the team in the win over Chile, stepping in at fly-half before moving to midfield for the match with Samoa.

Taking into account the British and Irish Lions' points, Wilkinson remains ahead of Farrell on the all-time international points list at the moment, but the gap is closing.

New Zealander Dan Carter tops the list with 1,598 points, while Wilkinson, who played six international matches with the Lions, ranks second with 1,246 points.

Farrell, who has also made six appearances for the Lions, now trails Wilkinson by 26 points.

Farrell may have been more widely known as the son of England international Andy when he first burst onto the scene, but he has gone on to create his own legacy.

His tenacious defence, meticulous game management, precision and leadership has led to a glittering professional career for club and country.

The first of his three nominations for the World Rugby Player of the Year award came in 2012 after an impressive debut season at international level.

He has won three Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam in 2016, and captained his country in the 2019 World Cup final after starring in their thrilling semi-final win over defending champions New Zealand.

Apart from four loan appearances with Bedford Blues, Farrell spent his entire playing career with English club Saracens.

He has been influential in their domestic and European dominance with six Premier League titles and three European Champions Cup victories.

Having achieved so much already, he is at an age where he could extend England's points-scoring record much further and still have many successful years at the highest level.