OWEN FARRELL became the youngest player in the history of English senior rugby when he came off the bench at Vicarage Road.

But it was his dad, England World Cup star Andy that Saracens really needed as a more experienced Scarlets side took a firm grip on Pool D of the EDF Cup.

Farrell replaced centre Alex Goode in the 63rd minute and, at 17 years and 11 days, is roughly a month younger than the previous record-holder — Wasps’ England fly-half Danny Cipriani.

Dad Andy said: “I’m very, very proud but it’s back to school for him tomorrow, he’s studying for three A levels.”

By the time the game ended, a fair percentage of the Saracens team looked as if they had come out of the Upper Sixth.

Saracens boss Eddie Jones gave debuts to six rookies — every one of them under 20 — but showed no mercy in the changing room after they had been beaten.

Aussie Jones said: “I’m not pleased. We should have won and won well.

“But there’s a foundation for the future of this club on view and I was pleased with them.

“I made it clear that we made silly little errors after establishing a lead and that’s why we lost.

“Owen is one of a group of kids coming through. He’s very mature much like, I’m told, his father was at that age.

“The lad is desperate to succeed and he clearly has rugby nous. Since he emerged from his mother’s womb he’s been hearing about rugby so, clearly, consistent education does work.

“These lads however have a lot of work to do and they’ll be worked hard, they know that.

"The future is in young players and, frankly, I’d make this competition an Under-23 cup with maybe five players older than that involved because that would be fantastic for English rugby, all about development.

“The reason I made 14 changes from the squad that won at Bristol was that most of those guys had played in all five games with which we’ve been involved in recent weeks and picking them yet again would have exposed them to injury.”

The Welsh side arrived armed with 13 full internationals led by Simon Easterby and Stephen Jones — whose deadly goal-kicking did for Saracens with six successful shots at goal out of eight for a total of 16 points.

David Lyons put Scarlets ahead with a try on seven minutes.

But Saracens did manage to surprise their visitors when Italian international Francisco Leonelli arrowed in from the left to score an excellent try, converted by Scotland fly-half Gordon Ross.

Scarlets were still reorganising when Noah Cato — surely a future English wing — took a pass from Goode and hared up the left leaving the visiting defence shredded for a cracking score.

But then the little errors started creeping in and Jones hauled in the deficit with kick after kick until they changed ends 16-14 up.

Ross booted Saracens back in front two minutes after the break with a well-struck penalty but that was their last appearance on the scoreboard.

All Blacks prop Kees Meeuws scored from close range and the unerring boot of Jones plus some impressive Scarlets defence ensured an important victory for the Welsh.