GETTY Celebration: Owen Farrell is determined to show support for terminally-ill Jack

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But right now some things are more important for Owen Farrell - as his heartfelt try celebration shows. The fly-half is so moved by the determination of terminally-ill Jack Johnson he dedicates his touchdowns to the poorly five-year-old. Sports-mad Jack suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a debilitating muscle-wasting disorder will leave him crippled and unable to walk. Farrell, 23, learned about the condition through his father, who used to play rugby league at Wigan with Jack’s dad, also called Andy. So, last year, during the climax of England’s thrilling 52-11 Six Nations win in Rome, Farrell, 23, crossed the line and seized his moment.

He turned to the cameras and hooked his forefingers to make a “JJ” - a show of solidarity for the campaign raising funds for research in to the condition. And he's been doing it ever since. He said: “The charity is called Joining Jack and the sign is hooking the two index fingers together to create two Js - it’s called the Joining Jack salute. “It’s something a lot of the rugby league boys have caught on to. “Andy Johnson (Jack’s father) played for a few rugby league clubs and has got a lot of friends in the league community. The sign has caught on massively.” Jack was diagnosed with the debilitating condition in 2012. It affects one in 3,500 boys and, in rare cases, it can also affect girls. His muscles have already started to waste away. He cannot keep up with his friends at school and is not allowed to use stairs for fear of damaging his fragile legs.

GETTY Owen Farrell has stuck by the celebration

By the time he is eight, Jack will require leg braces to walk. When he reaches 12 he will be confined to a wheelchair. After that, the muscles in the rest of his body will also start to degenerate, including his heart and lungs. Eventually he will become totally paralysed and require a ventilator to breathe. There is no known cure and sufferers rarely live beyond 30.

PA Jack Johnson has inspired England rugby ace Owen Farrell

The more exposure we get, the more chance there is of finding a cure for Jack. Owen was giving a show of strength Alexandra Johnson

Brave Jack swallows a daily cocktail of powerful steroids that leave him floored with exhaustion, but he always gets excited when England take to the field. And, just like millions of children, his favourite player is poster boy Farrell.

When the star first unleashed the sign after scoring in the spring sunshine in the Eternal City he single-handedly boosted the profile of the campaign, which is funding four new drug studies. The gesture was greeted with tears of joy from the watching Johnson family, including Jack’s mother Alexandra and his two-year-old brother, James. Farrell said: “The rugby league boys do it when they score tries but I don’t score too many. “I was waiting to score but I couldn’t, so I started doing it when I kicked. “My dad played with Andy at Wigan and he got involved in the Dubai 10s last year to help raise awareness and I met Jack out there.”

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