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Daily Mail, Saturday, August 17, 2019
Rugby UnionPICK THE ‘BIG LADS’
KYLE SINCKLER ON A TOUGH
SOUTH LONDON UPBRINGING
You think that
Eddie’s tough?
My mum puts
me in my place!
By CHRIS FOY
O
NCE Kyle Sinckler’s inevita-
ble selection in the World Cup
squad was confirmed on Mon-
day, the tighthead prop
reflected on his tough back-
ground and how fortunate he has
been to reach this pinnacle.
Part of the age-old problem for rugby
in England has been to shed an
image of privilege and a perceived
lack of diversity; to expand its roots
into inner cities and working-class
neighbourhoods.
Sinckler (right) has grown slightly
weary of forever being linked to
that vital process, but after his
inclusion on Eddie Jones’s list
of 31 players for Japan next
month, the Londoner spoke
with enthusiasm about his
remarkable journey.
‘The area I’m from, you can
teach a guy to pass, kick and
play rugby, but you can’t teach
someone to be strong as an ox
or fast, or to have that edge in
mentality,’ he said. ‘They just
need that opportunity. I was
lucky. I got taken down to Batter-
sea Ironsides. I tried to make the
most of it.
‘I feel in this current climate, espe-
cially in south London where I’m
from, a lot of kids don’t have that
opportunity. That’s why there are a
lot of things happening with the
knife crime and stuff. They’re just
bored. They haven’t got anything
to do.
‘When I was a kid, I was quite
lucky. I had rugby, football and
cricket. I did kick-boxing and
weightlifting. I was always busy. If
I tried to do anything ... you think
Eddie’s a tough customer. She
(mum) put me in my place.’
There is a sense that the cur-
rent England squad is a more
diverse bunch, from different
backgrounds in this country, and
from various other countries and
cultures around the world.
Asked if that diversity is a
powerful asset, Sinckler said: ‘Iwouldn’t say it gives us the edge or it hinders
us. It’s just one of those things. Everyone’s
got different experiences.
‘The more rugby puts itself out there in
different communities, the more diverse it’s
going to be. I think rugby could still do a
better job in putting itself out in different
communities and getting different kids.’
Today in Cardiff, Sinckler is back at the
scene of a tough experience during the Six
Nations, when Wales tried to get
under his skin.
He was replaced when his
composure began to fail
him in the second
half, but by then he
had delivered a
thunderous
performance.
As an England
replacement
today, the Harle-
quins prop
explained how he
copes with the peaks and
troughs. ‘I review everything,’
he said. ‘Every detail, to see
how I can improve.
‘I’m not perfect. Everyone
makes mistakes. For me, I’ve
got to let it go and move on. I
don’t really hold on to things
I’ve done — good or bad. It’s
just, “OK, on to the next
game”, because if you hold on
to it, that will hinder the next
game and the game after that.
‘My goal is to be the best ver-
sion of myself and make the
most of this moment because it’s
not going to last for ever.’
Now that he is on course for his
first World Cup, Sinckler recalled
watching past tournaments
and one amusing memory came
to mind.
‘I remember watching Jason
Robinson tearing it up in 2003 and I
wanted to be Jason Robinson. Then
I looked in the mirror and I thought
I’d probably go with Jason Leonard!
I was still a back then, but not for
much longer.’‘I remember watching Jason Robinson
and I wanted to be him. Then I looked in
the mirror and thought I’d probably go
with Jason Leonard!’
‘We were slow out of the blocks,
and we’ve got an opportunity to
put that right. It’s nice to be home
and it is an opportunity for us to
redeem ourselves.
‘You look at the pillars of Eng-
land’s game, it is always set-piece
— scrum and lineout — and that’s
where they launch the majority of
their attacks from. With regards to
the lineout, there were a few criti-
cal moments last week that gave
them ‘‘ins’’. With the English set-
piece, you can’t afford to do that
and we will look to rectify that.’
Theoretically, the victors in this
game could find themselves top of
the world rankings. But that is a
red herring — a quirk of the system
to which neither side are paying
any heed. There are more impor-
tant priorities. All protagonists
emerging unscathed would be a
rare and pleasing outcome.McCONNOCHIE A DOUBT
FOR HIS BIG-TIME DEBUT
ENGLAND were last night hastily
assessing whether uncapped
World Cup wing Ruaridh
McConnochie will have to defer
his Test debut for a second
consecutive week, due to injury.
The 28-year-old Bath flyer
suffered muscle soreness in
training in Bristol yesterday
morning after being named to
start against Wales in Cardiff
today. His prospects of being
involved in the World Cup warm-
up fixture at the Principality
Stadium were regarded as 50-50
yesterday afternoon.all fit I expect them to come
straight into the starting XV.
England should be looking to
recreate the speed of their first 20
minutes in Dublin — undoubtedly
the best rugby I have seen any
international side play in the past
12 months. England’s back row in
2003 were almost all No 7s. Neil
Back, Richard Hill and Lawrence
Dallaglio, with Lewis Moody
behind, were all quick and agile.
They had to be to cope with the
likes of George Smith and Serge
Betsen. This is where warm-upgames can teach you the wrong
lessons. Wales were off the pace
mentally and physically last
Sunday. They and others won’t be
in Japan. England have to be
careful, as the likes of Justin
Tipuric, Ross Moriarty and Josh
Navidi are just not the sort to be
intimidated or over-powered in a
Test match. England seem to get
excited about a big team. It’s
almost the public school mindset of
‘give it to the big lad!’ A plan based
solely on crashing and bashing will
get found out.