The Gloucester No.8 returned to the Premiership this season after a successful couple of years in the Top 14 playing for Montpellier with the sole intent of adding to the two caps he won in 2018.
The 26-year old was immediately recalled by England and named in early squads to prepare for the World Cup, but he failed to make the cut for France when only one specialist No.8 was picked.
He started the campaign for Gloucester who opened with victories over Harlequins and Newcastle but then suffered an ankle against Saracens on the third weekend and missed the next six matches.
So desperate was he to get back that he bought an oxygen chamber to speed up his recovery and returned before Christmas, but when he failed to make the Six Nations squad he used a radio interview to reveal his exasperation.
He was then left out of the A squad for today’s match against Portugal in Leicester but responded by doing his talking on the pitch against Exeter in last weekend’s Premiership semi-final at Kingsholm when he was virtually unplayable in the opening half.
He had a hand in his side’s three tries and, in standing out, showed why he had been left out by England. Instead of charging at defenders, he used his footwork to get round them, more Zinzan Brooke than Billy Vunipola.
Esta historia es de la edición February 25, 2024 de The Rugby Paper.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición February 25, 2024 de The Rugby Paper.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Crusaders stun Blues to keep season alive
CRUSADERS salvaged some dignity in their torrid Super Rugby Pacific campaign with a shock 29-27 win over league leaders and fierce rivals the Blues.
Resting players for big games isn't on
IT WAS just a couple of weeks ago that certain people were up in arms because the South African clubs had fielded weaker teams rather than their full strength sides in away games during the Champions Cup.
Calcutta Cup win the highlight of my career
I WAS sat on a mattress on the floor of Alex Lewington’s flat in Twickenham waiting for the rest of my stuff to come out of storage when Gregor Townsend rang me out of the blue to say I was in the Scotland squad for the 2020 Six Nations.
Barnes hits four in nine-try rout
HAMPSHIRE ran in nine tries to thrash Surrey and kick-start their campaign with Curtis Barnes crossing for four.
Saracens hold on to take it at the death
SARACENS held their nerve to secure a home semi-final and put an end to Gloucester-Hartpury unbeaten season.
Day O'Reilly missed out on Hollywood
WHEN he last spoke in public, at his old Dublin rugby club a few hefty punts from the church where they held his funeral mass on Thursday, Tony O’Reilly summed up his extraordinary life in one sentence:
Diamond out to add some steel
EVEN someone without Steve Diamond’s coaching experience would have known that taking over at Newcastle was never going to turn them into an overnight sensation.
Champion Trailfinders cut Blues to shreds
EALING celebrated their Championship triumph with a nine-try trouncing of fourth-placed Bedford to finish seven points clear at the top of the table.
Toulouse provide a lesson in brilliance
THERE have been some extraordinary Champions Cup finals over the decades but none better than this titanic clash for the ages which saw Toulouse pull away in extra-time to claim their sixth title.
We can beat anyone now says stoked up Matavesi
SAM Matavesi knew something had changed when he joined up with Northampton after Fiji’s World Cup quarter-final exit last autumn.
