BRENDAN GALLAGHER SELECTS A GROUP OF YOUNG -AND NOT-S0-YOUNG -PLAYERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS SEASON
THE new season is just underway and hope springs eternal for every professional player in England, especially the younger tyros who are too tender in years to be cynical or to have suffered overly at the hands of idiot selectors.
Sporting careers are brief and there comes a time when you need to make an impact and prove your worth at the next level and I wonder, when we look back in 10 months’ time, who might have made that giant step forward.
This time last year I recall having this exact conversation with colleagues on The Rugby Paper podcast and to a man we tipped Chandler Cunningham-South to proceed directly to the top without passing Go or collecting £200. Kudos to us for that but on the flip side I don’t recall any of us even mentioning Immanuel Feyi-Waboso let alone tipping the Exeter man for his meteoritic rise with Exeter and England. So egg on our faces there.
With England clinching their first Junior World Cup title in 10 years this summer there is a strong temptation to concentrate almost exclusively on their star players from earlier this summer – and don’t worry that mighty squad get a good shout – but I will endeavour to cast the net a little wider.
Those, perhaps a bit older, who have the talent but as yet haven’t been granted the opportunity and game time in meaningful matches to show their worth, which is still a weakness in the England system. Those who somehow missed out on major age group honours and/or are slightly later developers and perhaps those who have been stymied so far by untimely injury. And is there anybody out there who will arrive completely unannounced, a bolt from the blue? I doubt it but I like to think such a player still exists.
Many years ago I remember watching an unheralded rangy back dazzle for High Wycombe in the Pilkington Shield, a knockout competition for junior clubs. A few months later, or so it seemed, Nick Beal was playing a big part in England winning the 1993 World Cup Sevens. And a few years later he was a British and Irish Lion.
So here’s 15 livewires to keep an eye on during the season and you will have to have your wits about you. Only a few are currently guaranteed starts, the rest will have to impress initially during cameos off the bench or wait for the Test blocks and absentees from the club to get a decent run. There is also, as ever, an overabundance in certain positions, notably hooker and back row but it was ever thus.
NATHAN JIBULU
Harlequins, aged 21
Jibulu, along with Cunningham-South, was my major tip for the top this time last season and I’m sticking with my man, a tireless dynamic rugby player first and foremost who happens to wear the number two shirt. His experience last year though does highlight one of the problems with English rugby. With Quins well stocked at hooker his chances were limited, even if he did well when asked – I recall an excellent cameo off the bench at Saints in November. There was game time on loan at London Scottish which was fine but to these eyes Jibulu is a talent who needs constant exposure to top-flight level. A star member of England’s U20 pack at the 2023 World Cup in South Africa, it will be interesting to see how much responsibility Quins place on his shoulders this season.
GEORGE HENDY
Northampton, 21
In one way of course George Hendy has already made it. MOM in Northampton’s Premiership win over Bath at Twickenham and a stunning brace of tries against Munster in the Champions Cup, the long-striding Saints man enjoyed a fine first senior season with champions Saints but he is still only 21 and again, when Saints have everybody fit and healthy, he isn’t an automatic choice. His slightly eccentric long-legged stride – honed at Stratford AC where he was a star athlete – gives him a point of difference and he seems to beat defenders with enviable ease but we don’t yet know if he is a wing or a fullback, or even an outside centre at a push. Or does that really matter these days with some coaches preferring interchangeable talents, certainly in the back three. What we do know is that Hendy appeared blessed with the Midas touch, if he starts the season with a bang it could all happen very quickly for him.
SAM SPINK
Saracens, 24
Bit of a punt this one. Spink was one of many youngsters Wasps had high hopes for and the powerful centre had logged valuable game time, with them and on loan to Nottingham, when the club went belly up. Faced with a major career hurdle, his scramble for a fresh start took him to Perth where he quickly became a regular in the Western Force Super Rugby side. Saracens, who have an excellent track record of nurturing and improving already talented players, received good reports from the scouts and swooped at the end of last season to sign the former England age group centre.
It’s very early days but there is a whiff of Brad Barritt type solidity and toughness about Spink. That is certainly the hope at Saracens.
WILL PORTER
Harlequins, 25
At 25, Porter is stretching the definition of young a little but this still, potentially, seems like a huge breakthrough year for the accomplished Harlequins scrum-half. Porter was going great guns at Wasps, learning his trade under Dan Robson, and when it all went pear shaped he washed up at Quins. A similar master-pupil relationship was established there with the seemingly ageless Danny Care but as Care starts what will presumably be his final year of competitive rugby, it’s time for Porter to blossom fully. As Quins ‘manage’ the influential Care, there will be many more starts and minutes for Porter who has never failed to impress coming off the bench, not least when he grabbed a quickfire brace of tries against Northampton last season. Porter has a smooth, quick pass, competent kicking game and is very sharp around the base and in open play. USA born, he is also qualified for the Eagles.
SEB BLAKE
Gloucester, 22
A prime example of somebody who makes good despite missing out on age group honours although untimely injury didn’t help in that regard. Outstanding with Cheltenham College, outstanding throughout his Gloucester Academy years, the unheralded Blake already has over 40 appearances logged for Glos at the age of 22. Finished last season like a train and made a good impression in the Challenge Cup final at Tottenham. Strong, mobile, good hands, aggressive – Blake is the identikit modern-day hooker and although England are awash with prospects at number two, Blake could easily come through on the rails and at least claim an England squad place by the end of the season. Born in Australia so technically dual qualified …but thinking only of England.
ASHER OPOKU-FORDJOUR
Sale, 20
Former Wasps Academy player who has already made a good impression at Sale Sharks and a prop who was at the heart of England’s forward effort at the last two Junior World Cup tournaments. Immensely powerful, a good technician though there is room to improve and as is the modern-day way, very comfortable ball in hand and attending to various other duties. Started his career as a wing and progressed to flanker and hooker before finding his niche at loosehead prop. The smart money says he progresses all the way to England honours in the coming years but props more than most players need miles on the clock and that will be the main object this season.
JOE BAILEY
Exeter, 20
England have talented young locks coming out of their ears and the strapping Devonian from Newton Abbot and Exeter College is yet another of that ilk. Only just turned 20, he played a fine hand at the Junior World Cup, indeed he scored an invaluable try in the final, and his career has gathered good momentum. With Chiefs skipper Dafydd Jenkins missing the first tranche of the season after a couple of surgeries there is every chance of Bailey being required for more than just minutes off the bench. Director of rugby Rob Baxter has shown many times that he doesn’t hesitate to trust his academy players – if they are good enough, they are old enough – so there should be more than the occasional early sighting of the Exeter University student.
HENRY POLLOCK
Northampton, 19
What next for this outstanding talent on the openside? Player of the tournament during the U20 Six Nations and then MOM in the Junior World Cup final this summer, the rugby world is his oyster and he is still young enough to play another season with England U20. With his exceptional gas and stamina he could be well suited to Saints’ attacking and open style of play. There won’t be a quicker flanker in the Premiership and that speed is in the genes – sister Zoe, studying at Georgia University in the USA, was the third ranked GB women in the 400m hurdles this year. Henry impressed for Bedford on loan in
the championship last season – one length of the field sprint for a try is still talked about in awe at Goldington Road – and it will be interesting to see if Saints boss Phil Dowson goes with Pollock from the off or if he eases him into Premiership rugby off the bench.
GREG FISILAU
Exeter, 21
Another Wasps old boy and another conspicuous member of that England U20 pack of 2023, Fisilau at one stage looked like he might be the first to force his way into the senior England squad and team. Returned from South Africa to start last season like a train and was nominated for the Premiership player of the month award for October but couldn’t quite maintain that ferocious pace. Increasingly had his thunder stolen by another young gun at Exeter – Italy’s Ross Vintcent – while nationally it was Cunningham-South who grabbed the headlines. Fisilau did little wrong though and was an important member of that young Exeter side that did so well and an ‘A’ cap against Portugal means he is now ‘captured’ by England and no longer has the option of playing for Tonga, the land of his father.
GUY PEPPER
Bath, 21
Another considerable back row prospect for England, probably at seven although you are loath to pigeonhole players these days. Even in a struggling Newcastle Falcons teams Pepper managed to impress over the last two seasons and certainly Bath had seen enough to sign him up ASAP. Son of former
Quins and Nottingham flanker Martin Pepper, who is now the director for sport at Barnard Castle School where both Guy and his younger brother Max – a GB Sevens representative who has signed for Newcastle – learnt their stuff. Not quite as quick as Pollock but quick enough, he is also very physical and has looked to the manor born in the Premiership. A big season ahead at a club that should bring out the best in him. Played for England A against Portugal.
FINN CARNDUFF
Leicester, 20
England’s World Cup winning skipper at the JWC this summer and make no mistake his cool captaincy played no little part in that triumph, notably in a tense pool decider with South Africa, a tight semi-final against Ireland and then the final itself against a star studded France team. Archetypical modern all-purpose back five player, Carnduff is very versatile and already has a good smattering of first team appearances for Tigers. Has a big future in the game no question, what is uncertain is how quickly he will be required by England and in what position. Much the same can be said about his Tigers team-mate and predecessor as the England U20 skipper Lewis Chessum who alas missed much of last season with injury.
AFOLABI FASOGBON
Gloucester, 20
There is no getting around it, at 6ft 4in and 135kg Fasogbon is a massive prospect and exactly what every major team worldwide is looking for at tighthead. Was the cornerstone to England’s Junior World Cup winning pack this summer and had impressed 12 months earlier as well when just 18. In between, he ran into injury problems with Gloucester but hopefully an injury free season awaits and he can get his first taste of senior rugby. He is so strong, so commanding, that I wouldn’t anticipate any serious problem but you can never be quite sure. England will be looking on very closely. This guy could be the answer to many prayers going forward.
CRAIG WRIGHT
Northampton, 20
Yet another brilliant prospect at hooker, a veritable one-man army of a player who also shows the composure to attend to lineout and hooking duties. Wright stepped up to the plate massively in the knockout stages of the JWC but he will need handling carefully. With Curtis Langdon blazing a trail and earning an England squad place, he can’t expect too many starting duties, at least initially, so it will either be cameos off the bench or possibly more loan games at Bedford if Saints feel that is appropriate. A major talent who ideally needs to be playing rugby right now, not a season spent riding the pines. If he gets game time he will make the headlines.
BEN REDSHAW
Newcastle, 19
There is no substitute for gas and Redshaw has it in buckets, as well as a good step and natural footballing skills. He can play wing but full-back is probably his best position and with the Falcons’ smallish squad he should be gainfully employed from the off. It will be bloody tough but he will be in the thick of it. Newcastle might struggle for parity in terms of possession so there will be a strong onus to make best use of what ball they can muster. With wings like Adam Radwan, Alex Hearle and Ben Stevenson in attendance Redshaw has like-minded players to work with.
TOM WILLIS
Saracens, 25
This, at the age of 25, could well be the big breakthrough season for Willis who is yet another Wasps graduate forced to scramble for his professional life through no fault of his own. Caught the selectorial eye last summer when he was capped by England in a World Cup warm-up match with Wales but cut from the squad before they travelled to France. To these eyes he was Saracens’ form No.8 last season even if Billy Vunipola usually got the nod in big games but, now Billy has gone, Willis has the stage to fully showcase his talents. There is no stronger ball carrying back rower in the Premiership – he always makes yards – and you have to think at some stage England will start valuing that.
