Young Gun: Declan Sinclair – Tonbridge School lock

Given he was barely a year old when John Eales won his second World Cup, it is no surprise Declan Sinclair had to google the former Australia captain when people called him the ‘John Eales of Tonbridge’.
With the pair being goal-kicking locks, the comparison was an easy one and Sinclair quickly realised what a legend he was being compared to.
Sinclair grabbed the headlines in recent weeks taking over the goal-kicking duties from his captain David Wilkinson in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy against Oakham, kicking two penalties and a conversion.
The following week in the final the same happened against Bedford and again Sinclair kicked Tonbridge School to a 17-10 victory at Allianz Park.
His name was in the record book and he found himself linked to a Wallabies legend.
“A few people asked me about my goal kicking in recent weeks after my kicking grabbed a few headlines,” he told The Rugby Paper.
“I didn’t really know John Eales until people starting giving that nickname. I looked him up online and my dad also told me what a player he was.
“It made me laugh to be mentioned in the same sentence as such a great player. If I can have half the career he had I’ll be a very happy!
“I played at fly-half or centre from the age of six but I realised that I had to move to the pack if I wanted to have any chance of furthering my rugby career or even to just play for the school’s first team.
“I firstly moved to blindside but the school needed me to move to lock. My first game in the forwards was actually for my local senior team in Sevenoaks. I played 25 minutes at flanker and it was painful to say the least. But I’m getting used to it now.”
Playing at Saracens‘ ground and being a 6ft 5in goal-kicker, it was hard for Sinclair not to be noticed and Sarries were quick to invite him to train with their EPDG squad over Christmas.
His future is unclear with a firm eye on getting an education but the 18-year-old admits it would be hard to turn down a contract from the club he’s been suporting since he was a child.
He added: “I’m training with Saracens over the festive period. I had never been linked with any professionnal clubs in the past but playing the semi-finals and final of the Champions Trophy at Allianz Park helped me get noticed.
“Nothing is set in stone as yet with Saracens so I’ll do my best and see where it takes me.
“I’m thinking of taking a gap year but I’m also looking to go to Leeds University. They have great courses and their rugby team play in the BUCS Super League which is a very good standard.
“Getting a good education is important to me but it’d be very hard to turn down a contract with Saracens. I’ve always been a big fan of Sarries so it’d be great to actually play for them one day.”