'He's probably sick to death of my voice on a Monday and Tuesday'
Harlequins boss Tabai Matson has highlighted how energising an experience training with England has been for Louis Lynagh – even though it has seen the uncapped winger only rejoin his club late in the week ahead of recent Gallagher Premiership defeats to Sale and Saracens. The 21-year-old was called up to the Guinness Six Nations squad at the start of matchweek one versus Scotland for two days training at Pennyhill and he spent a similar length of time with the Eddie Jones’ set-up last week ahead of the round game match away to Italy.
Lynagh was cut on both occasions when Jones pared down his England squad in midweek, leaving the youngster to return to Harlequins for a start against Sale and an appearance off the bench versus Saracens.
It is a difficult juggling act working with two different teams in the same week, but Harlequins senior coach Matson believes the in/out routine will only help Lynagh in the long run in a career that is only in his second season of senior rugby.
Lynagh has spent the full week this week at his club ahead of Saturday’s game at home to Wasps as he wasn’t included in the England squad of 25 Jones assembled in London for the Six Nations fallow week training. However, the England training that the rookie has done in recent Test match weeks has definitely rubbed off on him, according to his club coach.
“What it has done for him is he has higher expectations for what he is doing when he gets here because international rugby is another step up around pressure, around skillsets around timing and all of that,” explained Matson.
“What he now knows is actually he understands that level of the game and he has high expectations of the way he should be training, how he should prepare and when he gets opportunities for Quins he knows that he needs to nail them because he is preparing himself for hopefully a long career at international level.”
Looking specifically at the challenge of starting a week with England and finishing it with Harlequins, Matson added: “That can be really difficult especially if the systems and the focuses are different but in his case, not just because the wing is an easy place to play, it is actually really energising he goes in and joins the national team and is involved in a preparation for a Test match.
“It is often really critical that early part of the week, a team is getting through its plays and they need extra to the 23 to make sure they are really accurate. Any time, especially a young player like Louis, is training at a level that has not necessarily more intent but has a real focus because of the pressure of international level which is where he is trying to get to, means when he comes back to Quins, I won’t say it is seamless but he is seamless.
“It is only his second full year here so when he comes back it is like fitting into a glove and often, like last week because he was away early in the week, we just put him on the bench, he comes in and does his bit for 30 minutes and had a fantastic impact against Saracens. Probably one of our most impactful backs even in his 30 minutes.
“For him, I won’t say it is a challenge but it is actually quite invigorating for him and he is probably sick to death of my voice on a Monday and Tuesday and Eddie’s Australian twang is nice to listen to on a Monday.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments