Genge: England team-mate can prove he's world's best in South Africa

England loosehead Ellis Genge has hailed his team-mate Joe Heyes as the best tighthead prop in the world, adding that he has the chance to prove it when he comes up against South Africa at Ellis Park next month.

Steve Borthwick’s side get their Nations Championship campaign underway against the Springboks on July 4, followed by Fiji and Argentina, and Genge is in contention to captain the side with Maro Itoje likely to be granted a rest. That is, of course, if the Bristol Bears loosehead is also not rested following a busy year.

Genge has recently been involved in the England camp for rehabilitation for a calf injury, a squad Joe Heyes was also involved in but was not selected for England XV’s fixture with France XV in Vannes on Friday.

However, come the first Test match since the Guinness Six Nations in Johannesburg, Heyes, who was recently crowned England Men’s player of the season, is all but guaranteed to be wearing the No.3 jersey, which Genge believes gives him the opportunity to cement his status as the best tighthead in the world.

The Bristol star made this claim when speaking to Dan Biggar on The Rugby Pod recently, and hopes his team-mate can prove it against the “best team in the world” in South Africa.

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Rugby Union Hybrid Friendlies

France XV

35 - 19

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England A

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“I’m probably biased, but in terms of what he’s done, especially in the Six Nations in a team that wasn’t performing so well, I think Joe Heyes has been on fire,” the 80-cap England international said.

“The consistency of his performance, I’d say, he didn’t drop below a seven out of 10 for us in the Six Nations. He came in to fill big boots because Will Stuart was playing so well, Dan Cole, obviously, years before playing at Leicester with him, he’s had such big boots to fill all the time. He’s got size 15 feet, so he does it well.

“But I think the way he carried himself and the layers he’s added to his game – his kick chase, his defensive work, even his carrying the ball now – just because I see it so much and I follow Heyesey’s career, I think he is probably the best tighthead, although obviously I’m going to get every other country chucking their two pence in.

“South Africa is the big test, if he can do it in their backyard, then that cements my opinion. Until then, as I said, you’ll never get the plaudits until you do it in the toughest arena against the best in the world. That’s what they are. It’s their arena, it’s their backyard, and they’re the best team in the world. So it’s an honour.”