EXCLUSIVE - 'Nervous' Haskell fears Hartley will make him change in portable toilet
James Haskell is confident his move from Wasps to Northampton Saints next season will help him avoid the P45 he believes Eddie Jones, the England head coach, keeps in his pocket.
Haskell’s position with England is under intense scrutiny following Jones’s decision to rest the 77 cap flanker for the three test series with South Africa next month.
The 33-year-old today admitted he is disappointed to be rested, but is adamant he remains a contender for next year’s World Cup in Japan and is already planning for his first full pre-season training programme since he was 21-years-old. He said: “ I wouldn’t be speaking out of turn by saying I am always disappointed not to be involved with England.
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“As long as Eddie is not saying “mate here is your P45” – he is probably carrying mine around at all times – all I can be is the best player I can and take it from there. I love playing for England and it is my motivating factor every single day and when you are not involved you quickly reassess your priorities.
Mine is to fight for an England place and I will have to play well for Saints next season once I have fought my way into a squad that has a lot of quality players.
“I wasn’t getting overly stressed by the situation over a new club – maybe my fiancée was – but it was a weird one because I had received a few very different offers and I had to decide what was best for what I wanted to achieve at this stage of my career.
“I had to bide my time and make the right decision and there were opportunities in France and in Super rugby and I did look at those exciting options along with chatting to some Premiership clubs.
“I am very excited about what is happening at Northampton and they have been Wasps nemesis beating us a number of times. I am actually living closer to Northampton’s training ground than Wasps.”
Haskell, who has only ever played for Wasps in the Aviva Premiership in a career that has seen him wear the colours of Stade Francais, Ricoh Black Rams and the Highlanders, met with the Northampton players at Christian Day’s testimonial match before the deal was signed. He said: “I will be nervous because I have never played for another Premiership club and I will have to turn up in my best school uniform for the first day of Saints training. It was important to know that I would be received well at the club and it was very positive and that helped my decision.
“Knowing Dylan(Hartley) and the other England boys at the club I will probably be told to change in a portaloo and make them tea as I earn my spurs. When you have been at a club for a long time you are at the top of the pile and in the senior changing room. Now, I am starting at the bottom again.”
Welcome to the resurgence @jameshaskell ? pic.twitter.com/4lKVkjRCQq
— Dylan Hartley (@DylanHartley) May 14, 2018
Haskell is hoping to play his part in Wasps bid to reach a second successive Premiership play-off final when they take on Saracens in the semi-finals on Saturday at Allianz Park.
“My time with Saints starts when the season ends with Wasps and hopefully that won’t be until the final at Twickenham. It is sad to be leaving Wasps and it is important I finish in the right way before I start an exciting new chapter.”
Comments on RugbyPass
No 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
3 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.
55 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.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 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 commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments