Gatland: I got Sinckler comments wrong
Wales boss Warren Gatland says that “sometimes you get your pants pulled down” when making comments about players.
England prop Kyle Sinckler returns to the Principality Stadium on Saturday – six months after Gatland said “emotionally, he can be a bit of a timebomb” and “there is a challenge sometimes with his temperament”.
Gatland made those remarks prior to a Six Nations showdown between the countries in Cardiff that saw Wales triumph 21-13 on their way to a Grand Slam-winning campaign.
Earlier in that tournament, Sinckler was embroiled in an exchange with Ireland flanker Peter O’Mahony in Dublin, and against France eight days later he was reminded of “rugby’s values” by match referee Nigel Owens after slapping Les Bleus forward Arthur Iturria on the head.
Sinckler, who is among England’s replacements this weekend, was taken off by head coach Eddie Jones 55 minutes into that Cardiff clash.
He had conceded two key penalties in quick succession and had an ongoing battle with Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones, although an outstanding overall performance before then was highlighted by him making 16 first-half tackles.
“I saw him on Sunday (at Twickenham) and shook his hand,” said Gatland, who coached Sinckler on the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand. “I made a couple of comments about him in the Six Nations. I thought he was brilliant and played exceptionally well against us for most of that game.
"No man is an island and you have to do things together and dividing people never works"
FULL ARTICLE: https://t.co/Catpqj4pre pic.twitter.com/y7NRqCwClP
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 15, 2019
“There is no doubt he is an outstanding player. His work-rate in the Six Nations for that time he was on the pitch was outstanding with the number of tackles and carries he made. Sometimes you make comments about players and it can be effective.
“It wasn’t so much about him, it was probably seeing the reaction of three or four English players who it had more of an impact on because they were constantly looking out for him. Sometimes comments are effective, sometimes you get your pants pulled down.
? Vengeance of Genge ?
Bane impersonations: just one of the many talents of @EllisGenge ?
Watch the latest full Rising Sons episode here: https://t.co/TGFOZgtA19 #WearTheRose ? pic.twitter.com/YB0k6sYi56
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) August 15, 2019
“I made a comment about (former England captain) Dylan Hartley a few years ago, and he was the man of the match and made me look like an idiot. I want the best for Kyle. He’s an outstanding player. He knows there are a couple of things to work on in his game, and hopefully he does that.”
Of far more concern to Gatland will be how Wales respond following last weekend’s 33-19 defeat against England when the Six Nations champions encountered unfamiliar set-piece problems. Their scrum came under pressure, and an overthrown lineout ball by Wales hooker Ken Owens led directly to an England try just before half-time as they opened up a 14-point lead.
BRODYR ? James and Jonathan Davies will be the first pair of brothers to play alongside each other for Wales since Jamie and Nicky Robinson in 2006. pic.twitter.com/S0dDdU9LRf
— Welsh Rugby Union ??????? (@WelshRugbyUnion) August 15, 2019
French referee Mathieu Raynal was at the helm last Sunday, and Gatland added: “I was really disappointed with how the scrums were controlled. “We have gone in there and tried to be positive about how we have been told they will be refereed. We felt there was a lot of early pushing and pre-engagement.
“Having spoken to World Rugby about that in terms of the way it’s going to be managed and what we were originally told it would be controlled, we felt that definitely wasn’t the case on Sunday. We needed to react quicker and better to the way it was controlled, but we didn’t do that. The scrum will definitely improve this weekend.
“When you go back and look at the scrums in our game and then look at the ones in the Ireland versus Italy game or the Argentina versus South Africa game last weekend, they are completely different in terms of starting position, set-up and engagement. We need clarity and consistency in that area.”
– Press Association
WATCH: Warren Gatland talks to the media after unveiling his team to face England this Saturday in Cardiff
Comments on RugbyPass
Jordie knows that he has to earn the right to put on the jersey, whatever that jersey might be.
4 Go to commentsThe best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
2 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
3 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
114 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
2 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
3 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
3 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
114 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
4 Go to comments