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'It would make it a lot easier if I didn't agree with the decisions and I could hold a grudge... but I can't say anything bad'
Jamal Ford-Robinson has given the fledgling Chris Boyd era at Northampton his seal of approval – even though the Kiwi decided he didn’t want the prop on the Saints roster for 2019/20.
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The 2017 member of the England squad that toured Argentina has exited Franklin’s Gardens holding no grudges against the coach whose decision left him seeking out pastures new at Gloucester.
“As a player who got released from Saints without that being my plan, it would probably make it a lot easier for me if I didn’t agree with the decisions Chris had made and I could hold a grudge, but one of the things that has come from being a bit older is seeing things from a different perspective,” explained Ford-Robinson in an interview with the Northampton Chronicle.
“I can’t say anything bad about the club and I would have made exactly the same decision they made. I spoke to Chris at one of our end-of-season socials and said the same thing to him.
“I like to think we’ve got a good relationship and it’s great to see the young boys like Alex (Mitchell), Lewis (Ludlam) and Teimana (Harrison) getting some recognition. The club is in great hands.”
Saints farewell interview: Jamal Ford-Robinson https://t.co/bS21K2SaPk pic.twitter.com/qJkDMBSAcL
— Northampton Sport (@chronsport) July 3, 2019
Now 25, Ford-Robinson is exiting after a two-season stint at Saints where he feels he didn’t consistently showcase his best rugby. “I don’t think I even came close really because although I racked up a few games, they were normally off the bench,” he said.
“In the second year, I was unlucky with injury early on and when I came back, the ship was starting to settle and you can’t really ask for any changes when that happens.
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“If the same coaching team had been around in the second year they’d have known what I did in the first year – I played more than 20 games – but the coaches changed and then I got my injury, so you got the worst of two worlds in terms of being able to prove yourself.
“If you’re a big dog walking around with loads of England caps, the coaches know what you’re about but when you’re in a position where you need to break through and prove yourself and you can’t start doing that, you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“I picked up what seemed like a nothing injury during a wrestling session and there didn’t seem to be an incident that happened. I wasn’t like, ‘Oh, my knee’s gone’, it just started to swell up later in the day and I had scans, which showed I’d done my knee cartilage.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxFX2LLpDDx/
“It kept me out until September, October time and my comeback game was up at Newcastle in the A League and that set it off, which kept me out until Christmas time.
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“The time I came back was when they were getting the scrum sorted and you can’t ask the coaches to mess with something that’s not broken. If I was in Chris’ position, I’d have made exactly the same calls all the way.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Dear Ben Smith you are a genius! God please become the next all blacks coach that can take on the mighty BOKS. Your rugby acumen is second to none - imagine your dads sperm bounced as unfortunately as that oval ball did….we would not be blessed with your presence. Just as the all blacks were missing a man you too are missing a chromosome for 80% of your life, so your insights are not only profound but ring true from your own experiences. Just as the TMO interfered with citing an illegal pass I am sure your local authorities interfere with your illegal passes you make on women - How dare they!!! God forbid that rugby be officiated fairly. You are the right man for the job. Next all blacks coach is here ladies and gentlemen Miss Ben Smith (He/She/They/IT)
218 Go to commentsHuge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
218 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
9 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
44 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
15 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
44 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
5 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
7 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
218 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
7 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
7 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
7 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
218 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
44 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments“If they’d have beaten England, I still feel we would have been talking ‘is this the best team ever,’ ‘is this the best team that’s ever played in the Six Nations'” he said. “I still think they’re not quite that good. I actually don’t think they’re that good.” So Trimble is saying he doesn’t think this is the best 6N team of all time. He is silent on if it is the best Irish team of all time. Can’t disagree with him. Just another misrepresentative clickbait headline from the guys at RP.
44 Go to comments