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'It's up to Eddie what he does with him, they have control of him' - Wasps concerned by Odogwu's lack of game-time

By PA
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Wasps boss Lee Blackett is concerned by Paolo Odogwu’s lack of game-time but is confident he will return from England a better player. Odogwu has yet to be involved in the Guinness Six Nations despite being a member of Eddie Jones’ 28-man squad after earning his first senior call-up on the strength of his dynamic club form at centre and wing.

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Wasps’ Gallagher Premiership clash with Gloucester on Saturday will be his 50th day without a game and Blackett has misgivings over his inactivity.

“We want Paolo to put himself in a position to play for England. He’s away with them and it’s up to Eddie what he does with him, they have control of him,” Blackett said.

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“From our side, I genuinely think he’ll come back a better player. But if I have any slight doubt I’d just be worried about his game-time, 100 per cent. I thought that he got himself into really good form.

“But hopefully he can take any learnings he’s had from the England environment, the speed they’re working at, bring them back here and hopefully improve as a player.”

Jones has kept faith with his tried and tested for the first three rounds of the Six Nations, even against Italy, who are the weakest team having suffered 30 consecutive defeats in the Championship.

Wasps have yet to give a timeframe for Jack Willis’ return after the England flanker underwent successful surgery on the serious knee injury sustained against the Azzurri on February 13.

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“We’re pretty pleased with what came well from the operation. The early indications are that we should be pretty happy with how it went,” Blackett said.

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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