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Kyle Sinckler posts Harlequins farewell video, reveals the uncomfortable moment that was the making of him

By Online Editors
(Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)

Bristol-bound Kyle Sinckler has said his goodbyes at Harlequins, the club posting a nine-minute video on YouTube where the England tighthead reflected on his excellent development at the London-based Premiership club and revealed the moment that was the making of his career.

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The 27-year-old, who first came on the scene during the title-winning Conor O’Shea era, explained that the signing of Wales’ Adam Jones was the making of him, Sinckler also giving thanks to a plethora of coaches who showed patience in him despite various discipline issues and incidents over the years. 

It was 2015 when Jones, who is now coaching under current club boss Paul Gustard, first arrived at the Stoop, a decision Sinckler didn’t initially take kindly to. However, he eventually came around to O’Shea’s way of thinking and within two years, he was coming off the bench in the Lions’ drawn Test series versus New Zealand and laying the foundation in a 35-cap England career that saw him selected to start in last November’s World Cup final.

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Speaking to the Harlequins YouTube channel ahead of officially becoming a Bristol player on July 1, Sinckler said: “When you get a lot very early as a young person you tend to take it for granted and the moment that changed for me was when Conor sat me down and said, ‘I’m bringing in Adam Jones’. 

“I was like, ‘God, I’m never going to play now’. We have got Will Collier, Adam Jones is arguably one of the greatest ever tighthead props, and I was nervous. I remember the first time meeting Adam. We were in the gym doing some skills or fitness and he came up to me. “He said, ‘Nice to meet you. I’m Bomb (his nickname)’. And I said, ‘Nice to meet you too. I’m really, really a big fan. I’m Kyle’. He said, ‘Don’t worry, I know who you are. I’m going to help you’.

“From that moment on he probably got annoyed with me, I was just following him around. Whatever he was doing in the gym, I’m doing the exact same thing. If he is doing extra fitness, I’m doing extra fitness. Whatever extra scrummaging, I’m speaking to him, I’m picking his brain. I’m literally trying to get every bit of knowledge out of him. I was probably a bit of an annoyance at the time but I just wanted to learn.”

That attitude to get better and improve was why the Harlequins coaching staff stood by the prop despite some challenging moments. “Something I’m very grateful for is everyone was so patient with me,” continued Sinckler. “I feel like I have matured a lot and I understand where I went wrong but in the same breath, I’m thankful for those experiences because I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. 

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“I have a lot of gratitude for Harlequins because they were forever patient with me… I don’t how they [the coaches] put up with me with some of the stuff. So many things happened behind the scenes they could have given up on me but they always kept plugging away, kept pushing me in the right direction and always having my best interests at heart, staying patient and just showing their belief in me.

“One thing that I have loved in my time at Harlequins is our identity, the way we play. Probably my first seven years at the club, mainly influenced by Conor and how he wanted us to play. You’d call it ‘the Quins way’. That very often was a massive emphasis on offloads, running the ball from anywhere, playing heads-up rugby and playing what you see. That suited me.’

“There were a few occasions that I have kicked the ball and they turned out alright, and then there were some times that was an absolute nightmare. Conor was instrumental with my development at such an early age. He never berated me for making those mistakes or trying things or doing offloads. He was all for it and making me learn my own way, letting me make my mistakes.”

It was late January, just before the start of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations with England, that it was revealed Sinckler would be joining Bristol on a two-year deal. Leaving Harlequins won’t be easy for the Londoner but experiencing a change of scenery was want he wanted.

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“As your career moves on you understand that you have to do things that are solely best for you. I feel at this current moment in time, not just in my career but in my life, that where I am at on a personal level and where I am going, Bristol will be the best place for me to thrive. 

“I just feel like I need to experience something different, be out of my comfort zone, be in uncomfortable situations in terms of not knowing my surroundings, building new relationships and really finding out who I am.”

 

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J
Jon 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 9 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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