1
'People think I'm a little more hot-headed... I've never had a red card for ill-discipline nor a yellow'
Potential England summer series skipper Ellis Genge has defended his fiery reputation, suggesting he has the tools to captain his country while regular leader Owen Farrell is away with the Lions in South Africa. The loosehead has enjoyed a rich run of form recently, his efforts noticeably much improved after he was overlooked by Warren Gatland. Genge didn’t even receive a ‘Save the date’ letter which nearly 60 players were sent in April in advance of the May 6 announcement of the 37-strong squad.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, Genge’s reaction on the pitch with Leicester since then has been powerful and he spent the past week training with England as the most capped player of the 34 that England gathered ahead of a series that kicks off on June 27 with an A-level match versus Scotland A at Welford Road before two Test games follow at Twickenham versus the USA and Canada.
Having captained teams while coming up through the ranks, Genge has also been entrusted with that role at Leicester on occasion and he was Tigers skipper as recently as last weekend’s Premiership-ending win over local rivals Wasps.
That responsibility was a show of confidence in him by Steve Borthwick in the wake of the post-game scuffle which saw him get involved with Nathan Hughes after the previous week’s loss to Bristol resulted in multiple players from both sides dabbling in a heated exchange. A fortnight on from that tempestuous tussle, Genge defended his reputation and claimed it is erroneously tarnished.
“I do think people think I’m a little more hot-headed than what I am,” said the front-rower. “I feel like I react to situations depending on how they are unravelling in front of me. For example, I have never had a red card for ill-discipline nor have a yellow for anything of that nature besides repeat offences. I do think for example if I was a captain of a side and teams thought right let’s get in his head, it falls on deaf ears but if people would like to waste their time doing that and trying to put me off my game carry on.
The 26-year-old is currently the most senior player in Eddie Jones’ summer series squad due to his haul of 28 England capshttps://t.co/MP229ltck0
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 16, 2021
“It does bother me a little bit, probably not as much as it used to,” continued Genge, the 26-year-old with 28 England caps. “It’s probably a misconception of what people see me as. It’s relatively easy to accumulate that data and all the stories and articles written about me in the past and sort of paint that picture, especially people that don’t follow my career as closely as they follow their own teams.
“Regardless of whether you want to or not you go on social media it’s always he’s too hot-headed anyway, he’s too much of a liability. It makes me laugh a little bit because I have never had reds or yellows for those sort of things. No, it doesn’t bother me too much anymore, it just falls on deaf ears a little bit.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Asked about his captaincy skills, Genge said: “I have always been captain of my age stuff, not the England stuff but always for Hartpury, for my club side in Bristol and then I was captain for a little bit with Bristol schools. Although I was a lot younger it is a role I am relatively familiar with.
“I’d say I haven’t changed too much. I try to lead with actions as opposed to words and it’s just the way I do it. So for example on the weekend I spoke to Ben Youngs, who was on the bench, but I spoke to him about leading and taking care of the boys who weren’t starting and he spoke a lot in the meetings and the pre-match and then I like to rally the boys together before we go out and give them my ten cents.
“I feel like I have had good momentum,” he added regarding his late-season form. “I’m enjoying myself. Regarding the Lions, I feel like I was probably letting myself down with performances prior to that so I took more of an onus on sorting myself out so I could better the team. I’d like to think I have done that.”
The Exeter back-rower's four-game ban has had an England sting in the tail as he was set for summer series involvement #EXEvSAL
https://t.co/AapRdVRVve— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 18, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Big difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to comments