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Solomona deserves Lions place - Healey

By Alex Fisher
Sale Sharks winger Denny Solomona

Denny Solomona should be part of Warren Gatland’s British and Irish Lions squad after his sensational start to life in rugby union, according to Austin Healey.

The Sale Sharks winger has been in explosive form since his code switch from Castleford Tigers, scoring eight tries in five games.

After his hat-trick against leaders Wasps on Sunday there were calls for Solomona to be called up by England coach Eddie Jones, with Sale coach Steve Diamond saying the New Zealand-born flyer would be eligible in “three or four weeks” on the three-year residency rule.

Healey has gone one step further, though, and called for the 23-year-old to be part of the Lions squad who will play three Tests in New Zealand in June.

“He’s very physical and positionally sound and he scores tries in confined spaces that other wingers wouldn’t finish,” Healey said, as quoted by The Mirror.

“People will say ‘give him time to find his feet in union’ but why? I already think he’s good enough make the Lions squad.

“Who better is there to match against New Zealand wing Julian Savea? I accept he’s an outside bet in terms of experience but Jason Robinson had hardly any in 2001 and that didn’t go too badly.

“Personally Solomona and Wasps hooker Tommy Taylor would be my two Lions bolters.”

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Bull Shark 3 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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