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'Tom and Jack are incredibly tight and Tom was really upset at having to witness that'
Wasps Director of Rugby Lee Blackett has lavished praise on Tom Willis, the young brother of England flanker Jack Willis, who scored a wonder try to help Wasps defeat Worcester Warriors 17 – 3.
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James Gaskell and Tom Willis scored Wasps’ tries with Jimmy Gopperth converting both. Charlie Atkinson added a penalty.
"A try for Jack, from his little brother Tom" ??
Tom Willis bounces off defenders, an absolute wrecking ball of a run for @WaspsRugby! ?#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/Gb8cNHcK2V
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) February 14, 2021
Worcester’s response was a try from Nick David with Jamie Shillcock adding a conversion and two penalties but they failed to capitalise on their dominance of territory and possession which ultimately cost them the game.
Blackett was full of praise for man of the match Willis, who scored an exceptional try which was the highlight of the match.
Willis had seen his younger brother, Jack, stretchered off on Saturday in England’s win over Italy at Twickenham but overcame the disturbing scene to perform heroics.
Blackett said: “Tom and Jack are incredibly tight and Tom was really upset at having to witness that. But to get over it and put in a performance like that was remarkable.
“In the first half we were impressive and took our chances but we didn’t manage the game well after that and gave away too many field positions.
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???#sixnations https://t.co/gg8qbYBOH1
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 14, 2021
“I don’t think I can remember a game where we’ve been so down on the penalty count yet come away winning.”
Worcester head coach Jonathan Thomas endorsed Premiership Rugby’s decision to dispense with relegation this season.
The defeat means Worcester remain in 11th position with 11 points and just one point ahead of Gloucester at the bottom and obviously in view of their recent form they would be prime candidates for relegation if it had taken place.
Thomas said: “It’s the common sense decision as the game needs a period of stability in the present climate with businesses set to lose considerable sums.
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World Rugby attempted to address the issue in 2020, but the practice remains very much in use and apparently legal, depending on ref interpretation. https://t.co/kSPTVYaAyp
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 13, 2021
“The Championship hasn’t even started yet and it wouldn’t be fair to relegate a side based on COVID results.
“It has had no bearing on the way we have approached this season as we will continue with our process to develop a strong side.”
However, Thomas was concerned at his side’s continuing failure to win matches in which they have dominated.
He said: “Winning or losing is a habit but it’s not acceptable that we keep losing and we should have won today.
“We didn’t have the rub of the green in the first half but some of the problems were of our own making, especially the tackling for Tom Willis’ try.
“We were 17-3 down at half-time and the boys were quiet so I challenged them to be victims or fighters and I was pleased with our second-half effort.
“Our set piece dominated and our discipline was very good but they were more clinical than us and we missed our strike players, Ollie Lawrence and Melani Nanai.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments