Video: 19-year-old Alfie Barbeary scores Wasps hat-trick his first Premiership start
There were tries galore across the five Wednesday night Gallagher Premiership games, 36 in total at Sandy Park, the Ricoh, the AJ Bell, The Rec and The Stoop. However, one player’s scoring potency caught the eye more than most – the second-half hat-trick delivered by Alfie Barbeary for Wasps.
The 19-year-old hot prospect had a short debut off the Premiership bench last month in the win over Worcester, but that was nothing compared to what the hooker delivered when chosen to start versus Leicester at blindside, flexibility reminiscent of the double jobbing Ashley Johnson used to do at the club.
Making 69 metres off 15 carries, the youngster struck for a 16-minute second-half hat-trick, touching down on 45, 51 and 61 minutes while also providing the assist for another of Wasps’ eight tries in their 54-7 destruction of a sorry Leicester.
Barbeary was selected ahead of in-form England prospect Jack Willis at flanker and his man-of-the-match pace and skill effort will surely register on the radar of Eddie Jones, who has been keeping tabs on the recent re-emergence of Willis.
The BT Sport footage of Barbeary’s hat-trick was exiting. He took a Dan Robson pass before dummying and crossing for his first. Next, he demonstrated his power from close range after Leicester splintered a lineout drive, and he rounded it off with a show of athleticism to run in the third.
Wasps have a serious talent in Alfie Barbeary ?
The 19-year-old ran in THREE tries on his FIRST #GallagherPrem start ?pic.twitter.com/tDIjYh9U9k
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) September 10, 2020
It left Lee Blackett swooning about the England age-grade captain. “Alfie had a mixture in the first half but he had an outstanding second half,” said the Wasps boss. “As an out and out rugby player, he’s pretty good.
“He’s a big project. He’s nowhere near the finished article. He’s got to keep working hard. He’s a talent, there’s no doubt about that, but there are plenty of areas of his game he needs to keep working on. Hopefully, we’ll see him reach his potential.
“We’re trying to manage him by picking him in the back row. He’s a young kid and someone of his age it takes time to come through in the front row positions. We wanted to take the set-piece away from him, but we will keep working on the hooker side of his game. We just wanted to get him out there.”
An excellent tip for anyone on the comeback trail after injuryhttps://t.co/SgeeBf0rug
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 2, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
4 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
4 Go to comments