Video: 'I'm not quite ready to hand over the mantle yet' - Haskell warns England youngsters
Former Wasp James Haskell may have worn the Northampton Saints shirt in preseason but he is waiting to don it for a Premiership match before he feels truly bonded. Speaking to RugbyPass about his new club, the gregarious flanker was in typically self deprecating mood.
Haskell said, “I think I’m fitting in well, whether anyone else thinks I’m fitting in well is down to matter of opinion. I had probably a day of a bit of sketchiness as to whether I was going to fit in, what it was going to be like – new boy at school. And I turned up and within thirty seconds I was very glad to be here and I’ve laughed every day since. We’ve worked hard and I’ve made a lot of new friends. I’ve absolutely loved it here. I didn’t realise how much of a rich history Saints had and how long it had been around. It’s just great to be part of it.”
Haskell made no secret of his desire to play in the Premiership once Wasps had made it clear that he was surplus to requirements. His relationship with Eddie Jones is such that if he can perform well in England at club level, the call-ups to international level may keep on coming, having recently been involved in England’s preseason camp.
Haskell commented, “I want to be involved, my whole reason for staying in the Premiership is to get in that World Cup squad and to play well here. These [England] camps are great, there were fifteen boys who were missing that could potentially be picked. You don’t want to read too much into it. All that matters is when the Premiership starts and how you perform.”
“When you’re heading towards the twilight of your career, you never take for granted any opportunity to put on your England kit and run out there and get some high level coaching and work with the likes of Eddie (Jones) and Steve (Borthwick) because it’s a privilege.”
Steve Borthwick commented after the last camp that Haskell had been doing some extra training alongside the younger players such as Sam Underhill and Tom Curry. While the new Saints man jokes about not wanting to share too much with his protégés, he said, “Those guys are great, I’m learning off them, they’re learning off me. They’re fantastic players. They bring certain different skillsets that are great to work with. They’re very eager and for me – you’ve got to be self-disciplined to have a successful career and you have to keep having that hunger to work. Hopefully I’ll give them some competition as they will to me. I’m not quite ready to hand over the mantle yet.”
At 33, the 77-capped flanker will be hoping to impress Saints’ new Director of Rugby Chris Boyd but admits it might take some of the older fans a little longer. Haskell said, “I’ve got no complaints, no surprises, no trepidation. Whether the fans like me or some of the old stalwarts who probably raised a few eyebrows when I was initially signed, I’ll have to see if I can win them over.”
Haskell on Cipriani
Haskell also weighed in on the debate over Danny Cipriani, with his former Wasps teammate due to face an RFU Independent Disciplinary Panel on Wednesday, despite protests from the Rugby Players’ Association and Gloucester Rugby.
Video: Haskell hits out at Cipriani critics
“I think to be honest with you, it’s been mulled over and over-analysed and as always, pundits with too much time on their hands or paid for their opinions have either split opinion by being quite vehement or understanding. Life throws all sorts of different things in the mix. You have to understand and wait for the facts.
“If we’ve learned anything from what happened with Stokes (Ben Stokes, England cricketer), the world lives now by trial by social media, everyone has an opinion. Mrs Miggins at number 35 is suddenly an expert, people who know nothing about anything are experts.
“I had to reply to one bloke who was telling me exactly why Danny had left Wasps. It was like me watching Oasis play through a shop window and then telling everyone how to play the guitar and how to sing which I know nothing about. Just because you think you know, doesn’t mean you know.
“I think it’s done, it’s done and dusted in my mind. He sent an apology, I think it was very well worded. I think I know him pretty well as a friend and an invididual. I think it’s time to move on. There’s plenty more to life than Cips and stuff that happened in Jersey. Everyone needs to calm down and get on with it. What’s done is done. In a court of law it was all addressed so we’re just conjecture and trying to steal headlines and put our two penny-worth in when nobody really cares.”
Comments on RugbyPass
GOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
1 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
150 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
1 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
150 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
150 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
150 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
150 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
150 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
150 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
150 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
150 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
150 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
150 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
150 Go to commentsHo hum.
150 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
150 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to comments