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'We celebrated well': From Harlequins' title win to England call
Joe Marchant has claimed that Harlequins’ swashbuckling Gallagher Premiership final win was warmly acknowledged when their four-strong contingent arrived into the revised 37-strong England squad for this Sunday’s summer series Test match versus the USA at Twickenham. Harlequins centre Marchant was one of four players from the new England title winners called up by Eddie Jones, the others being the uncapped trio of Marcus Smith, Alex Donbrandt and Jack Kenningham.
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Having finished fourth in the table, few gave the Londoners any chance of winning the Premiership but they produced stunning comebacks in their playoff games to defeat Bristol in the semi-final before dethroning champions Exeter in the final, a feat that naturally didn’t go unnoticed when they arrived into England camp at The Lensbury.
“The boys have been so grateful,” said England back Marchant. “Literally since we came in everyone has said congratulations, they are so happy for us, especially because of our journey. I have been chatting to some of the boys at Northampton and we were fighting for that fourth-place spot with them for a little bit and the fact that we went on to win it.
“Everyone is delighted with us which is really good but since we got in we have all had this focus on playing this weekend. The focus has gone on there and everyone is so focused, so ready because if we get the opportunity to play we want to show what we can do.
“We celebrated well. It was good. It was the first time for a long time that we have been in it [the Premiership final]. A couple of boys wanted to keep going on but obviously coming in camp you couldn’t keep going but they definitely made it special and I’d say memorable but some of them maybe not.”
It's yet to be confirmed by the club, but it appears the champs have a new head coach. https://t.co/OSHBEK44On
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 28, 2021
All 37 players in the latest England squad are available for selection this weekend, including back-rower Sam Underhill whose midweek concussion in training last week had ruled him out of the eventually cancelled A team game versus Scotland A at Leicester. With multiple England regulars away with the Lions in South Africa, Marchant, who got the first word of his latest call-up last Sunday while celebrating with Quins, is hoping to build on his run from the Test bench in his country’s last outing versus Ireland in the Guinness Six Nations last March.
He has five caps in total but just a single start (versus Italy in September 2019) and he is now hoping to benefit off the back of a startling league season with Harlequins where he played 19 times and scored nine tries. “We haven’t really chatted too much, to be honest,” he said when asked had there been feedback from England boss Jones regarding his form at Harlequins.
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“It’s one of those ones where when you go back to your club you have got that focus on just playing well for the club and Eddie has said in meetings and things like that when you go back to your clubs you want to show that you are an international player at club level and that is what I have tried to do.
“I have tried to fit in with the way Quins have been playing and we have played some really good rugby. I just got in here and have got my eyes in the first week and hopefully I can get picked for that.
“It has been a goal of mine since I was a kid to play for England and I have been lucky to play five times and every game I have played I have been in and around the squad. I have never been the starter week in week out which is what I would like to be.
“Having had a good season at Quins that is what I am pushing towards and the whole focus leading up to this point was about playing for Quins and making sure we put ourselves on the best foot going forward. To come into camp we have got two games and hopefully I get an opportunity to show what I can do.”
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A stint in the first half of 2020 at the Super Rugby Blues in New Zealand was important in the moulding of the soon to be 25-year-old Marchant into a title-winner at Harlequins. “It was really important for me to go,” he said, reflecting on a loan move that is unusual for European-based players.
“The learning experience was amazing, just playing at a different way to the way rugby is played in the Premiership, just learning off different players, going into a brand new environment, just all those things helped me that when I came back you start seeing things a little bit different.
“And especially at the back end of the season at Quins we have been playing a lot of free-flowing rugby and started just getting the ball in space really and we have done that pretty well. Marcus has been putting the ball on a string which has been really helpful and Danny (Care) as well. Those two have been amazing. I learned a lot and really pleased I went (to New Zealand).”
An entertaining confession from Lewis Moody that also includes the 'biggest panic attack' suffered by Ben Kay https://t.co/7eeuk5Os06
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 30, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
I like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to comments