What Wasps have made of Alfie Barbeary not getting an England cap
Wasps boss Lee Blackett has reported that Alfie Barbeary has returned to the fold at the Gallagher Premiership club feeling “really positive” despite remaining uncapped with England across the recent Guinness Six Nations campaign. The 21-year-old was one of six uncapped players named in the original 36-strong squad named for the tournament on January 18.
The back-rower went on to be named in all five match week England squads as well as the squads for the fallow week training camps in London and Bristol, but it was to no avail as his debut cap at Test level still proved to be elusive.
Barbeary kept himself ticking over by being selected by Wasps for three of their February games in the Gallagher Premiership, starting against Exeter and coming off the bench against Bath and Bristol despite beginning each of those weeks at England training.
However, his 36 minutes off the Wasps bench on February 25 was his last match action as he was retained as cover by England for their rounds four and five matches and it has left Barbeary looking to play his first game in four weeks when his club hosts Newcastle on Saturday in Coventry.
Asked what he made of the commitment Barbeary had shown to England only to wind up without a debut Test appearance, Wasps boss Blackett said: “He has gone there and has proven things to people within the camp and proven things to himself to show that he is at that level and now he has got to wait patiently for his opportunity.
“Alfie is someone that likes to play. If you had told me before he would spend the whole time in the camp and didn’t get a game I’d be a bit worried about it because he can easily be frustrated. Actually, he has come back really positive. He has learned loads of things, he is a great condition coming back. He has obviously been a bit back-and-to but he has spent the majority of the time there and being in camp as well on and off the field has been good for him.”
But does not playing in so long suit? “Look, ideally he’d be playing but just in terms of how he is, the condition he is in, no I have not got any concerns.”
There were calls during the tournament from the likes of Lawrence Dallaglio for Barbeary to be upgraded by Eddie Jones and given a debut as England seemed to be lacking in the ball-carrying department, but one Wasps player who did earn an England cap during the Six Nations was veteran Joe Launchbury. The soon-to-be 31-year-old fought his way back into Test squad contention after recovering from last April’s serious ACL injury and he played 13 minutes off the England bench versus Ireland and, like Barbeary, was in Paris last week as an additional player outside the matchday 22.
“He would be pretty proud of himself the way he has come back,” reckoned Blackett about Launchbury and England. “Most of the time he will never admit it but really I know for a fact he will be really proud of how quickly they called him back into the squad and what they think of him.
“He will be disappointed not to have played last weekend, as you would expect, but he is an ultimate team man. He would have got on with it and he has come back in desperate to get himself back on the field and we can’t wait to play this weekend for us.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept 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.
37 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.
3 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
37 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
37 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.
37 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. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. 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.
37 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.
37 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.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments