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What’s happened to the ‘next Jason Robinson’ Kyle Eastmond and where to now?
Kyle Eastmond is just 28 years old and is without a club after being released by Wasps at the end of the season. He was once feted as one of England’s bright prospects following his code switch from rugby league in 2011, with anticipation that he could be the ‘next Jason Robinson’, however this hasn’t materialised.
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He’s not been a failure in the mould of the vastly hyped experiment of Sam Burgess, which blew up spectacularly in England’s face at the 2015 World Cup, but there is a whiff of unfulfilled potential about Eastmond.
He was a goalkicking scrum half in league, who won four England caps. Aged just 20 he scored all of St Helens points in the 2009 Grand Final defeat to Leeds for St. Helens, the talent was there. It took Eastmond two years to earn international honours in union when he made his England debut in 2013 under Stuart Lancaster away against Argentina in Salta. Fellow debutants that day were Billy Vunipola, Matt Kvesic and Christian Wade – only one of those has kicked on and had an international career of note.
5’ 7” Eastmond did pick up six caps, all of which came at centre, the last being in November 2014 when he started at 12 outside Owen Farrell, in a 31-28 defeat to South Africa at Twickenham. Failure to make the 2015 World Cup squad was followed by Eddie Jones’ preference to have George Ford at 10 and move Farrell to 12, Eastmond’s international career was doomed.
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A move to Wasps in 2016 seemed an ideal match, with Dai Young’s side playing a swashbuckling style of rugby. However injuries took their toll in his two seasons at the Ricoh. He was limited to just 24 appearances with just four tries to show for it. This season was also blighted by a suspension, he was cited for two dangerous tackles during Wasps win over Harlequins at the beginning of February, a match where he received a red card and was subsequently banned until April 17th. He returned to the fold afterwards and was on the bench for their Aviva Premiership semi-final defeat to Saracens.
Kyle Eastmond has been given a six-week suspension after this hit on Marcus Smith. pic.twitter.com/5iUrDiJf0j
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) February 13, 2018
But what’s next for Eastmond, his former club Bath aren’t interested, moving instead for Jamie Roberts from Harlequins, an altogether different player. Toulouse have been linked, they’re on the market for a centre after Gael Fickou joined Top 14 rivals Stade Francais. A return to rugby league has been mooted as a possibility, another of his former clubs, St Helens, have dismissed the suggestion, after what turned out to be an acrimonious departure seven years ago. Leading the chase if he does decide to swap codes again appears to be Warrington Wolves, Eastmond’s union career could be at an end.
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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