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Worcester fans aren't looking back fondly on Ben Te'o unsuccessful Premiership spell
Worcester Warriors fans on social media aren’t fondly looking back at their time with Ben Te’o, who is joining Toulon on a three-month deal as a medical joker for the duration of the World Cup.
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Te’o had already left Worcester at the end of last season and was unattached while in the England camp, but after failing to make Eddie Jones’ World Cup squad – perhaps due to a fracas with Mike Brown – he has opted for a cross-channel move to the big-spending Top 14 giants.
This ends the 32-year-old’s international career and will prevent him from being called up to the World Cup squad in the event of an injury. However, many felt his omission from the squad to travel to Japan all but ended his Test career anyway.
Since moving to Worcester from Leinster in 2016, Te’o may have reached lofty heights in international rugby, but his club career barely took off.
He played 16 Tests for England, winning the Six Nations in 2017, as well as playing twice for the British and Irish Lions in the Test series draw against the All Blacks. The powerful centre was brought in by Warren Gatland to negate his former rugby league rival Sonny Bill Williams.
Unwanted England midfielder Ben Te'o has revealed what he will be to during the World Cup https://t.co/xWnLefAYT3
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 21, 2019
On the other hand, across the three years, Te’o only managed to play 36 games for Worcester as he struggled with injuries and seemed to surface as soon as the Test window opened.
Worcester fans – as well as many others across England – have criticised his commitment levels due to what transpired with the Warriors. Now that he has cashed in on a lucrative move to France, he has also been labelled a mercenary.
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Then again, if his England career is over, some do not blame him for trying to make as much money as possible as his career winds down.
💥 Recrutement – Ben Te'o s'engage avec le @RCTofficiel comme joker Coupe du Monde ! https://t.co/60z4M4IfR3
— RCT – RC Toulon (@RCTofficiel) August 21, 2019
Te’o, though, has been compared to his former Warriors teammate Francois Hougaard, who joined at the same time, but has given everything for his team and established himself as one of the club’s best players.
The centre promised to be a huge signing for the Warriors, but the fans are looking back at a player that played one game for England or the Lions for every two games he played for the Warriors, which is staggering. This is what has been said:
Ben Te’o moving to Toulon after managing only 36 games for Worcester over 3 years at over £30k per game! No loyalty to the club!
— Tom Haslam (@T_Haslam) August 21, 2019
Over the same time we have had @FHougaard9 who could not make himself more of a club man for @WorcsWarriors – Teo just didn’t make an effort to make it look like he wanted to be here.
— Neil Clifton (@NeilClifton) August 21, 2019
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The very definition of a rugby mercenary. A sad blot on englands copybook.
— Neil (@Wrecker59) August 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/RockNRun85/status/1164260039818960901?s=20
Mercenary, but fair play to him
— Mooro (@tom_mooro) August 21, 2019
Ben Te’o is the prime example of the rugby mercenary.
He’s represented three countries, the British and Irish lions and Queensland at state of origin!
He’s a prime example of where rugby has gone wrong.— JHC (@JYHYCN) August 22, 2019
The reaction is disappointing for the 2014 NRL winner whose international career with England has now also ended in ignominy.
WATCH: Jonny May and George Ford set the scene ahead of England’s World Cup warm-up match against Ireland
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe 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
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 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.
11 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.
54 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
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
54 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.
54 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.
18 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.
18 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.
54 Go to comments