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'You wouldn't see him in the middle of a dance circle like a Faf'
Raffi Quirke has enjoyed an accelerated rise to prominence in 2021, the 2o-year-old making his breakthrough at Sale in the new Alex Sanderson era and then earning inclusion as one of eight uncapped players in Eddie Jones’ England training squad for next week’s mini-camp in London. Not bad for a scrum-half whose first-team experience so far amounts to 13 appearances, just his second start coming in last Saturday’s Premiership win over Bath.
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Half-backs by their nature are typically extroverted characters, but Sanderson has been telling RugbyPass about how Quirke, a recent Six Nations U20s Grand Slam winner with England, goes against the grain of that established pattern and is an exception to the unwritten rule that nines and tens must be cocky individuals.
“He’s not cut from that cloth, he is almost the opposite of that,” outlined Sanderson when RugbyPass asked the Sale boss for an insight into what type of character will hook up with the England squad after Sunday’s round two league outing at London Irish. “He is very humble. I wouldn’t say quiet but he is not an extrovert.
“He is gregarious, has got a lot of good friends but you wouldn’t see him in the middle of a dance circle like a Faf (de Klerk). Faf did hip hop dance at school, so that is why he can do it, he can really dance well. Raf can but not as well. He is extremely industrious, he is self-critical to a fault.
“So if you go to him after a session and ask for his reflection straight afterwards he will go straight to the bad kick, the bad pass which is a really admirable quality but potentially, for a really world-class nine, you need a little bit of cockiness maybe without being arrogant.
"It was a tough question to answer"
– Manu Tuilagi on the awkward moment at Sale that promoted a weight loss drive with the ultimate target of losing a stone #Sale #England #LIRvSAL https://t.co/8xxGp7IvLs
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 22, 2021
“You need a bit of that diamond-hard resilience where if you do the odd thing wrong because you see the ball a lot, it’s just water off a duck’s back. Not to say that it [the mistake] sits with him, I am not saying that because he just gets on with it. But over time in a big environment, it could be a factor that affects him mentally. We’re working on that with him, not to be so hard on himself, but he is almost the opposite of what you assume your stereotypical half-back would be.
“He is very industrious in terms of his process, his reflection process, his attention for each and every session, how he structures that for the week to get the most out of the week and the most out of himself to put himself in the right mental attitude, his curiousness to go and seek out a senior player and talk to them, to feed off them, so he and Faf are very close,” continued Sale boss Sanderson who only arrived at the Manchester club last January.
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“And coming back to his potential, how hypercritical he is of himself at times is the one thing that has forced him to progress as fast as he has. He is constantly looking to improve all the time rather than sit on the talent he has got which is massive and obvious, but it is never good enough for him. He has accelerated himself through his own industry really, his own diligence.”
Despite that diligence, did Sanderson genuinely envisage an England call-up happening for Quirke just eight months after he took over from Steve Diamond? “I knew it was a matter of time. Honestly, he was that good. It was just a matter of time and exposure. I didn’t think he would get there this quick – but he is not there, he is just in the training squad and we’ll see what happens.”
"This might be the jolt the pair need to rediscover their mojo"
– Ex-England out-half @AndyGoode10 runs the rule over the latest squad selected by Eddie Jones #Englandhttps://t.co/KOJ6i3xcWh
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 22, 2021
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
39 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.
39 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
39 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
50 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
39 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.
39 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.
39 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.
39 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