Winger Goss is the fastest
It’s an age old question fans debate and discuss in clubhouse and bars up and down the land, and players too - who is the quickest player at the club?
The answer from Bath Rugby might surprise you according to England international winger Ruaridh Mcconnochie.
Speaking as a guest on The Rugby Pod podcast, Mcconnochie, who has come out of the Coronavirus enforced lockdown of the Gallagher Premiership on absolute fire much like his club Bath, scoring five tries to help the Blue, Black and White to an impressive record of four wins out of five.
However despite his illustrious sevens background, Mcconnochie, who was also part of Eddie Jones’ England 15s squad which reached the World Cup final in 2019, insists he is not the quickest man at Farleigh House.
He revealed: “An academy boy has just come through who people will not know about, he has just come out of school. He is called Gabe Goss and he is next level quick.
“We reckon Joe Cokanasiga is probably the quickest [in the senior squad]. He hits the best top speeds which is terrifying considering he is about 120kg.
“Joe would be the top for speed but Gabe is another level speed.
“I think he would be one of those challenging with Jonny May and Louis Rees-zammit in a footrace.”
Winger Goss is just 18-years-old and was one of seven players to progress from Bath’s U18 Academy group into the Senior Academy this summer.
He joined Orlando Bailey, John Stewart, Ethan Staddon, Ewan Richards, Frankie Read and Tom Carr-smith in stepping up.
Exciting centre Bailey looks set to make his senior debut for the club tonight having been named on the bench to face Worcester Warriors in Round 19 of the Gallagher Premiership.
Mcconnochie, 28, has been given a rest for the Round 19 midweek game against Worcester Warriors with a big game in the context of the race for the top four away at Sale Sharks on Sunday.
Bath go into tonight’s game in fifth place in the table with Wasps (4th), Sale Sharks (3rd), Bristol Bears (2nd) and Exeter Chiefs (1st) ahead of them.
Mcconnochie also revealed he has been in regular contact with Eddie Jones during the past few months despite having been left out of the England head coach’s Six Nations squad.
The winger came out of nowhere to make the England squad for the World Cup but has just two caps to his name so far having featured in a warm-up game against Italy a year ago and then a try-scoring performance against the USA out in Japan.
Speaking about Jones and England, Mcconnochie said: “He has been decent to me from the start. The first day I walked into the camp he said you are here because of what we have seen and what you are good at so keep doing that. You don’t have to be anything new, do what you are good at.
“He even said that to me when I came back from the World Cup and I will admit myself I had some pretty poor form for club and I was half expecting not to get into that Six Nations mix.
“But the messages were still pretty and clear and simple [from Eddie Jones] and it wasn’t to reinvent the wheel it was to get back to doing what I am good at.
“He has been messaging me on and off throughout lockdown, sometimes just random chats as well it hasn’t all been about rugby. He is a decent bloke and he loves the players and just wants the best for us.”
“It is nice to know I am still in his thinking.
“Who knows the World Cup last October might have been my last involvement for England but I am enjoying my rugby and it is not going to change what I do day-today.”