Clifford raising the benchmark
THE final of the Challenge Cup in Lyon tonight features five Harlequins who were involved in an England Grand Slam the last time they were on French soil two months ago.
For four of those players, the season still represented a bittersweet experience given England’s poor World Cup campaign; for the other, Jack Clifford, it was all he had known in a white jersey.
As a nominee for the young player of the year award, it seems England’s 2013 Junior World Championshipwinning captain has the golden touch.
“If you’d said to me at the start of the season I would be part of a Grand Slamwinning England team I wouldn’t have complained,” he said.
“It was a lot of hard work, there were a lot of new faces, new things to learn but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was just happy to get on at some stage in every game.
“I felt very fortunate. I’d seen guys come back to the club who had the heartache of getting so close and I just went in and it happened.
“If I could win the European Challenge Cup with Quins as well and get on England’s tour to Australia it would be an unbelievable season.”
It has been a difficult few days for Quins. A 62-24 defeat by Exeter was followed by the death of academy prospect Seb Adeniran-Olule in a road accident and a minute’s silence will be held before kick-off against Montpellier.
Throw in the distraction of Conor O’Shea’s final game after six-and-a-half years as director of rugby and it is hard to predict what to expect. “We can’t let emotion take over, we must do a professional job,” said Clifford.
The Top 14 table implies second-placed Montpellier, laced with Springboks under Jake White, are better than Champions Cup finalists Racing, although Quins, threetime winners of this event, beat them in the group stage.
In former Gloucester back row Akapusi Qera, Montpellier have the leading ball carrier. Clifford is second, yet he is a replacement behind Luke Wallace tonight. “At 23, being able to play six, seven or eight is beneficial but I don’t want to be a utility player on the bench all my career,” he said.
This is his last chance to impress Eddie Jones before the England coach selects the side for the Old Mutual Wealth Cup match against Wales at Twickenham, which will lead into the tour of Australia and a chance for Clifford to test himself against one of the best back rows in world rugby.
“David Pocock is an awesome player and it would be great to play against him,” said Clifford.
Kick-off: TV:
Jack Clifford was speaking ahead of the Old Mutual Wealth Cup on May 29.