Rocket is rocked by teen idol Yan
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The 75- cap fl anker waved his international colleagues off to the Algarve yesterday, took a deep breath and faced up to the possibility of playing in English rugby’s Marie Celeste tournament this weekend.
Wasps are so short on backrow numbers, they have been forced to bring in Western Province fl anker Nizaam Carr on a three- month contract. It is all hands to the pump and Haskell may be pressed into service for the sponsorless event formerly known as the LV= Cup before the insurance company moved on.
“When I saw it was the LV I thought they were going to be handing out Louis Vuitton bags but sadly reality hits and they’re not,” said Haskell.
“I only discovered there was such a thing as the Anglo- Welsh Cup the other day. I thought everyone went on holiday this time of year. Unfortunately, it turns out there is a whole new world out there.
“I don’t know if I’ll be involved but I’m keen to play because you have to keep playing to put your hand up. If you play well for your club, the rest takes care of itself.
“I don’t think I’ve done enough to be picked by England. I need to keep plugging away and I’m as hungry as ever to keep doing it. I want to play for England again more than anything.
“It’s out of my control whether that happens but all I can do is keep turning up every day hungry to learn, listen and fi nd little ways to improve.”
Jones insists the door is not closed but that Haskell needs to up his game to regain his spot. He told him so face to face after calling round to his house to deliver the bad news in person last week.
At 32, Haskell has given way to younger models in Sam Underhill and Tom Curry after a slow start to the season, which Sir Clive Woodward has blamed on excess physical baggage. “He said I looked a bit too heavy and muscular at
JAMES HASKELL is missing out on England’s autumn internationals, but you don’t have to. We’ve teamed up with Dove Men+ Care to offer you the chance to win a pair of tickets to see England take on Argentina in the fi rst of the series at Twickenham on November 11. For you chance to win, answer this question: Who scored a try on his England debut in the fi rst Test against Argentina in June?
the moment but lightest I’ve been years,” said Haskell.
“As I’ve got older, I’ve got naturally heavier but when I came back from my hand injury at the start of the season I wanted to see if I could get lighter and more mobile and I’ve done that. I’m 116kg but when we toured Australia in 2016 I was 118 or 119.
“People have this perception that I go to the gym a lot but I never really do weight training. I’m for the four I spend all my time doing mobility. There’s a book called ‘ The Supple Leopard’, which I follow.
“Muscle and weight is not my issue. I just haven’t been playing well enough. I feel like I am getting better but I need a few more carries and a bit more venom in my tackling.”
Father Time is the toughest of all opponents to beat but Haskell, England’s player of the series Down Under 18 months ago, feels he can ❑ EDDIE JONES wants a snarl from his forwards but England’s pack are rapidly becoming the bad boys of international rugby. Last week’s suspensions for Nathan Hughes and Joe Marler came on top of Kyle Sinckler’s seven- week ban for eye gouging, and last night Bath lock Charlie Ewels was cited for a dangerous tackle during his club’s defeat on Sunday. Ewels, left, faces a hearing tomorrow night, which will be conducted via teleconference from England’s training camp on the Algarve. SEMESA ROKODUGUNI has been called up by England to replace the injured Elliot Daly in the training squad for the autumn Tests. The 30- year- old Bath winger was dropped after his debut against New Zealand in 2014, but fought back to face his homeland of Fiji last year only to be jettisoned again. Daly is expected to be out for two to three weeks with a knee strain and Wasps team- mate Matt Mullan is out for three months with a torn triceps. RONNIE O’SULLIVAN was humbled by teenager Yan Bingtao yesterday.
The Rocket was thrashed 6- 1 by red- hot Chinese prospect Yan, 17, in the fi rst round of the International Championship in Daqing.
Five- time world champion O’Sullivan, 41, arrived in top form having won the English Open last week. But against snappy dresser Yan, sporting a red checked suit and two- tone shoes, he suffered one of the biggest shocks of his career. O’Sullivan said: “People who have played that well against me before are the likes of Stephen Hendry and John Higgins. That performance was as good as anyone I have played.
“To be a champion you have to look confi dent, and he does. ” After the biggest win of his career, Yan said: “I played better than I thought I could today. I think I can beat more top players now but I need to be calm and a bit more mature.” ST HELENS forward Alex Walmsley will make his England debut against Lebanon on Saturday after missing out against Australia with a virus.
Head coach Wayne Bennett hopes to use all 24 of his World Cup squad at some stage through the tournament and is likely to make some changes this week after the opening loss to Australia. England are bottom of Pool A on points difference from France, who lost their opener to Lebanon.