charitable foundation, R3cusants, aimed at ensuring more inner-city players like him make it to Twickenham.
Straight out of Tooting via Battersea Ironsides, Sinckler has taken a unique – and sometimes rocky – path to this England team.
“I remember one tournament we had when I was 12 years old,” he said. “My mum got really badly racially abused which was an anomaly because you don’t associate rugby with that.
“I think the kid was trying to get under my skin.
“They took me off the pitch and my coaches said, ‘Cancel the game, he’s my player and he should never be experiencing that sort of stuff ’, because I was fuming. “When I was growing up, I didn’t have a dad and my grandad passed away when I was 16. “I never had a male role model to look up to. I’ve got a real big family full of women. “That’s why I’m so emotional. I’ve got the tendencies of an independent black woman!
“It took time but I took responsibility and said, ‘If there are no male figures for me to look up to, then I’ve got to be the man and live it myself every day being accountable and responsible, and leading with my actions’.”
His actions – and that of the rest of a hard-hitting pack whose bruising defence has become a potent attacking weapon – meant England had sufficient collateral in the bank on Saturday to withstand Wales’ late comeback.
One more play, with England shorthanded by Tuilagi’s red card and the yellow for Ellis Genge, would have been interesting.
But despite the valiant efforts of two-try Justin Tipuric, Wayne Pivac’s men ran out of time.
Wales finish a disappointing Six Nations at home to Scotland on Saturday.
Quite when England complete a more rewarding one in Italy only the coronavirus knows.
(from top) Mafrler grabs Jones in the unmentionables and, the no-arms tackle that led to the Tuilagi red
JOY Tipuric celebrates scoring the first Wales try
JUSTIN TIPURIC wants calm as Wales contemplate their worst Six Nations run for 13 years.
A third straight defeat has left the defending champions theoretically in danger of the wooden spoon.
While such an eventuality remains highly unlikely given Italy’s presence in the equation, Wayne Pivac’s first campaign in charge has been a chastening one.
“The last thing we have got to do now is start panicking and pointing the finger,” said Tipuric.
“Internationals are pressure games, but there are easy fixes and at the end of the day we are on the field and we are the ones who can put it right.
“We are not far away, we just need to be a bit more clinical. It was frustrating that we gave ourselves so much to do.”
Wales’ broken-field ball-playing talent was there for all to see when they finally escaped England’s stranglehold late on, with Tipuric crossing for his second try and
Dan Biggar also touching down. But a losing bonus point was all Wales could muster as England’s more formulaic approach prevailed.
“They are a powerful big team,” added Tipuric.
“They played to their strengths. They have got a game plan and they stick to it.
“It was not so much about the fancy rugby, but they grind teams down and batter you.”
Wales head to the Principality Stadium on Saturday to face Scotland in their final game without Jake Ball who has undergone surgery on the shoulder he damaged at Twickenham and will be sidelined for 12 weeks.
Prop Dillon Lewis is also a doubt for the Dragons with an ankle injury.
“Playing at home, we would like to finish the campaign on a good note with a positive display,” said coach
Pivac.
LASHING OUT Haouas delivers punch