Sinckler’s smashing reminder for Jones
KYLE SINCKLER smashed his way into England contention yesterday as Harlequins bashed and beat up Northampton Saints in a vital victory for the hosts.
The 23-year-old was a brutish bowling ball up front. In the loose he was brilliant, bundling through defences before eventually having to retire with 10 minutes to go, using his final reserve of energy on a hulking carry on the five-metre line to win a penalty.
It is rare that a tight-head prop has such an influence but England head coach Eddie Jones, sitting in the stands alongside his defence coach Paul Gustard, will have been highly impressed with this combative performance.
Save for a try from Alofa Alofa in the first half, all the Quins points were kicked. Nick Evans and Tim Swiel hit five penalties between them, four coming from the South African Swiel after he replaced the New Zealander following his halftime exit with a calf strain.
Stephen Myler kicked three penalties for Northampton who never truly threatened.
Quins’ Marland Yarde also had a strong England audition, his eyes set on the vacant No14 shirt after Bath’s Anthony Watson broke his jaw during red rose training in Brighton this week.
A concern for Jones, though, is Joe Marler, who will be added to the growing injury list after pulling out of the match with back spasms.
That meant that Adam Jones had to play 75 minutes at the unfamiliar position of loose-head, but the 35-year-old Welshman was unfazed after originally coming on for the concussed Mark Lambert.
And John Kingston had high praise for his front row — especially Sinckler, who signed a new three-year deal this week. ‘He was excellent,’ said the Quins director of rugby.
‘Adam Jones was unbelievable too. He didn’t realise he was coming on until early this morning — he was thrown in the deep end and on the wrong side of the scrum so it is a testament to him that he survived.
‘Graham Rowntree has had a big influence on Kyle, as has Adam and Joe Marler. Graham is a worldclass forwards coach and Kyle will benefit from that. He is in a pretty good environment and he is going to have a wonderful role to play in the next chapter of this club.’
Artistic merit has counted for a lot at the Stoop in previous years, but this Quins win was built on hard work and plenty of fire and brimstone. They needed it too. Their third win in six lifts them into mid-table, from the deathly hollows of 11th, as European rugby takes over from next week, with the visit of Stade Francais in the European Rugby Challenge Cup.