Spencer raising game via extra golf lessons
SARACENS scrumhalf Ben Spencer is drawing inspiration from emerging top golfer Matt Wallace as he steps up his bid for an England breakthrough.
Spencer, a 5-handicap golfer, is a close friend of 27-year-old Wallace, one of the European Tour’s fastest rising stars who currently lies 22nd in the 2018 Ryder Cup qualification rankings.
Highly-rated doubleChampions Cup winner Spencer, one of a squadron of scrum-halves seeking to usurp established Red Rose No.9s Ben Youngs and Danny Care, reckons Wallace’s sheer drive and determination is helping him raise his own game to new levels. Spencer, 25, told The
Rugby Paper: “I’ve known Matt for a couple of years and to see his rise has been brilliant. He’s had a great year and that’s just down to hard work.
“The hours he puts into the game has made me realise how much it takes to get to the top of any sport, so I’ve certainly learnt a lot from him in terms of passion for the game.
“I’m in a team sport whereas he is just preparing himself and it’s him against the course, but there are parallels around the mental strength required. “It’s been great to chat to him about that, as well as what we do around the physical side of our games. “We play golf together quite a bit. He gives me a few shots so I manage to take a bit of money off him, but I’d like to think we’re both learning off each other.” As with Saracens teammate Jamie George and his lengthy battle with experienced hookers Schalk Brits and John Smit, Spencer, who won two England Saxons caps in 2012, has had to play a long game at Saracens behind Richard Wigglesworth and Neil De Kock before earning a first team spot. With De Kock now gone and that apprenticeship behind him, he is targeting the next step. Spencer explained: “Neil was brilliant in helping my game, but I now have a duty to step up and replace him. “Although I was in England’s EPS squad last year, I haven’t felt overlooked because I’m not involved at the moment. Obviously everybody dreams of playing for England but Saracens has to be my No.1 focus right now and after that we’ll see what happens.
“Jamie’s had a brilliant rise with Saracens and England after doing a similar kind of apprenticeship, so I’ve got to keep plugging away, keep getting better.”
He added: “The coaches gave me work-ons a couple of years ago around my defence and back-field cover and I’ve been working hard on those areas as well as my strengths.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in both our Champions Cup final wins and it’s great to now be having a good run of games. I’m really enjoying my rugby and with Wiggy still in top form, it’s a great balance of us starting and coming off the bench.”
As for matching Toulon’s achievement of lifting the European Cup three years on the bounce, Spencer said: “We’ve got Clermont back-to-back next month so we have to focus on those games first, but it would be brilliant to go three in a row.
“With Nick Isiekwe, Max Malins and Alex Lozowski coming through, our squad’s getting better and it’s a privilege to be part of this team.”