All-action Ludlow flying high in top tackler race
EYE-CATCHING Gloucester openside Lewis Ludlow believes his voracious appetite for tackling can propel him into England’s reckoning.
Red Rose boss Eddie Jones finds himself awash with back row options as competition for World Cup places increases. However, Ludlow’s impressive tackle stats, allied to his abilities around the lineout, make him one to watch in 2018.
Ludlow, who played junior rugby for Ampthill before switching to Hartpury College aged 16, leads the Premiership tackle count with a mammoth 172 in ten matches for a Gloucester side that has soared into second place. Ludlow, 23, told The
Rugby Paper: “I get texts from my agent and dad telling me I’m 30 ahead of the next guy, but the really good thing is I’ve been on top of that tackle chart since our first game against Exeter and have kept chipping away.
“Tackling’s a big part of my game and I’m happy to keep doing it. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the strongest of carriers, but when you’ve got other guys around to do that I’m more than pleased to tackle and do the lineout work.”
Sam Underhill and Chris Robshaw have most recently occupied England’s No.7 jersey, while Tom Curry, James Haskell, Zach Mercer and Jack Clifford are among other viable candidates, leaving the likes of Ludlow to play catch-up.
However, Ludlow said: “There’s a lot of quality around and you have to compare yourself with what’s out there, but there are a few things I feel I can offer better than those, just as they’ll feel they have things better than me.
“It’s just a case of what coaches want at the time and for Gloucester things are working; I’m bringing a lot with my tackling and lineouts, especially lineout defence, which is a huge part of the game in the Premiership at the moment.
“If you’ve got a No.7 who can do that and is able to push through rucks to enable teams to gain turnovers, it’s a big advantage.”
Ludlow added: “We’ve all got international ambitions and that’s my goal. You want to play for your country and all I can do is keep plugging away for Gloucester. If I can do that and keep working hard, hopefully recognition will come.
“You look at someone like Sam Simmonds and he had a great end to last season at Exeter, started this season well and now he’s playing for England. He’s got his rewards so I’ll keep my head down, work hard and you never know.”
Keeping Gloucester riding high would help and Ludlow is revelling in the part he plays in one of the Premiership’s youngest back rows.
In the absence of injured duo Ben Morgan and Ross Moriarty, Ludlow has partnered Ruan Ackermann (21) and two other Hartpury products in Jake Polledri (22) and Will Safe (21) during a run of five league wins on the bounce.
“We’re all of a similar age and it’s great for guys like Jake and Will to be getting Premiership games as well,” Ludlow said. “With Ruan at No.8 we’ve got a nice balance and there’ll be good competition when the others come back.
“Top four has to be the ambition and we’ve made a good start, but we’ll take it week by week and not get ahead of ourselves.”