Injury-hit flanker busting a gut at Ealing for another shot in top-flight
BROADSTREET secretary Richard Harcourt has hit back at James Haskell over critical comments he made in last week’s TRP, accusing the England flanker of being “disrespectful”.
Former Wasps star Haskell said facilities at Broadstreet, where his old club train, are below Premiership standard – a fact he believes has contributed to other top players like Elliot Daly indicating their desire to quit the club.
However, Harcourt says Broadstreet’s facilities are among the best in the region and that Premiership champions Saracens – Daly’s impending destination – also train amid humble surroundings at Old Albanians. Harcourt told The Rugby
Paper: “Saracens aren’t doing badly, are they? Bristol train at Clifton, too, so it’s very disappointing whenever you read or hear anything about Broadstreet and Wasps, it’s negative comments about ‘grassroots facilities’.
“But that just seems to be one individual (Haskell) spouting it, which is very frustrating because there was a time when he’d have been desperate to get on our first team pitch when he played some junior rugby here for England.
“To be saying our facilities have ‘more holes in them than Brexit’ is just inaccurate and wholly disrespectful. It doesn’t do us any good as a club. What’s wrong with the model when it works for Saracens and Old Albanians?”
Harcourt added: “We were selected by Wasps because of the quality of our facilities. We are the best in the local region – 47 acres, five pitches, floodlighting, medical facilities, great clubhouse and a superb kitchen Wasps make full use of, and they’ve installed additional medical facilities and a bigger gym.
“Our relationship has been positive. Some of their academy boys have played in our first team, their coaches have helped with training and our juniors are delighted to be following in the footsteps of their heroes on Sundays.
“That’s all been really good but we’re damaged by these sorts of comments from Haskell, who has benefitted from playing here.”