Canucks give Eddie Wiggle room in Japan
RICHARD Wigglesworth says he is ready and willing to answer an SOS from England after receiving a surprise World Cup call-up – as defence/kicking coach of Canada.
The evergreen Saracens scrum-half assisted the Canucks during their Pacific Nations Cup campaign earlier in the summer and has now been handed a dream World Cup gig working under Kingsley Jones, his old boss at Sale, and alongside All Blacks legend Graham Henry, who has been brought on board as a consultant.
He flies to Vancouver today to help prepare Canada for their final warm-up game against the USA before heading to Japan on September 16.
Should anything happen to one of Eddie Jones’ two specialist scrum-halves, Ben Youngs and Willi Heinz, Wigglesworth’s presence in Japan sets up the intriguing possibility of him adding to his 33 England caps, the last of which was won in November last year.
Having such an experienced player relatively close at hand would negate the need for them to fly a replacement halfway across the world only to send them back home again a few days later, as happened with Martyn Wood in 2003.
While Wigglesworth admits this has been discussed, he insists all his energy, which has never been in short supply, is going into helping Canada do themselves proud on the world stage.
As he prepares to enter the final year of his Saracens contract, Wigglesworth said: “Kingsley has been joking about it and it is something I’ve checked out with World Rugby to make sure there’s not a conflict of interests because, as slim as a chance there is, I am first and foremost a player.”
“I last spoke with Eddie in June when he told me that I wasn’t part of his plans. But if anything were to happen with the England injury situation, and I was in their plans, then that would take precedence. Canada know that and accept that. I would certainly be in shape to do whatever might be necessary.
“But a call-up isn’t on my radar at this stage and I am 100 per cent committed to helping Canada.”
Qualifying as the last of the 20 teams and drawn in Pool B with defending champions New Zealand and two-time winners South Africa, Canada will be targeting wins against Italy and Namibia in a bid to automatically make it to France 2023.
Either way, no-one expects their interest in the tournament to extend beyond the Pool stages – a feat they last achieved in 1991 – and Wigglesworth says he will be back from Japan in time for Saracens’ first Premiership game against Northampton on October 19.
He said: “The club have been brilliant. The reason they are the best club in the world is that they don’t just talk about looking after you, they go and do it. They kindly gave me a bit of a sabbatical and I think I’ve earned that as they know how professional I am and how I always turn up fit for them.
“Mark McCall (Saracens DoR) told me to go and use the experience, and it’s the same at Ealing Trailfinders, where I am attack coach. Again, Ben Ward (Ealing DoR) just said, the better you are the more it helps us. Hopefully I’ll learn a lot from it, and it will benefit everyone.
“All I miss is the Premiership Cup beforehand which isn’t a competition I have played in for the last eight years or so. I’m training as hard as I can to make sure that I am in proper shape come the first league game.”
While Canada’s ambitions are to give a good account of themselves, 36year-old Wigglesworth expects England to go all the way in Japan.
“I think they look very, very impressive, they look so big and strong. The lads that have come back to the club for the odd day look in great shape and sound in body and mind.
“I am very positive about their chances; I think they’re in a great space. If they can keep their best players fit and available, then I do think we have an excellent chance to win it.
“I think we have the right game plan for the conditions and the players at the peak of their powers. Owen (Farrell) is probably the most influential rugby player in the world in how he affects the team.”