‘I’m not perfect … this has been good lesson’
England prop Kyle Sinckler has plenty of snarl on the pitch, but claims he always keeps his temper in check
Eleven months ago today, Kyle Sinckler was preparing to make his first international start for England after 13 consecutive appearances as a replacement, including three for the Lions. Since making his bow in the 24-15 defeat by Ireland, Sinckler has transformed himself from bit-part player to cornerstone of England’s pack. Competition remains fierce from a resurgent Dan Cole and Exeter’s Harry Williams but, barring injury, it is hard to imagine anyone other than Sinckler starting at tighthead against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday or through to the World Cup. The impact replacement is now integral to Eddie Jones’s plans.
Sinckler is the closest thing to a modern incarnation of Jones as player, with a snarl and sledge that would cause a Tibetan monk to bite back. Certainly Peter O’Mahony, the Ireland flanker, uttered some choice Anglo-Saxon vernacular in his direction while Sinckler was also pictured slapping the scrum-cap of France’s Arthur Iturria last week, which earned a rebuke from referee Nigel Owens.
Sinckler maintains that he is always in control of his actions and argues those images did not tell the whole story of what occurred.
“I was a bit frustrated about the whole incident,” Sinckler said. “I don’t condone what I did but they didn’t show the full replay of what actually transpired. I didn’t just smack him on the head. There was stuff that happened before. I don’t want to dwell on that.
“I think the big lesson for me is that I’d done my job in terms of counter-rucking, he’s lost his cool so move on instead of retaliating. I’m not perfect and I’ve learnt from it. It’s a good lesson. Just off the back of it, I tried to make a big carry. It’s one of those things. Learn from it. Don’t go trying to chase the game.”
His temper in check, all the elements that made him such a potent weapon off the bench
– the powerful ball carrying and even more ferocious tackling – remain, but they are now bolted on to a scrummaging game that has improved exponentially. Much of that improvement is down to added experience and maturity.
At 25, he is still a pup in propping terms, but he has a voracious appetite for self-improvement and an encyclopedic memory of every scrum that he has been involved in, both good and bad.
As far as mentors go, British and Irish Lion props Joe Marler, Adam Jones and Graham Rowntree were not a bad cast list for the young student to call upon at Harlequins, although Sinckler would not be drawn on whether he will be asking Jones, the former Wales prop, for any advice this week.
“You would have to ask him that one,” Sinckler said. “I don’t think I can describe how influential he has been for me and my career. I always speak to him and get his thoughts on certain opponents and what I like to do, and if he would do similar things. What normally tends to work for him works for me because we are similar body shapes and sizes.”
With his body shape, Sinckler was always destined to become a prop, but he has a grounding as a fly-half with Battersea Ironsides. That passing ability was in evidence against France when he stepped in at scrum-half and fired a 20-metre pass to Henry Slade to score England’s fourth try.
“I thought it was going to get intercepted at one point,” Sinckler admitted. “It was a bit loopy. Looking back on it, there was loads of space to the right and I know Sladey wants the ball in his hands really quickly so he can do what he does. Thankfully, he finished it.”
It is clear that Sinckler wants to be the complete package at tighthead and measures himself against the best, including Ireland’s Tadhg Furlong. “I would be lying if I didn’t look at him and think I want to emulate that,” Sinckler said. “But it takes time and he is still only on 28 caps and is relatively young. He leads the way in terms of involvements and 10 tackles and 10 carries a game. That is something you strive for.”
Sinckler quickly qualifies that by insisting he puts little store in numbers alone. “Say you have got John, who played for London Welsh has 15 carries and 10 tackles,” Sinckler said. “What were the carries like? I can get the ball and just drop to the floor and that counts as a carry.
“Are you running on to the ball with momentum? Are you drawing a defender? Are you denting the line? I would rather have five good carries rather than 15 average ones. My focus is not just making 10 carries this week, it is about were the carries
‘I didn’t just smack him on the head. There was stuff that happened before’
England will need Sinckler at his snarling best in Cardiff, where ghosts of lost English Grand Slams still linger. As the coach who took a chance on him on the Lions tour, Sinckler knows that Warren Gatland will have something up his sleeve at the Principality Stadium. “One thing with Gats he definitely prepares his team well,” Sinckler said. “I think they will be diligently prepared and tough up front. It’s going to be a challenge. We’ll just focus on ourselves and be ready for it.”