Blackett: England coach vetoed Paolo recall for Wasps
WASPS boss Lee Blackett confirmed an approach was made to England with a view to getting Paolo Odogwu some game time in club colours.
The winger/centre started the 2020/21 season in sensational form scoring six tries and earned himself a first senior England call-up ahead of the Guinness Six Nations. But three rounds into the competition, the former Sale Sharks back is still awaiting his international debut and hasn’t played in the eight weeks that have passed since his man-of-thematch, two-try display against Bath.
Wasps’ 20-19 loss to Gloucester in round 12 was their fifth in six games during the Six Nations-impacted period and head coach Lee Blackett confirmed he made an approach to Eddie Jones for Odogwu’s release before England Rugby announced in midweek that some players who were short on game time would be released back to their clubs. “I asked on Sunday and they said no,” said Blackett. “He’s staying with them so I asked if they wanted to give him some game time, come back for a week to give game time but they chose to keep him.”
He added: “That was England’s decision.”
Blackett also added that England, who have lost two of their three Six Nations games so far with the concluding games against France and Italy to come, were swift in getting back to him with the thumbs down.
“I just asked the question and got an answer straight away saying he’s going to be in the squad so that’s all I know,” he said.
England head coach Jones revealed a shoulder issue played a factor in Odogwu not returning to play for Wasps this weekend.
Wasps lost against Gloucester, just days after England’s midweek announcement that some players who have been short on game time would be released back to their clubs.
“It was a player’s decision,” said Jones. “We thought there was a number of players who we felt could benefit from game time.
“It was a scheduled rest week for them it was up to the player to himself to make the decision we left that to the players.
“Paolo has been nursing a bit of a sore shoulder, so he felt he was best advised to rest up.”
When asked to confirm if that final decision was Odogwu’s, Jones said: “That’s correct.”