THE FLY GUYS
Jones wanted May & Rees-Zammit
WALES’ new superstar Louis Rees-Zammit could have been wearing white next weekend in Cardiff if an audacious bid by Eddie Jones to lure him to England had paid off.
Jones has revealed he approached the Gloucester flyer before last season’s Six Nations in an attempt to persuade him to turn his back on Wales and qualify through residency for England instead.
His failure means his side will have to deal with the scorching pace which brought ‘Rees lightning’ two tries against Scotland including the chip-and-chase touchdown of the tournament contender.
“I gave him a ring,” said the England coach. “I heard he was very Welsh and wanted to play for Wales but said if he was interested, we would be.
“He had to do his five years qualification in terms of residency and a young guy like him is not going to sit around for five years.
“I wished him good luck and am pleased he is doing well. I just hope he does not do too well against us.
“Rees-Zammit has got something about him – footwork and pace and he finds the line. But like any young player, there are areas of his game that he is a little bit deficient in and we have to be good enough to find those.”
The man tasked with stopping Rees-Zammit as the Guinness Six Nations resumes will be his Gloucester team-mate Jonny May who was also on the scoresheet in round two following a spectacular finish against Italy.
It will be rugby’s version of The Fast Show.
“On a good day. I can just about keep up with him,” said May, who at 30 is a decade older than his clubmate.
“He is incredibly fast. As fast as I have come across. He is still very young, too, so has the potential to get quicker as well. He is a raw talent and has some skills too.
“I try and help him at Gloucester. It was part of the appeal of going back, being part of that backline with Zam.
“I will give him a wave when I see him, then you just crack on and get on with it.”
May, who was clocked at 23.6mph against the Barbarians three years ago, has been further honing his sprint technique online with top American track and field coach Dan Pfaff, who is based in Arizona. Rees-Zammit reached 22.6mph last year and has since moved up a gear. “I never practised sprinting, I’d just got it from my dad, Joseph. He played American Football, is really athletic and he’s passed it on to me,” said Rees-Zammit. “For the last year, I’ve been sprint training with Gloucester’s strenght and conditioning coach Dan Tobin and I’ve got faster. “There are a lot of fast backs at Gloucester and it gets you faster each day, trying to outrun them. There’s me, Jonny May, Ollie Thorley, Charlie Sharples…
“We’re all quite fast and it’s quite competitive. We have a bit of fun.”
Saturday will be fun too. Blink and
JORDAN PICKFORD was public enemy No.1 in the last Merseyside derby for the X-rated challenge that ended Virgil van Dijk’s season.
It’s a status he’s maintained with Liverpool fans struggling to let go of their anger months later.
Little did anyone know on that day at Goodison last October the Dutchman’s long absence would have such a catastrophic effect on his side’s title defence.
Everton goalkeeper Pickford was sent death threats and detailed with bodyguards in the aftermath, as the vitriol flowed.
And on a momentous night for the Toffees at Anfield the inspired keeper was a thorn in Liverpool’s side again with a man-of-the-match display that broke Kop hearts.
Pickford pulled off four huge saves to make certain his side kept the advantage of the early goal expertly scored by Richarlison.
And a late Gylfi Sigurdsson penalty ensured Everton ended more than 21 years of Premier League misery at the home of their arch enemy.
Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti had many warriors on a blustery night at the home of the faltering champions.
But Pickford was the stand-out hero as Everton finally ended their shocking Anfield record.
He has been criticised in the past for a carelessness that’s cost goals. But maybe a new version is emerging – a reliable, mature Pickford 2.0.
Just a shame then that on such a big night for the keeper, when he turned to the Kop at the final whistle with a scream and a fist pump of delight the stand was empty. The irony of Pickford’s performance wasn’t lost on Van Dijk who was at Anfield to cheer on his team in the fixture that cost him and boss Jurgen Klopp so much.
The Dutchman hadn’t been in his seat long when more carnage unfolded as another Merseyside derby brought agony for the Reds.
Neither side had managed to work up a sweat when Richarlison put Everton in front as Liverpool’s defence imploded again.
Van Dijk’s replacement Ozan Kabak was at the heart of the goal, first sending a clearance straight to James Rodriguez, then losing Richarlison as the Colombian slipped in his Brazilian team-mate to fire past Alisson.
Naturally, Liverpool hit back but
TYLER ROBERTS has hailed Raphinha as “an absolute steal” as Leeds United prepare to fend off summer bids for the Brazilian sensation.
The winger, 24 (below) arrived from Rennes for
£17million after Leeds’ promotion and is arguably the bargain of the season.
Barcelona and Liverpool have been linked with a player who has four goals and five assists for Marcelo Bielsa’s side this term.
Although Leeds slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Wolves on Friday night, Raphinha was again their most creative source.
Wales forward Roberts said: “Raphinha’s definitely a steal. In training you can just see straight away he’s a typical skilful Brazilian player but he has an outstanding workrate as well.
“We are lucky to have him.”
United’s recent run in many ways sums up their season – in their last six league games they have won three and lost three.
Bielsa’s unwavering commitment to attack has seen his side labelled ‘the entertainers’ of this season’s top flight and earned comparisons with Kevin Keegan’s
1990s Newcastle side. Roberts added: “The manager gives us freedom to pretty much play where we want but always with high energy and always trying to create chances.
“He’s an enjoyable manager to play under.”
Whites striker Patrick Bamford was left fuming at Molineux on Friday night after having a goal disallowed by VAR.
The forward ran through and produced an unstoppable finish past Rui Patricio.
But VAR decided Bamford’s knee was narrowly ahead of Conor Coady’s heel and the goal was ruled out for offside.
Bamford tweeted after the game, using a confused emoji: “Gutted for the lads tonight, robbed of a point. But at least it’s ‘mAkInG tHe GaMe BeTtEr’. We go again Tuesday.”