Challenge helped drive Morgan to international call
JOHAN Ackermann has revealed that he challenged Ben Morgan and Val Rapava-ruskin to get in great shape.
Morgan’s early-season form has been rewarded by a recall to the England squad after three years while Rapava-ruskin has made an impressive start to the campaign despite being dogged by injuries.
Gloucester head coach Ackermann said: “It’s always pleasing when a team gets players into the international squad and it’s purely because one knows it’s reward for the hard work they’ve put in as individuals.
“I just think about Val and Ben specifically, I challenged them in the offseason that they need to look after themselves and be in better condition if they want to play the style we want to play and both those players just changed a lot physically.
“They’re just fitter, they lost the necessary weight they needed to lose and are playing good rugby so for that it would be very pleasing.”
Number eight Morgan, 29, won the last of his 31 England caps during the World Cup three years ago but was recalled to Eddie Jones’ 36-man squad for the autumn internationals after injuries to Billy Vunipola and Sam Simmonds, plus the suspension of Nathan Hughes.
Ackermann said: “Ben came to me at the end of last season with a few games left and said he understands that he needs a lot of work and he’s going to do that because he’s going to fight for his position come the new season so he England squad Forwards: Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby), Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby), Michael Rhodes (Saracens), Nick Schonert (Worcester Warriors), Brad Shields (Wasps), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Elliott Stooke (Bath Rugby), Sam Underhill, (Bath Rugby), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
Backs: Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Nathan Earle (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
stuck to his word. He came back in great nick.
“I remember years ago watching him playing for England thinking that he had all the qualities. Hopefully people will start seeing those qualities again.”
Rapava-ruskin struggled to make his mark in an injury-hit first season at Gloucester following his move to Worcester but Ackermann feels he is in much better shape.
“In the back of his mind I think he always knew the game we want to play and the condition he was in was a bit apart from each other,” said Ackermann.
“It was simple. He looked after himself extremely well by his own account.
“I think it was something he almost decided by himself that he was going to look after himself during that five-week break, so he came back in great nick and fit.
“When we did our pre-season he was running in front of all the front rowers and we all saw the form he was in before he was injured against Bath.”
England head coach Jones has hailed the massive influence Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann has had on Ben Morgan.
Jones said: “He is massively fitter. He has massively changed his work-rate.
“His coach at Gloucester has had a massive influence on him.
“Johan has done a great job with him, got him fitter, got his desire back to play rugby really well. He deserves this opportunity.
“He is a gifted player, but gifted players don’t play Test rugby.
“Test rugby is about being at your best, being consistent, working off the ball. That is how you win games of Test rugby.”
While Jones has clearly been impressed enough by Morgan in recent weeks to bring him out of the internaimportant. tional wilderness, Danny Cipriani was snubbed once again.
Cipriani won the Premiership Player of the Month award for September but he is below new co-captain Owen Farrell and George Ford in the England number 10 pecking order before Saturday’s red card against Munster.
“I’ve had discussions with him. There are areas he needs to work on. He understands that,” said Jones.
“It comes down to a judgment. People think he played well but maybe I don’t think he played that well.
“That’s a judgment. We’re all entitled to judgment and mine is the most The judgment is that he’s the third-choice at the moment and I’ve made it very explicit to him, what he needs to work on. “That’s all I can do.” Jones revealed he delivered the news to Cipriani over a phone call.
“Whenever you tell a player they’re not in, the rest of the conversation is a bit of a blur,” said Jones.
“Have you ever had a girl tell you that she doesn’t love you? You don’t remember the rest of the conversation.
“When you tell a player they’re not in, they say, ‘Yes, yes,’ but they don’t hear anything.”