How quiet man Ludlam can have a big say in the chase to play in Japan
Saints powerhouse has shown England coach he deserves a chance,
By the time Lewis Ludlam jetted off to Bali last month, he had been given a strong indication that he would feature in England’s first World Cup training camp. That did not stop the 23-year-old back-rower enjoying himself over a fortnight in Indonesia, with Northampton colleagues George Furbank and Alex Moon. But it must have sharpened his mind.
“We were in Gili Trawangan, which is a party island,” Furbank says. “We spent three nights there – and had a good three nights.
“Then, after our hangovers had worn off, Lewis found a small gym. I remember me and Moony just sitting down watching him sweat away. That sums him up.
“He’s a hard worker and he’ll give everything to achieve whatever he can.”
Quiet, fierce dedication has been a recurring theme of Ludlam’s story so far. His breakthrough last season with Saints was complemented by an especially impressive week with England, ahead of their match against the Barbarians. Remarkably, though, Ludlam did not feature at Twickenham.
A late call-up, he initially covered in training for another Northampton team-mate, Teimana Harrison, whose partner gave birth in the build-up. Ludlam carried water as 24th man as England registered an exciting win.
Eddie Jones, observing in a hands-off capacity as Jim Mallinder took charge, saw a special spark.
“Luds was disappointed not to be involved, but went flat out every day,” says Phil Dowson, seconded from Franklin’s Gardens to the England coaching set-up for the Barbarians game.
“Eddie noticed that, which speaks volumes about his body language and his emotional intelligence.”
Understated and determined, Ludlam was quick to make waves at Saints. Mark Hopley, his Northampton Under-18s coach and a central figure in the club’s prolific development system, looks back on a game against Saracens at Allianz Park.
“Going into the game, I was told he was 70-30 to play because he was struggling with a shoulder. I said we’d give him the warm-up and see how he was. He came through the warm-up OK. And he carved up in the game, actually.
“There’s a mental resilience that sets him apart from other boys I’ve coached before.”
Travelling to South Africa with England Under-18s, Ludlam shone in tandem with Sam Underhill at openside flanker. But he never let complacency creep in. Having
earned a contract and started training with Northampton first-teamers such as Dowson and Tom Wood, Ludlam was loaned to Coventry.
“National One is a very physical league, not as fast as the Premiership but equally physical in some of the top-end games,” says Phil Maynard, formerly Coventry’s director of rugby. “It’s a great grounding for blokes like Lewis. And he was never found wanting.”
Although a broken leg and ankle ligament damage scuppered his hopes of appearing in the Under20s Six Nations, Ludlam was fit again for the 2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy. England reached the final, going down 21-16 to a New Zealand side that included the explosive Akira Ioane.
But Ludlam, after belting out the national anthem with tears cascading down his face, fought brilliantly. Jon Callard remembers an “amazing” decider in which the forward play neared “Test level”. Ludlam, he says, was “fantastic”.
Dowson believes the versatility and toughness of uncapped Ludlam could see him sneak on to the plane for Japan.
“I can see him getting the opportunity because he was played at six, seven and eight,” he says.
“He’s a bit of a wild card – people don’t know much about him.
“He’s a good carrier; he gets over the ball; he gives 100 per cent. He might be a long shot, but he’s an option.”
Jones prides himself on discovering rough diamonds – all Ludlam has ever needed is a chance to sparkle.