And don’t count Sales’ James out from being a bolter
SALE centre Sam James has come of age and can rival the best the Premiership has to offer to be England’s No.13, says Sharks kicking coach Jon Callard.
James and Harlequins’ star Joe Marchant have emerged as genuine contenders to Red Rose midfield regulars Henry Slade, Elliot Daly, Jonathan Joseph and Manu Tuilagi.
Callard believes Wilmslow-born James, 24, has the class to be a World Cup bolter. The England fullback told TRP:
“Sam’s maturing and coming of age as a player. He’s a very sharp thinker about the game and has a great skill-set for the modern game because he has a good turn of pace, a good step and really good hands.
“The subtlety of his passing sets him apart and in an era of bigger and faster, he addresses the other side of it where you’ve got to be skilful and use your thinking ability as well. I thought he showed the full range of that against Saracens last week.” James – who stands 6ft 4ins (1.93m) and weighs nearly 16st (101kgs) – can defend too, according to Callard, left, and has proved his durability among the big beasts by starting 73 of Sale’s last 78 Premiership games – a run that stretches back to season 2015/16.
“He’s tough and defensively he makes good reads,” says Callard. “Because he has quick feet, he has that ability in the outside channel to get into space. Pressing defence is key these days and if you sit back you’ll be taken apart, but he never does.
“You’ve got to be confident, agile and brave enough to take the space and hold your nerve in that channel, and Sam’s a diligent thinker who is generally spot on.”
Do James or Marchant have a genuine chance of toppling England’s established No.13s?
Callard adds: “I’m a great believer that your rugby will do the talking for you and right now Sam and Joe’s rugby is doing exactly that. Players develop, get confident and start to show their class – and both guys can make a difference in attack.”