Western Morning News (Saturday)
Lowe looking forward to seeing his old mate Cook
‘There’s a perception if you’re the best player, then you play for your country - It doesn’t work like that.’
RYAN Lowe and Paul Cook share a common bond as passionate supporters of Premier League champions Liverpool.
They and their sons have travelled around this country and abroad to watch the Reds in action.
However, the pair will be friendly rivals today when Lowe’s Plymouth Argyle travel to play Cook’s new club, Ipswich Town, at Portman Road.
Former Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic boss Cook, 54, was appointed by Ipswich at the start of this month as a replacement for Paul Lambert.
Lowe said: “I have known Paul many years since when he was playing.
“Yeah, we are Scousers and we have been to Europe and all over England watching Liverpoool together with our kids. His lad Connor and my lad Alfie.
“We have shared some good experiences. When I became a manager he was one of the first persons I called upon for help and guidance
“He has been terrific for me and the respect is massive, but we are locking horns aren’t we?
“I’m pleased to see him back in. I did say to him when he got the job I wish he had waited a couple of more weeks!
“But, again, we have got massive mutual respect for each other. I want him to do as well as he possibly can after Saturday, and he’s the same for me.
“He wants us to keep progressing and keep doing the right things. He has done wonderful in his managerial merry-go-round so far.
“I’m sure he’s going to be a bighitter at Ipswich Town in the next couple of seasons.
“So we are good pals, have a good relationship, have mutual respect for each other but we are locking horns on Saturday afternoon.
“We will never be any different on the sidelines. We will have the respect for each other massively, but he’s wanting to win for his team and I’m wanting to win for my team.”
Argyle are coming off a third consecutive League One defeat, losing 2-0 to Wigan Athletic at Home Park on Tuesday.
On the same night, Ipswich drew 1-1 with title-chasing Lincoln City at Portman Road, a result which has left them in seventh place in the table.
Cook has been brought in to try and lead a talented, experienced squad into the play-offs at the very least.
Lowe said: “Experience doesn’t always win you games of football. It’s not just about experience, it’s about how you play.
“Paul has gone in there and the first game he was in the stand and they beat Accrington (2-1).
“The second game was a tough one against Gillingham and they lost (3-1), and then a 1- 1 against Lincoln on Tuesday.
“We expect them coming at us full pelt but we have got to be ready for it.
“It’s a battle and it’s going to be a good game of football I would have thought because they want to try and play the right way.
“They are fighting for play-offs and automatic promotion, so it’s going to be a good encounter but it’s one we are looking forward to.”
THE door is wide open for Exeter Chiefs’ try scoring sensation Sam Simmonds to claim a place on this summer’s British and Irish Lions tour believes Rob Baxter.
The Chiefs director of rugby is convinced number eight Simmonds’ outstanding club form will be enough to put him in the reckoning for a place in the squad to face South Africa, despite his international snubbing.
Simmonds, 26, has scored a remarkable 14 tries in 13 games in all competitions this season and his tally of 13 scores in the Gallagher Premiership is seven more than his nearest rivals, Bristol Bears winger Siva Naulago and Harlequins number eight Alex Dombrandt.
Having out-performed Bath’s highly-rated backrow stars Zach Mercer and 88-cap Wales great Taulupe Faletau last weekend in Exeter’s 38-16 victory, Simmonds will go head-to-head with Dombrandt - the other form number eight in the league - this weekend at Sandy Park in Round 13 of the Premiership.
Simmonds’ try-scoring display at The Rec was watched in the stands by Lions boss Warren Gatland, who is out scouting ahead of naming his squad, which has sparked the conversation of the Exeter forward’s inclusion.
Baxter absolutely believes Simmonds is in the Lions picture alongside the more internationally established players like Scotland captain Stuart Hogg and lock Jonny Grey.
Baxter said: “He’s watching those games for a reason.
“I know Taulupe Faletau was playing as well and some other internationals were involved, but the truth is he will have watched Taulupe Faletau play the week before and seen Tom Francis play the week before, he won’t have watched some of our players play the week before because they weren’t involved in the internationals.”
There has been a chorus of cries from top pundits, fans, current and former players for Simmonds to earn an England recall with the national side struggling for effective ball carriers, with the Chiefs dynamo having not played in the red rose since March 2018.
Since then, the back row has been named the European Player of the Year after finishing top try scorer on his way to helping Chiefs win a historic Heineken Champions Cup and Gallagher Premiership double.
Baxter said: “At the moment Sam’s not in favour with England. It must be obvious that he doesn’t fit into the Eddie Jones’ blueprint at this stage, which is fine, that’s how things work.
“But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t fit into the Warren Gatland blueprint.
“There’s a perception that if you’re the best player in your position then you’re bound to play for your country - it doesn’t always work like that and I think some successful Lions tours in the past have shown that.
“I don’t think it necessarily counts against Sam, although I do know that he’s desperate to play for England, and if I’m honest with you I don’t think that’s not going to happen, I think down the line Sam will play for England, it’s just not his time right now.”
As things stand, doubts remain over the future of the 2021 Lions tour against South Africa due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with it looking increasingly likely the games will be played in the United Kingdom and Ireland rather than abroad with the hope fans can be back in stadiums by June.
A decision is due to be made imminently. Simmonds, meanwhile, will be looking to maintain his excellent club form in today’s lunchtime clash with Harlequins.
With Baxter shy of international trio Tomas Francis, Jonny Gray and Stuart Hogg, all of whom have returned to their Six Nations camps this week, he has been forced to tinker slightly with his starting line-up for the game.
Into the pack in place of Gray comes
South African powerhouse Jannes Kirsten, while Hogg’s absence means Facundo Cordero is shunted from the wing to full-back with Wales and British Lions speedster Alex Cuthbert back having sat out the last three games.
The other changes to the starting line-up see starts for Stu Townsend – impressive off the bench against Bath – take the scrum-half berth with Tom Hendrickson given the nod over Ollie Devoto in the centre.
Exeter Chiefs: Facundo Cordero, Alex Cuthbert, Ian Whitten, Tom Hendrickson, Tom O’Flaherty, Joe Simmonds (capt), Stu Townsend; Alec Hepburn, Jack Innard, Harry Williams, Jannes Kirsten, Sam Skinner, Dave Ewers, Jacques Vermeulen, Sam Simmonds. Replacements: Elvis Taione, Ben Moon, Marcus Street, Sean Lonsdale, Richard Capstick, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Harvey Skinner, Ollie Devoto.