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'I've got so much anger inside me right now... but I used it in a positive way': An emotional Kyle Sinckler's extraordinary post-game live TV interview
By Liam Heagney
Bristol tighthead Kyle Sinckler was left on the verge of tears at Bath on Saturday when he explained after his Gallagher Premiership man of the match performance how difficult it has been for him since his exclusion on Thursday from the 2021 Lions squad.
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A feature off the bench in the drawn 2017 series in New Zealand, Sinckler was expected to make the cut to travel to South Africa in July. However, he was a shock omission by Warren Gatland, the Lions coach instead selecting Ireland pair Tadhg Furlong and Andrew Porter, along with Scotland’s Zander Fagerson, as his three travelling tightheads.
The rejection left the 28-year-old devastated and he let all his emotion come out during a heart-wrenching TV interview with BT Sport following his pivotal role in Bristol’s 40-20 win at Bath.
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“It has been an emotional week, especially for myself,” said the player who has 44 caps to go with his three appearances off the Lions bench against the All Blacks four years ago. “I want to thank my teammates, my family, my loved ones, my mentor…
“From a team’s perspective, how good! First half wasn’t great. Second half we dug in and showed how much it meant to us and how much it meant it the fans.”
Credit: @btsportrugby pic.twitter.com/Gz0F7fFbJ7
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 8, 2021
Sinckler had tweeted in the aftermath of his Lions exclusion on Thursday, magnanimously writing: “Honestly gutted not to be involved. Appreciate the messages of support. Not a time to feel sorry for myself and blame others. Let’s get behind the squad, wishing the boys all the best.”
When asked at The Rec about this tweet, Sinckler visibly welled up and his voice croaked on TV as he put into words exactly how hard he was hit by not getting selected by the Lions. “I’m not going to lie, I’m quite emotional right now. Yeah, it has been tough, it means so much to me.
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“You know, I’m just lucky I had my mentor. We broke it down and I understand why and the reasons why and I think in a year or two I will look back on it and it will all make sense but obviously at the moment, right now, it kind of doesn’t make sense but what I wanted to try and do was lead by example and show the kids.
“How easy would it have been for me to play the victim and say how bad is it, sorry me, throw my toys out of the pram? It has been very tough. I have never experienced something like this in my whole life, let alone my career.
“I am just lucky I have got a good support team around me and it has been tough. I just wanted to show the kids and everyone at home how much it means to me and lead by example and not kind of throw your toys out of the pram.
“Do the tough stuff, get on with, it, use that anger. Like, I have got so much anger inside me right now but actually use it in a positive way and what is best for the team and do all the unselfish stuff. I think I did that today and it was good the boys got the win.”
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What counted against Sincks and Billy V…#LionsRugby #Lions2021 #Lions
https://t.co/vI6HCACORg— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 7, 2021
