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Kyle Sinckler 'out before he hit the ground' after being brutally KO'd just minutes into World Cup final
By Ian Cameron
England got off to a shaky start in the World Cup final they lost 32-12, an opening which was compounded by the loss of tighthead Kyle Sinckler after he was brutally knocked out.
Sinckler was KO'd out after colliding with Maro Itoje. The accidental collision came when the pair of England forwards tackled Springbok winger Makazole Mapimpi in the third minute.
Sinckler was left motionless on the ground with his arms straight in the air. The reaction, known as the 'fencing response', is often an indicator of a mid-level but not severe concussion.
Sinckler was attended to by medics and came round after two of three minutes of attention.
It was a collision that worried many on social media:
Sinckler was sent for a HIA and was automatically removed from the game. The concern for England fans then became whether Dan Cole could last 77 minutes of rugby. Cole started against USA but came off the bench in all of England's other matches - against Tonga, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.
Sinckler has been one of the standout front rows at the World Cup. The 120kg tighthead credits his mother with introducing him to rugby, after he switched from football at age eight after his mother heard of his physicality on the pitch.
Sinckler was described as an ‘emotional timebomb’ by Wales coach Warren Gatland during the 2019 Six Nations. Subsequently, Sinckler conceded three penalties during England’s 21-13 defeat by Wales and was replaced in the 57th minute.
The Harlequins prop conceded the second-most penalties of any player during the 2018-19 Premiership season with 29 behind Northampton’s Alex Waller. Harlequins captain Chris Robshaw spoke to him about discipline after he received a yellow card for slapping Sale’s Faf de Klerk in the chest.
Growing up he modelled himself on former New Zealand prop Carl Hayman.
WATCH: RugbyPass hears from some rowdy fans after the final in Yokohama
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Latest Comments
Vaai is finally having his breakout year getting comfortable and showing great form at lock, and there are form players and experience all across the backrow, why on earth would you drop him to 6. Ridiculous
Go to commentsSo far, the All Blacks have won 8 matches out of 11 this year. That is a near 73% win rate. AB fans and, I assume, the team itself are not content with that and have everything to play for with the remaining 3 tests this year.
Their historical average is something like 77% these days and, although some years will always be better than others it is not likely to drop that dramatically to 70% any time soon. There is too much historical inertia on the stats. It is like saying Ireland’s form of the last 10 years or so is likely to reverse a historical average of 48% wins soon. It just isn’t.
Moreover, when you say they are ‘doomed’ to a 70% flatline are you not just assuming that Ireland will beat them again? How did that work out for you last time?
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