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'That's probably when I work best': Ludlam explains his revival
By PA
Lewis Ludlam is poised to resume his England career believing that his appointment as Northampton captain has raised his game to a new level. Ludlam is expected to be involved in Sunday’s non-cap international against the Barbarians at Twickenham five months after his comeback was derailed by a rib injury sustained against Scotland.
The 26-year-old has been a revelation for Saints this year, emerging as the standout performer in their back row as they reached the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals.
A place on next month’s tour to Australia is the prize at stake for a player who was a bolter for the 2019 World Cup, only to then become a peripheral figure until his recall for this year’s Six Nations.
“I understand myself a lot better. I know what I need to bring in the game so I’m performing consistently,” said Ludlam following his inclusion in this week's England squad of 36. “I know how my body reacts to training in the week and my nutrition and recovery as well, so that has been something I have probably had a bit more thought about.
“The captaincy stuff has helped a little bit. I have probably had a case of the leader’s legs, where people are looking at you and you are under the magnifying glass a little bit, so you bring out more in yourself.
“That is probably when I work best, when I feel part of something and I feel like there are people depending on me. It’s a really close group of boys at the club at the moment and it’s been easy for me to work hard for them. Usually, if you’re working hard as a flanker, then you will have an all right game.”
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Latest Comments
Nah, that just needs some more variation. Chip kicks, grubber stabs, all those. Will Jordan showed a pretty good reason why the rush was bad for his link up with BB.
If you have an overlap on a rush defense, they naturally cover out and out and leave a huge gap near the ruck.
It also helps if both teams play the same rules. ARs set the offside line 1m past where the last mans feet were😅
Go to commentsYeah nar, should work for sure. I was just asking why would you do it that way?
It could be achieved by outsourcing all your IP and players to New Zealand, Japan, and America, with a big Super competition between those countries raking it in with all of Australia's best talent to help them at a club level. When there is enough of a following and players coming through internally, and from other international countries (starting out like Australia/without a pro scene), for these high profile clubs to compete without a heavy australian base, then RA could use all the money they'd saved over the decades to turn things around at home and fund 4 super sides of their own that would be good enough to compete.
That sounds like a great model to reset the game in Aus. Take a couple of decades to invest in youth and community networks before trying to become professional again. I just suggest most aussies would be a bit more optimistic they can make it work without the two decades without any pro club rugby bit.
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