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The Englishman who is hot on the heels of Shaun Stevenson
By AAP
Western Force centre Sam Spink has praised Zach Kibirige for his "ridiculous" hot form, but says wins rather than individual accolades will be the focus for the team.
Kibirige has been a revelation in his first season at the Force, scoring eight tries to sit second on the Super Rugby Pacific try-scoring table.
Chiefs star Shaun Stevenson sits on top of the leaderboard with nine tries, but the race to finish on top of the tries table doesn't interest the 10th-placed Force, who are battling to stay in the finals race.
"He (Kibirige) doesn't really care if he's top of the leaderboard unless his tries are winning us games," Spink said ahead of Saturday's clash with the Crusaders in Christchurch.
"If he's picking up two, three tries a week and we're still losing, it's sort of null and void."
Spink played previously with Kibirige at English outfit Wasps and has been blown away by the winger's hot form.
"It's ridiculous to be honest," Spink said.
"Some of the tries he's scored have been finishes I haven't seen from many people in world rugby really.
"When he turned up to Wasps a few seasons ago he had a similar stint of form. He started scoring tries for fun.
"We've put him in a bit of space and he's just taken it upon itself to take it to the next level."
Spink and Kibirige didn't get to play together much at Wasps due to injury and selection, but the Englishmen are thriving at the Force.
"It (our relationship) has become stronger as we've come over here," Spink said.
"A lot of similarities - both being English, avoiding all that Aussie banter. Sometimes we had to stick together to get through it.
"He's very loud with how he communicates, so it's great to have him outside of me.
"He knows what I want to do and what I'm good at and I know if I can get the ball to him in a bit of space, he can create some magic."
The Force will be without five-eighth Bryce Hegarty (knee), fellow back Bayley Kuenzle (hamstring) and flanker Tim Anstee (concussion) against the Crusaders, but new signing Isi Naisarani will be unleashed.
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Latest Comments
But he chose rightly or wrongly to play for Tonga. If he wanted to play for the ABs why didn’t he hold off?
Go to comments“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”
Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.
“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”
I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.
“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”
I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.
“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”
I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!
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