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'The thing that kills me': Kyle Sinckler as you've never seen him
By Liam Heagney
England prop Kyle Sinckler is set to appear in a compelling documentary on Monday about his native south London and how it kills him not seeing the kids there getting the same chance he got to succeed in life. The 28-year-old is set to represent his country as the starting tighthead in this Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations round three game against Wales.
However, away from the bright lights and the razzamatazz of Twickenham on international Test match day, the front-rower has painted a stark picture of life elsewhere in the English capital. Raised in Furzedown, near Tooting in south London, Sinckler has retraced his growing-up steps in Against The Odds, a documentary due to be shown this Monday on ITV4 at 9pm.
In an eye-catching trailer that includes Sinckler walking around his old neighbourhood, the England player is asked by the narrator: “There seems to be a sadness when you reflect on your past. Why?”
Sinckler’s reply begins with footage of him walking the streets where he grew up and pointing to a derelict building. “There used to be like a community kind of centre. It is a shame that it is shut down now,” he said.
Sinckler then spoke about violence and knife crime in the area and his bemusement that today’s kids aren’t able to get an opportunity to better themselves. “Obviously I am south London through and through and then I go back and it’s the exact same,” explained the England prop who now plays his club rugby at Bristol after beginning his professional career at Harlequins.
“I understand I was lucky in terms of the opportunity I was given and the thing that kills me is seeing the kids not get that opportunity because I truly believe that if they can see light at the end of the tunnel then a lot of the stuff that is going on right now in terms of the violence and knife crime in inner London especially wouldn’t be going in.
“You feel like no one cares. That’s the truth. It’s them against the world and it’s like I feel it is my duty to let them know that I care. I am going to try. Like, someone has to.”
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Latest Comments
It is if he thinks he’s got hold of the ball and there is at least one other player between him and the ball carrier, which is why he has to reach around and over their heads. Not a deliberate action for me.
Go to commentsI understand, but England 30 years ago were a set piece focused kick heavy team not big on using backs.
Same as now.
South African sides from any period will have a big bunch of forwards smashing it up and a first five booting everything in their own half.
NZ until recently rarely if ever scrummed for penalties; the scrum is to attack from, broken play, not structured is what we’re after.
Same as now.
These are ways of playing very ingrained into the culture.
If you were in an English club team and were off to Fiji for a game against a club team you’d never heard of and had no footage of, how would you prepare?
For a forward dominated grind or would you assume they will throw the ball about because they are Fijian?
A Fiji way. An English way.
An Australian way depends on who you’ve scraped together that hasn’t been picked off by AFL or NRL, and that changes from generation to generation a lot of the time.
Actually, maybe that is their style. In fact, yes they have a style.
Nevermind. Fuggit I’ve typed it all out now.
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