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Prop Kyle Sinckler, who served a seven week ban for gouging this season, is one of England’s “angry” forwards who are being backed to ruin Ireland’s Grand Slam party at Twickenham tomorrow.
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Sinckler believes he has found the right balance between aggression and foul play after spending his ban reflecting on a career that had taken him on the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and into the test match squad. However, he was returned to the Lions hotel by Auckland police after an incident outside a club following the drawn test series and the gouging incident in October against Northampton cost him a place in England’s Autumn tests.
Neal Hatley, England’s scrum coach, today gave unwavering support to the volatile prop insisting that Sinckler was controlling his anger although he wants the entire England pack to tap into the frustration of their losses to Scotland and France. Hatley said: “Yes, I think without question Kyle is finding the balance. He came on, he had a real impact the last 20 minutes out in France and quite rightly has earned an opportunity (to start). We’ve got no issue around that.
“He’s trained really well, been out in New Zealand, played in the Lions series so he’s got good international experience. He’s ready to start. I would say they( the players) are angry and I’d say they’re competitive as well. There’s obviously a certain bit of anger over what’s happened across the last two weeks, which is what you’d expect from this group of players.”
With Courtney Lawes and Nathan Hughes out with serious knee injuries that require surgery, Sinckler has to fill the ball carrying void created by the absence of two of England’s biggest ball carriers in a pack also missing Billy Vunipola for the entire Six Nations.
“Kyle Sinckler, Mako Vunipola, Chris Robshaw, James Haskell and Sam Simmonds are different types of ball carriers but people who put their hands up.
“Hask has come in and shown that hunger; has 70 plus caps and won’t tell anyone his real age but he is 30 plus. He has come in and worked unbelievably hard. Hask is unbelievably energetic and enthusiastic even when he hasn’t been involved he has brought great energy to the group and great experience and has worked hard and earned an opportunity.
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Hatley is also warning Ireland his forwards are ready to make up for successive defeats by Scotland and France and to avenge the loss to Ireland last season that cost them a Grand Slam.
