The Patronising Award for Most Improved Player - Tom Wood
I never really got it with Tom Wood during the Lancaster era. He seemed to be loved by pundits, loved by the Franklins Gardens faithful, but seemed to not do much, playing for England at least. I then thought he was maybe one of those Richard Hill types, you know the ones who do a lot of the donkey stuff but little of the flashy stuff. I then made a point of watching him for a whole game and seeing what he did and coming out the other end non the wiser.
The John Bentley Award for surprise bolter for Lions Selection - Tadhg Furlong
No other reason than the below video. If it takes this many All Blacks to take down one mad irishman, then surely he's got to win. The Irish front row has come a long way in a short space of time, with Cronin and Healy on the bench, there is genuine depth in this team and some of them could find themselves in front of the more established England front row for Lions spots.
The Jonah Lomu Award for being 'Quick for a big lad' - Josh Van der Flier
The Yoann Huget Moment of Madness Award - Enrique Pieretto
Yes Marler had hold of his foot, but there is no excuse for this. Maybe he thought the off-season wasn't quite long enough for Southern Hemisphere players and he fancied a few more weeks off. Maybe he was mates with Samson Lee. Whatever the reason, he got seven weeks for it.
I never really got it with Tom Wood during the Lancaster era. He seemed to be loved by pundits, loved by the Franklins Gardens faithful, but seemed to not do much, playing for England at least. I then thought he was maybe one of those Richard Hill types, you know the ones who do a lot of the donkey stuff but little of the flashy stuff. I then made a point of watching him for a whole game and seeing what he did and coming out the other end non the wiser.
When I saw he'd been called back up to the squad it raised an eyebrow or two from fans and pundits alike, especially as Eddie Jones had called him lazy and average in the public domain on a couple of occasions. This reverse psychology obviously worked and Wood made a big impact, especially in the final match where he seemed to be making the most of an opportunity he probably thought he wasn't going to get near this season. Do I think he's an England star, or a starter, no. However, his presence in the team and seamless integration into the squad is evidence of a squad and incentive based selection system which is clearly working.
|
No other reason than the below video. If it takes this many All Blacks to take down one mad irishman, then surely he's got to win. The Irish front row has come a long way in a short space of time, with Cronin and Healy on the bench, there is genuine depth in this team and some of them could find themselves in front of the more established England front row for Lions spots.
The Jonah Lomu Award for being 'Quick for a big lad' - Josh Van der Flier
This guy has been on the radar for a while, World Cup U20s watchers will know he's been turning heads for a some time. But my word, this kid is an athlete. Now he was a wing in a past life so he, despite being a charlatan, has made it into the list on the technicality that he wears a number seven on his back. To his credit, his tackle count is nearly as impressive as his running, and his running is off the chain.
The Yoann Huget Moment of Madness Award - Enrique Pieretto
Yes Marler had hold of his foot, but there is no excuse for this. Maybe he thought the off-season wasn't quite long enough for Southern Hemisphere players and he fancied a few more weeks off. Maybe he was mates with Samson Lee. Whatever the reason, he got seven weeks for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment