World Cup winning second row Ben Kay believes England’s Jack Clifford could mature into one of the best back-row forwards in the world, citing Australia’s Michael Hooper as a player with a very similar skillset to the young Harlequin.
Hooper’s brand of controlled mayhem has seen him emerge as one of the best players in his position in the world, and his partnership with David Pocock for Australia at the World Cup was one of the key reasons why the Wallabies were so successful. And the former lock believes that in Clifford, England have a man who could one day be equally as influential.
“I’m really excited to see Jack Clifford and whether he can force his way into the team,” said Kay earlier this week. “He almost plays a little bit like a Michael Hooper. He’s a ball carrier but he’s also very good over the ball.”
England’s problems at the breakdown at the World Cup were well-documented, with Chris Robshaw struggling to impose himself in the number seven shirt. But the malaise went further than that, with the team in general failing to adapt to a number of rule changes.
“At the World Cup they clamped down on the neck roll – I think that’s why the Australian duo did so well,” explained Kay. “If you get in, it’s very difficult to move a player legally.”
Crucially, though, Hooper’s value is hugely incremented when he dovetails with the limpet-like skill set of David Pocock, whose low centre of gravity, immense strength and impeccable technique make him the most accomplished breakdown technician in the world.
England do not have anyone in the same league, and Matt Kvesic was the only player of a similar ilk included in Jones’s initial Six Nations squad – but he has since been sent back to his club and is highly unlikely to feature against Scotland. James Haskell is looking likely to start at seven, while Wasps teammate George Smith has been recruited to coach the loose forwards in breakdown technique.
“I think it’s a concern,” admitted Kay. “He [Jones] doesn’t feel there are enough poachers in English rugby, which is one of the reasons he’s working with George Smith. There are guys that are good over the ball for England; Dan Cole had a poor World Cup but he’s exceptional over the ball.
“We’ve also seen Sam Underhill having a couple of really good games and he could be someone to look at down the line. There’s talent coming through, and Jones will be wanting to use the likes of Smith so that when they do arrive, they’re not playing catch-up.”
The start of Eddie Jones’s era has engendered a palpable sense of excitement amongst England fans; a much-needed shot in the arm after the dismal World Cup campaign. That said, the Australian’s squad for the Scotland test has not seen as many changes as some would like.
Kay sat on the panel that decided the fate of Stuart Lancaster after that World Cup disaster, although given that his name isn’t Ian, one wonders how much influence he really had. Having pored over the rubble of Lancaster’s tenure, Kay says he’s not expecting too much of a revolution from Jones’s England.
“I don’t think there will necessarily be a big change in the style. The difference in people’s perception in what they were trying to do [at the World Cup], and the reality, was huge. Their tactics going in where to play a fast, more expansive game, but they just couldn’t get into that high intensity rugby that they had trained for.
“If we do see some attacking rugby, and a fast game, then it won’t necessarily be a massive change in the players’ mindset, but just that they have been able to implement it. If you look at the way they performed in some of the games pre-World Cup – that warm-up game against Ireland – I think that’s the blueprint for where England want to be.”
The opening salvoes are always a tough time for a new coach, especially when inheriting a team on the back foot. Should he prioritise winning, or attempt to inject a new lease of life into the way his new charges play?
Whichever way Jones decides to go, if he can walk away from Murrayfield with a victory, there won’t be too many England fans complaining.
By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43
Ben Kay was speaking on behalf of BMW, proud partners of England Rugby and drivers of the BMW Sweet Chariots at the 2016 RBS 6 Nations.
4 replies on ““Jack Clifford can be England’s answer to Michael Hooper””
As a Quins fan, I mean Clifford has been a good player, well deserving of his England call-up, but this? Really? Isn’t this a bit presumptuous – of all the young English players, I’d certainly say that right now Itoje looks more likely to be a world-class player than Clifford does.
Such unnecessary and rubbish hype. Clifford hasn’t really proved very much yet. Also Pocock was the player who did all the damage at the breakdown not Hooper its a player like him that we desperately need. Hooper tackles and carries with pace and energy but he needs a tight 7 alongside him to balance the back row.
Don’t know much about the English players. One does not become an outstanding player overnight. It takes years of graft, watching and talking to the guys who it right each time. I do believe if players from Europe spent a season or two playing in Aus, NZ, or SA they would be far better players at home. 30 + years ago I spent time in NZ. I saw then why the KIwis, are today, the cream. From young, players they are encouraged to perfect their strengths and become very good on their (perceived) weaknesses. Hence back to back world cups. Here in SA we suffer from a culture of “brute strength will win the day”. I look at Schalk Burger Jnr, from his schoolboy years he was told you are bigger and stronger than your opponents, put your head down and run over them ( the Sherman tank philosophy) . After his injury and illness he spent two years playing rugby in Japan, working on his comeback, there he learnt to run into the gap, pass the ball out of a tackle, learnt silky little moves that changed him from being a “bully” to a brilliant loose forward. Hopefully the new coaches, Stormers, Bulls, Sharks, Kings and Cheetahs, along with Johan Ackerman (Lions) will look at “skills” along with our natural strength.
Pardon my cynicism but ,if memory serves , Kay was on the RFU post W Cup inquest panel. The one that apparently drew no conclusions as to the direction in which English rugby should now go or , if it did, failed to alert the press to their findings as I cannot recall a single syllable of that summit being shown anywhere.
I’m sure you will all understand my utter disbelief and anger at the “Dan Cole is good over the ball” line. True but do you really want your t/head to perform like a 7? It’s deja vu all over again. “we can’t find a 7 so we’ll ask others to do the job.”
I really hope Eddie Jones can revitalise England. He’s got his work cut put though when ex players with strong links to the RFU come out with such dull,unambitious claptrap as this pile of horse dung.