England boss Eddie Jones has handed hooker Alfie Barbeary his international call-up ahead of the Autumn Nations Cup final against France on Sunday.
Barbeary is rated as one of English rugby’s most exciting prospects, scoring a hat-trick on his Premiership debut for Wasps, who have also used his ball-carrying talents in the back row.
Here are five things you should know about the 20-year-old Wasps forward.
1. Position change
He grew up dreaming of playing in the centres, having grown up idolising Manu Tuilagi, Ma’a Nonu and Mathieu Bastareaud. However, he is now firmly a part of the forward pack in either the front or back-row
2. Terrifying two minutes
This is why Alfie Barbeary is rated so highly.
3. Car
The forward drives a Mercedes A-Class.
4. Dog person
Dog really is a man’s best friend.
5. Inspiration
“Mark Horrocks, my first coach at Banbury, was very influential. Then as I got older, Peter Walton and John Fletcher, who gave me confidence to play how I want to play. How it shouldn’t be unusual for a forward to kick it or offload.”
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Warren Gatland named five England players as ‘certainties’ for the 2021 Lions tour
Speaking to the BBC in November 2019, Warren Gatland was asked by Ugo Monye to name five certainties for his Lions XV to face South Africa in 2021.
One year on, let’s look at who he picked:
1. Jamie George
Position: Hooker
Age: 30
How’s he doing? George has continued to star for England and is 1/20 to make the 2021 squad. Almost the first name on the team sheet right now following his hat-trick against Georgia.
DID YOU KNOW? He is an Aston Villa fan with his current favourite player being Jack Grealish.
