Springbok legend Tendai Mtawarira has given England tighthead Kyle Sinckler all the motivation he needs for this weekend’s clash with South Africa after ripping his performances against South Africa for the Lions apart.
“I rate Kyle Sinckler highly, as a very talented player,” Mtawarira revealed while speaking to The I.
“He made an impact right from the beginning, I played a few Test matches against him and I thought he was a guy that would dominate for a long time into the future.
“I found him to be aggressive by nature but every rugby player is aggressive – I was aggressive. When you are within the four lines you have got to be the beast, be a rugby animal, do what you’ve got to do.
“I didn’t know him much off the field but he came across as a nice guy, quite decent and humble. And at the 2019 World Cup he was probably the best tighthead in the world, he was playing some amazing rugby.”
But here comes the cautionary news. “He just needs to work on things to be the best again,” Mtawarira says. “I think the Lions series hampered his momentum because he has a lot more to offer than he showed during that series.”
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“He [Sinckler] gave some crucial penalties at crucial moments, especially in the second Test,” Mtawarira says. “You don’t expect him to give a costly penalty at the end of such a crucial game. For his growth and for his momentum and what he created, he kind of hampered it there, he just let himself down in a big way. He will be looking to make amends for that. I know because I have been there – when you feel like you’re not good enough to be there.
“He can add a lot of value to what England want to accomplish up to the 2023 World Cup. He is a leader in this English side, because it’s a young side. He hasn’t realised his fullest potential.”
Sinckler ranks his three toughest opponent:
#3. Alun Wyn Jones (Wales)
- Position Second-row
- Height 6 ft 6 in
- Weight 268 lb
- Caps 160
Sinckler, who grew up in a single-parent family in Tooting, south London, has been working with an organisation called Saviour World which has helped him to focus on his game and deal with emotional difficulties
Sinckler said: “We’re actually good friends. I think that’s how he knows how to get under my skin.”
Did you know? Jones studied part-time for a degree in law at Swansea University, graduating on 21 July 2010