Zimbabwe News Update
zifmstereo
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England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield has raised a few eyebrows by comparing the young wing Manny Feyi-Waboso to the great Jason Robinson, but whether or not you agree with the description, it would be good to see the national team making the most of his talent against Fiji this weekend.To do so will take a combination of several factors, including a change in selection forced by injury, plus England’s own ability or willingness to find their wings with orthodox play through the three quarters, and less use of the high kicks seen in last Saturday’s 25-7 win over Australia.The latter tactic does not play to Feyi-Waboso’s strengths, even if he will chase kicks if that is the team instruction, and can be dangerous from the unstructured play generated by the use of the aerial bombs.There is justifiable excitement around Feyi-Waboso, as Sinfield was happy to acknowledge, and it was shown by a dazzling run after 17 minutes of the Australia match that had Twickenham spectators buzzing in a way Robinson and only a few others have enjoyed down the years.Feyi-Waboso swept past a handful of Wallabies as if they were statues, only to be let down by being unable to find a team-mate with a pass.He then went on to a limited contribution of just five other touches of the ball, and none of them nearly so definitive – making you cry out for England to get him involved much more often.Smith has played at full-back regularly over the last two years (Photo: Getty)The good news for Feyi-Waboso’s prospects of seeing more of the ball in his hands, and not via the air, is Marcus Smith could be starting at full-back against the Fijians.Smith and Feyi-Waboso have achieved a stream of sizzling link-ups since the wing made his international debut in February last year, even while each man has been interrupted in their England ambitions.Feyi-Waboso was injured for most of the second half of the season, while Smith has had a battle to get into the team in his favourite position of fly-half, and then spent the recent summer with the British & Irish Lions, not England.Smith was left out of the 23 who beat the Australians, but since then full-back Freddie Steward did not train on Monday or Tuesday due to a hand injury, while the right wing Tom Roebuck was also sidelined on Tuesday with an ankle injury.So Feyi-Waboso could be joined by Smith and one of the wings Cadan Murley, Tommy Freeman or Henry Arundell in an altered back three to face Fiji.Ollie Lawrence has made a full recovery from his Achilles injury (Photo: Getty)Smith’s presence would probably necessitate a greater carrying threat in midfield, and a return for Ollie Lawrence in place of Fraser Dingwall at No 12, or perhaps Freeman who started at No 13 last weekend.Feyi-Waboso prefers playing on the right wing but on Tuesday he hinted he could continue on the left, where Freeman appeared to have trouble locating him last Saturday, albeit that was the evidence of just one match.The chunky and rapid Arundell has been playing on the left for Bath, but he has not represented England since the Chile pool match and Argentina third-placed game during the 2023 World Cup when, coincidentally, Smith was full-back on both occasions.England head coach Steve Borthwick placed little faith in Arundell during that World Cup, and the wing who turns 23 this Sunday spent the next two seasons away at Racing 92 in Paris, and at Bath he has still been prone to awkward moments in defence.As for Smith, he also started at No 15 against Fiji in the World Cup quarter-final won by England, and he finished it bandaged and bloodied and acclaimed by Sinfield among others for his bravery.The highlight reel of his exciting combination with Feyi-Waboso includes Smith’s interception breakaway against New Zealand making a try for Feyi-Waboso at Twickenham last November.Smith also made a try for Feyi-Waboso with a cross-kick on tour in New Zealand in the preceding summer, and another with a slick miss-pass away to Japan.The mutual appreciation is a two-way street, too, thanks to Feyi-Waboso’s electric break that helped create Smith’s dramatic winning drop goal against Ireland at Twickenham in March 2024.Fiji famously won at Twickenham in summer 2023, and this week they have all sorts of big hitters to choose from in the backs, including Jiuta Wainiqolo, Josua Tuisova and Kalaveti Ravouvou.And if they pick Caleb Muntz at fly-half, they will be capable of testing England with kicks.All in all, a fascinating choice faces Borthwick and his new attack coach Lee Blackett, and it would be fun to see a back three of Smith, Feyi-Waboso and Murley running at Fiji, with the centres Lawrence and Freeman bringing the beef.And if that doesn’t work, there remains the route-one option of George Ford or Fin Smith at fly-half kicking for position instead.Source link
England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield has raised a few eyebrows by comparing the young wing Manny Feyi-Waboso to the great Jason Robinson, but whether or not you agree with the description, it would be good to see the national team making the most of his talent against Fiji this weekend.To do so will take a combination of several factors, including a change in selection forced by injury, plus England’s own ability or willingness to find their wings with orthodox play through the three quarters, and less use of the high kicks seen in last Saturday’s 25-7 win over Australia.The latter tactic does not play to Feyi-Waboso’s strengths, even if he will chase kicks if that is the team instruction, and can be dangerous from the unstructured play generated by the use of the aerial bombs.There is justifiable excitement around Feyi-Waboso, as Sinfield was happy to acknowledge, and it was shown by a dazzling run after 17 minutes of the Australia match that had Twickenham spectators buzzing in a way Robinson and only a few others have enjoyed down the years.Feyi-Waboso swept past a handful of Wallabies as if they were statues, only to be let down by being unable to find a team-mate with a pass.He then went on to a limited contribution of just five other touches of the ball, and none of them nearly so definitive – making you cry out for England to get him involved much more often.Smith has played at full-back regularly over the last two years (Photo: Getty)The good news for Feyi-Waboso’s prospects of seeing more of the ball in his hands, and not via the air, is Marcus Smith could be starting at full-back against the Fijians.Smith and Feyi-Waboso have achieved a stream of sizzling link-ups since the wing made his international debut in February last year, even while each man has been interrupted in their England ambitions.Feyi-Waboso was injured for most of the second half of the season, while Smith has had a battle to get into the team in his favourite position of fly-half, and then spent the recent summer with the British & Irish Lions, not England.Smith was left out of the 23 who beat the Australians, but since then full-back Freddie Steward did not train on Monday or Tuesday due to a hand injury, while the right wing Tom Roebuck was also sidelined on Tuesday with an ankle injury.So Feyi-Waboso could be joined by Smith and one of the wings Cadan Murley, Tommy Freeman or Henry Arundell in an altered back three to face Fiji.Ollie Lawrence has made a full recovery from his Achilles injury (Photo: Getty)Smith’s presence would probably necessitate a greater carrying threat in midfield, and a return for Ollie Lawrence in place of Fraser Dingwall at No 12, or perhaps Freeman who started at No 13 last weekend.Feyi-Waboso prefers playing on the right wing but on Tuesday he hinted he could continue on the left, where Freeman appeared to have trouble locating him last Saturday, albeit that was the evidence of just one match.The chunky and rapid Arundell has been playing on the left for Bath, but he has not represented England since the Chile pool match and Argentina third-placed game during the 2023 World Cup when, coincidentally, Smith was full-back on both occasions.England head coach Steve Borthwick placed little faith in Arundell during that World Cup, and the wing who turns 23 this Sunday spent the next two seasons away at Racing 92 in Paris, and at Bath he has still been prone to awkward moments in defence.As for Smith, he also started at No 15 against Fiji in the World Cup quarter-final won by England, and he finished it bandaged and bloodied and acclaimed by Sinfield among others for his bravery.The highlight reel of his exciting combination with Feyi-Waboso includes Smith’s interception breakaway against New Zealand making a try for Feyi-Waboso at Twickenham last November.Smith also made a try for Feyi-Waboso with a cross-kick on tour in New Zealand in the preceding summer, and another with a slick miss-pass away to Japan.The mutual appreciation is a two-way street, too, thanks to Feyi-Waboso’s electric break that helped create Smith’s dramatic winning drop goal against Ireland at Twickenham in March 2024.Fiji famously won at Twickenham in summer 2023, and this week they have all sorts of big hitters to choose from in the backs, including Jiuta Wainiqolo, Josua Tuisova and Kalaveti Ravouvou.And if they pick Caleb Muntz at fly-half, they will be capable of testing England with kicks.All in all, a fascinating choice faces Borthwick and his new attack coach Lee Blackett, and it would be fun to see a back three of Smith, Feyi-Waboso and Murley running at Fiji, with the centres Lawrence and Freeman bringing the beef.And if that doesn’t work, there remains the route-one option of George Ford or Fin Smith at fly-half kicking for position instead.
England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield has raised a few eyebrows by comparing the young wing Manny Feyi-Waboso to the great Jason Robinson, but whether or not you agree with the description, it would be good to see the national team making the most of his talent against Fiji this weekend.
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