THOUGHTS ON VICTORY OVER BEDFORD
“We were really happy with how we have started. It comes off the back of a long pre-season. Everyone was just raring to go. We knew it wasn’t going to be perfect execution-wise but we had the effort and energy levels that we talked about going into the game. We were obviously really happy with the result.
“I was relatively happy (with my performance). When you look at yourself there always things you can improve on. There were things I was happy with and things going forward I want to improve. Overall I was content with it.”
THOUGHTS ON THE NEW FORMAT OF THE PREM RUGBY CUP
“I think it is a really good idea. It creates a bigger competition with bigger pools and more matches. It presents a new challenge. It is the not the same teams you have been playing in the Premiership. You don’t have much to review with the Championship clubs or know a huge amount about the opposition. I think only positives can come from it.”
HIS ROLE THIS SEASON
“You cannot really think too long-term but what I know in myself is that up until Christmas I have got a really good opportunity with George (Ford) at the World Cup there is a bit of a void to fill. We have Rob (du Preez) at 10 as well who has played for us there over the last few years. Rob can play 13 as well. I just see it as a really good opportunity. Alex (Sanderson) and I haven’t really talked about combinations and what might happen. All I am trying to do is make the most of these opportunities in the Premiership Rugby Cup and give myself the best chance of putting my hand up for the 10 shirt going forward.”
“We haven’t spoken too much specifically about a long-term plan. I am just going off week-by-week. Every time I am named in the team I am buzzing. All I can control is taking these opportunities and I will try and do my best. We haven’t had talks about potential loan moves as of yet. I know I will be involved throughout the Premiership Rugby Cup and then once the Premiership comes around in mid-October against Northampton at home we will see what happens and what the first-team squad looks like in the coaches eyes, which I hope to be a part of. If not we will have conversations about other options to keep my game-time up.”
LEARNING FROM GEORGE FORD AND ROB DU PREEZ
“They have played a decent part in my development. They are different players which is a good thing. I have been able to sit back, analyse and see what parts of their games I like. I am able to pick their brains. Especially George coming in last year he had a big influence straight away on the team. Not just his performance but how he sees the game and how he likes to attack. I have learnt a lot over the last 12 months and I am sure I will continue to do that.”
WATCHING OTHER FLY-HALVES
“Mostly I focus on myself. I think I know myself well enough to know what I need to improve on in order to be playing regular first-team rugby. But at the same time you have to assess your competition and see why they are being successful, what is working for them. You can then implement some of those things into your own game if you see fit. As you saw with George at the weekend and the drop-goals, you look at those things and think there is no reason why I can’t do that. I watch a lot of rugby across the board. I am seeing all different styles. If there is anything I like I take a note of it and you then have it in your tool-box.”
DROP GOALS
“It’s a strange one. It has gone out of the game a little bit. I don’t really know the real reason why more people don’t try drop-goals. I think it is a great option because the other team is helpless. If a team stays disciplined they don’t have to give away a penalty or make an error and they can still concede points. It’s almost like a low blow if you can continuously keep the scoreboard ticking over. It is a good weapon. Maybe the risk element; when you are in the opposition red zone and have an opportunity to score a try, some people might be scared of missing and wasting a chance to score a try. That is the only thing I can think of.
“It is possible it might influence others to try more drop-goals. I know it got my brain ticking, thinking how can I do that. It is definitely a good weapon to use if you can do it.”
TOM CURRY’S RED CARD AND BAN
“I think all we ask for as players is consistency from the referees’ perspective. That’s all we want really. For me being a friend of Tom’s it was frustrating seeing him get sent off for that and then watching other games happening and similar incidents happening with different punishments. There needs to be some more clarity on what mitigation looks like. From my perspective at the moment I am seeing a lot of similar incidents being punished differently and that’s where you get problems. It’s a shame for Tom but he will be back for the last group game against Samoa and hopefully for England the latter stages. It could have been worse.
“It is already a complex sport with all the rules. There are so many rules. I speak to some of my friends who aren’t massive rugby fans and they watch a game and don’t know what is going on. It doesn’t help when they might see a decision like that on Saturday. The simpler and clearer we can be the better.”
PLAYING IN AUSTRALIA IN SUMMER OF 2022
“It came out of the blue. It all happened really quickly. I never had the idea in my head. The club gave me the option and I snapped it up. My chances of playing at the end of the 2021-22 season weren’t looking promising without an injury or two. It was a no-brainer for me to get an experience abroad and continue to develop my game by playing more rugby. I look back at that with really fond memories. I think it helped my game massively and put me in a good spot for the start of last season.”
PLAYING AGAINST FORMER TEAM-MATE KIERAN WILKINSON
“I don’t see it being that strange because I played against him coming through the ranks at school. We trained together and against each other here for years. It will be no different. It is a competitive environment in training and it will be a competitive game on Friday night. Understand that with him being a former player it will be a little bit strange but once you’re in the game you treat him as an opponent, not anything personal.”
PREPARING FOR LEICESTER GAME
“You just have to prepare for the best possible Leicester team. That’s the only way of looking at it. By doing that it gives us the best preparation. Whatever their team is, an opponent is an opponent. Whoever it is you have still got to go out there and do your job.”
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