Sam Jones shines after England calls, the Kingsholm pitch works against Gloucester, and have Leicester become too friendly for their own good?
If table-topping Wasps maintain their current league average by sticking 40 points on second-placed Saracens this weekend, they really will establish themselves as the team to catch this season. England will also take notice, particularly if Sam Jones and Nathan Hughes enjoy themselves against Billy Vunipola and co as much as they did against a second-best Harlequins side. Wasps’ director of rugby, Dai Young, compares Jones, 24, to a young Richard Hill and believes he could fill the openside flanker role if required in the autumn internationals: “He could do the job that [James Haskell] does well … he’s going to get off the line, be very destructive with his tackles and be very aggressive at the tackle area. Sam has all the ability to fit into that role without a shadow of a doubt. But I don’t want to attempt to pick Eddie Jones’s team for him. That’ll just get people’s goat up. I know I’d be a little bit annoyed if he started picking my team.” Robert Kitson
Related: Elliot Daly primes seven-try Wasps in thrashing of Harlequins
Related: Relieved Worcester back on track after edging out Newcastle
Continue reading...