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Another Premiership player allowed to skip a match to watch a brother in the RWC final

A social media campaign has helped convince Wasps to allow Marcus Watson attend the World Cup final (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

Marcus Watson has flown out to Japan to watch his brother Anthony play for England in the World Cup final on Saturday against South Africa after another successful social media campaign. 

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Following on from the success of the #GetBenToJapan campaign for Sale Sharks’ Ben Curry to go and watch his twin Tom, another hashtag #WatsonToWorldCup built momentum for Wasps’ Watson and he will now also be in Yokohama. 

The Olympic sevens silver medalist took to Twitter to thank both Wasps and Dai Young for letting him go as it will mean he will miss his club’s Gallagher Premiership visit from Bath on Saturday. 

Meanwhile, Ben Youngs’ brother, former England international Tom, ruled out the possibility of going to Japan, claiming on Twitter that he “has a job to do this weekend here in Leicester”. 

The Tigers sit at the bottom of the Premiership following two defeats. They host Gloucester on Saturday and their captain will be playing. He sent this message on social media. 

Anthony Watson s starting on the wing against the Springboks, while World Rugby player of the year nominee Tom Curry will be starting at blindside flanker. 

With Eddie Jones’ side entering the match as favourites, this was surely an opportunity that the likes of Marcus Watson and Ben Curry could not turn down. Wasps and Sale – to their credit – seem to have understood that. 

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WATCH: Sam Underhill sets the scene for England ahead of their showdown versus South Africa 

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M
MA 12 minutes ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

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