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Kyle Sinckler has just been handed a responsibility few believed could ever happen ten months ago

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Kyle Sinckler has been handed a job few every thought he would ever receive – captaining a team.

The tighthead has often been dismissed as a bit of a hothead on the pitch, with particular criticism arising following England’s Six Nations defeat last February by Wales in Cardiff.

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Warren Gatland, the Welsh coach at the time, described Sinckler as “an emotional time bomb” in the lead-up to that pivotal fixture, a description fastened onto by RugbyPass columnist Andy Goode in the aftermath of the defeat. 

“England had the game won in Cardiff but ill-discipline cost them once more and Kyle Sinckler was the biggest culprit,” wrote Goode. 

“He played really well but him losing his head swung the momentum Wales’ way massively. Warren Gatland described him as an “emotional time bomb” in the build-up to the game and he was proved right.”

(Continue reading below…)

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Ten months later, following an enterprising World Cup in the England shirt, Sinckler’s now burgeoning reputation as someone to rely on has been endorsed by his club Harlequins. 

The Londoners face Ulster on Friday night in a must-win Heineken Champions Cup encounter and with club skipper Chris Robshaw not in the mix following last Saturday’s defeat in Belfast, boss Paul Gustard has handed the captaincy for the game to Sinckler on his first home appearance of the season.

How he reacts to the responsibility will be intriguing, especially with a French referee set to take charge of the all-important tie that Quins have to win to stay alive in the competition.

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Sinckler’s inter-action with Alexandre Ruiz will be interesting, particularly if he himself is the player penalised for the concession of a penalty at some stage of the Twickenham Stoop encounter. 

In other selection changes, Santiago Garcia Botta returns at loosehead prop following his recent wedding. Will Evans is also back after being rested for the last two weeks, Brett Herron makes his first European appearance for the club with Fijian winger Vereniki Goneva also starting his first game.

Harlequins boss Gustard said: “The players have taken good ownership of the week and driven the detail and energy. It is a great opportunity for a couple of our players who are returning from injury to move the jersey forward in what is a must-win game.”

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HARLEQUINS: 15. Ross Chisholm; 14. Vereniki Goneva, 13. James Lang, 12. Francis Saili, 11. Cadan Murley; 10. Brett Herron, 9. Martin Landajo; 1. Santiago Garcia Botta, 2. Elia Elia, 3. Kyle Sinckler (capt), 4. Stephan Lewies, 5. Tex Cavubati, 6. Will Evans, 7. Semi Kunatani, 8. Alex Dombrandt. Reps: 16. Jack Musk, 17. Nick Auterac, 18. Simon Kerrod, 19. Dino Lamb, 20. James Chisholm, 21. Niall Saunders, 22. Paul Lasike, 23. Travis Ismaiel.

ULSTER: 15. Jacob Stockdale; 14. Matt Faddes, 13. Luke Marshall, 12. Stuart McCloskey, 11. Louis Ludik; 10. Billy Burns, 9. John Cooney; 1. Eric O’Sullivan, 2. Rob Herring, 3. Marty Moore, 4. Kieran Treadwell, 5. Iain Henderson (capt), 6. Sean Reidy, 7. Jordi Murphy, 8. Marcell Coetzee. Reps: 16. Adam McBurney, 17. Andy Warwick, 18. Tom O’Toole, 19. Alan O’Connor, 20. Matt Rea, 21. David Shanahan, 22. Bill Johnston, 23. Craig Gilroy.

WATCH: Follow all the action from the Heineken Champions Cup in the RugbyPass Live Match Centre with commentary, stats, news and more, plus live streaming in some places – click Sign Up Now to see what is available in your region

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J
JPM 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 1 hour ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

13 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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