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The hybrid 'bruiser' that Brad Shields is tipping for England

By PA
Wasps v Toulouse – Heineken Champions Cup – Pool A – Coventry Building Society Arena

Alfie Barbeary has played his way into contention for a place in England’s Six Nations squad to the point that he is already being targeted by opponents, according to Wasps team-mate Brad Shields.

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The uncapped Barbeary delivered a man-of-the-match performance in Saturday’s gripping Heineken Champions Cup victory over Toulouse that included the pivotal final-quarter try at the CBS Arena.

Eddie Jones names his squad for the Championship on Tuesday morning and the 21-year-old back row, who can also play hooker, has hit blockbusting form after overcoming a run of significant injuries.

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Zach Mercer on Eddie Jones

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      Zach Mercer on Eddie Jones

      Shields believes England will have been monitoring his progress carefully, while noting that he is no longer able to stay under the radar on the field.

      “They’ll have a whole two eyes on him!” Shields said. “He’s been class. He’s come up with a couple of key turnovers in the last two weeks that have really changed the game.

      “He’s a bruiser. He carries the ball hard and makes big shots in defence. The thing about young fellas these days is that they are a bit of hybrid.

      Wasps Toulouse Champions Cup
      (Photo by PA)
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      “He has got some unreal skill, the way he offloads, the way he plays through contact and keeps his feet alive in contact. That’s pretty special.

      “He had a magnet on his head against Toulouse, he seemed to get hit a lot. The reality of rugby is that if you are a good player then teams will start to target you. He is expecting that.

      “The way he alters his game means he can keep standing up for the rest of the boys.

      “If you look at Manu Tuilagi, he is one of the best ball-carriers in the world because he keeps adapting his game to keep the defence guessing. That’s what Alfie is doing.

      “He has been class for us and for a young fella he wants to express himself. If we can control his game and get him moving in the right direction, giving him opportunities, then that will be a good sign.”

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      JW 1 hour ago
      Reds vs Blues: Ex-All Black missed the mark, Lynagh’s Wallabies statement

      Agree re Lynagh.


      Disagree Beaver got it wrong. Blues made that look easy. It might be a brawn over brains picture though? More in the last point, but, and this may have changed by player selection, the Reds were very lucky this game. Tele’a should not have been red carded as Ryan landed on his shoulder, and both Tate and Jock (was it) should have been yellowed carded for their offenses in stopping tries. We also had a try dissallowed by going back 10 phases in play. We all should have learned after the RWC that that is against the rules. So straight away on this simple decisions alone the result changes to go in the Blues favour, away from home and playing fairly poorly. The sleeping giant if you will. I didn’t agree with the Blues take either tbh, but to flip it around and say it’s the Reds instead is completely inaccurate (though a good side no doubt you have to give them a chance).


      And you’re also riding the wave of defense wins matches a bit much. Aside from Dre’s tackling on Rieko I didn’t see anything in that match other than a bit of tiny goal line defending. I think if you role on the tap for another second you see the ball put placed for the try (not that I jump to agree with Eklund purely because he was adamant), and in general those just get scored more often than not. They are doing something good though stopping line breaks even if it is the Blues (and who also got over the line half a dozen times), I did not expect to be greeted with that stat looking at the game.

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      Ashley Carson 1 hour ago
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