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Two key reasons behind Asher Opoku-Fordjour’s England elevation

BAGSHOT, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Asher Opoku-Fordjour looks on during the England training session held at Pennyhill Park on November 04, 2024 in Bagshot, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

England U20 head coach Mark Mapletoft has praised Asher Opoku-Fordjour’s versatility and selflessness after the young prop was called into Steve Borthwick’s senior squad.

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Opoku-Fordjour was added to the squad on Sunday night, along with Bath lock Charlie Ewels, as England regathered to prepare to face Australia at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

The 20-year-old has been used primarily as a tighhead at club level – his five senior starts for Sale Sharks all coming in the No.3 jersey – but mainly lined up on the opposite side of the front row under Mapletoft.

It was in the No.1 jersey that he starred in England’s triumphant U20 Six Nations and World Rugby U20 Championship campaigns this year, and it is at loosehead that he could earn full international honours having come in for the retired Joe Marler.

“The thing that’s impressed me the most about Asher is, you know, he’s a quiet guy, he gets on with his business, but being able to play both sides at the level he’s played [is impressive],” said Mapletoft, who will coach England A against Australia A later this month.

“He was bouncing from playing tighthead at club to coming in to play loosehead for us. Now, there was an element of selfishness for the team in that regard, because we had good tightheads as well.

“We had Billy Sela, we had Jimmy Halliwell, we had Afolabi [Fasogbon] coming back from injury. So, the fact that he was able to park his own personal interests to do what was right for the team was amazing.”

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As a former fly-half, Mapletoft admits that front-row play is the area of the game he knows least about.

However, he describes Opoku-Fordjour’s ability to play loosehead and tighthead as a “great attribute” and believes he could have a long career at the highest level.

Since starting his senior career in the early-1990s, Mapletoft says he has watched props evolve from being “technicians who knew the time of day” into players who use their physicality.

“Life’s experiential so you pick up those opportunities, you learn little things along the way. The more you play, the better you get,” he added, when asked about Opoku-Fordjour’s potential.

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Fixture
Internationals
England
09:10
9 Nov 24
Australia
All Stats and Data

“Some of these lads are huge men and therefore they’re able to hold their own at a young age just physically without necessarily learning all the tricks of the trade.

“If you can combine the two over a period of time, then that’s quite exciting, isn’t it?

“The reality of rugby is you need a scrum. It won’t win you the game, but it makes it awfully difficult to win if you don’t have one.”

England A are due to play their Australian counterparts at Twickenham Stoop on Sunday, November 17.

Mapletoft will name his squad for the match on Wednesday and is expected to select a mix of experience and youth, with several players who excelled under him at U20 level potentially getting a chance to impress.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 1 hour ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

27 Go to comments
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