Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Waiting for Saracens chance 'really tough' for hat-trick hero Tompkins

Nick Tompkins breaks clear to score his second try in the Premiership semi-final. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Nick Tompkins is plotting his own route to the top after his hat-trick propelled Saracens into the Gallagher Premiership final at the expense of Gloucester.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tompkins struck in the third quarter of the 44-19 victory at Allianz Park, having come on as a replacement for injured captain Brad Barritt, who is set to be ruled out of the Twickenham showpiece on Saturday by a torn hamstring.

The 24-year-old centre was part of the England Under-20 side captained by Maro Itoje that won the Junior World Championship in 2014, yet his career has developed less spectacularly compared to his Saracens team-mate, who was magnificent against Gloucester.

“You look at it and say, ‘why am I not doing as well as Maro?’ Well, I’m not a freak and he is unbelievable!” said Tompkins, who ran in the three tries on his 100th appearance for the club.

“You’ve got to realise everyone is different, everyone takes their own journey. And that is tough, I would say that takes time and that takes a bit of maturity as well.

“When you are younger, you are throwing your toys out of the pram, you want to be there straight away.

“That’s one of the great lessons I have learnt at this club – biding my time. But you have got to keep working, because if you stop you go backwards.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Barritt’s hamstring problem has created an opening in the starting XV for the final against Exeter, but chances will continue to be limited for Tompkins next season, when Duncan Taylor returns from injury and Elliot Daly arrives from Wasps.

“It’s tough, it’s really tough, because you have got to weigh up whether you are doing the right thing and ask if you are good enough,” he said.

“You have all these sort of questions going through your head and you have to look closely at those. But you also have to work hard. You can’t give up.

“There’s an element of biding my time and pushing myself knowing that I can be in this team and contribute.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Having that self-belief is one of the hardest things, but it is also easy when you have great people around you.”

Jim Hamilton on Bastareaud’s MLR impact:

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours 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 2 hours 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.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'There will be no honeymoon period for Borthwick's wedding usher El-Abd' 'There will be no honeymoon period for Borthwick's wedding usher El-Abd'
Search