FIGHTING CHANCE
Supersub Jamie ready for Springboks scrap
JAMIE BLAMIRE has convinced England he is up to starting against South Africa by graduating with honours from ‘Fight Club’.
Supersub Blamire has not played a single match from the off ALL season either for club or country.
Yet Newcastle’s young reserve hooker is the first England forward ever to score a try in four successive internationals.
And if six tries in the first four matches of his fledgling Test career is not astonishing enough, he now finds himself in line to face the world champions at Twickenham on Saturday.
Injuries to Luke Cowan-dickie and Jamie George has left England’s cupboard bare when it comes to experience at hooker.
Yet forwards coach Matt Proudfoot, who steered the Springboks to their 2019 World Cup Final victory over England before swapping sides, says Blamire, if called upon, has the mettle to trump his lack of experience.
Proudfoot said: “In Jamie we identified a strong character and someone who has a lot of personal fight.
“When he came into camp in the summer we chucked him into what we call the ‘Fight Club’ – where the front row do a lot of extra work – and the way he ripped in was really promising.
“It showed a lot about what is inside the man. We know he has a big future ahead of him and we’ve invested in him.”
Blamire is a rookie when it comes to the set-piece and a hat-trick of tries on his only start against Canada and one apiece against USA, Tonga and Australia does not change that.
However, Proudfoot added: “Whenever an opportunity presents itself, it’s about how the person grabs that opportunity.
“Jamie will improve over the years, he’ll improve his technique. But on Saturday it’s about what’s in that jersey – who is putting that white jersey on.”
Meanwhile, Freddie Steward has hailed the advice of Owen Farrell and Maro Itoje not to play scared.
The full-back, 20, who was man of the match against Australia last Saturday, revealed the single piece of advice that has launched his Test career skywards.
“To play without fear,” he said. “I spoke to some of the older lads, Faz and Maro and Joe Marler, and asked them what it’s like to play in front of 80,000.
“They said, ‘Don’t be scared of that sort of occasion. Don’t let it get to you and don’t play with fear.’”