Asher Opoku-Fordjour tipped by Lions coach to gatecrash squad

Telegraph

28-03-2025

Sale Sharks youngster Asher Opoku-Fordjour has emerged as a Lions bolter for his rare ability to play both loosehead and tighthead, according to scrum coach John Fogarty.
The 20-year-old has won just one cap for England, coming on as a replacement against Japan last November, however he is firmly on the Lions radar in part because of a versatility that has become increasingly rare in the modern game, with the honorary exception of Bath and Springbok prop Thomas du Toit.
Opoku-Fordjour is deployed at tighthead for Sale in the Premiership, but England believe that his future lies at loosehead where he has featured for England Under-20s and England A. He did replace Will Stuart at tighthead when he came on against Japan to make his Test debut at the Allianz Stadium.
In a Lions context, the ability to play both sides becomes even more valuable as Fogarty has to weigh up how many props he can take Down Under and how he will rotate his front rows through seven warm-up games leading into the Test series against the Wallabies that begins in Brisbane on July 19.
"Goodness me..." @davidflatman 's reaction to Asher Opoku-Fordjour says it all 😮‍💨
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'There's not too many [who can play both sides],' Fogarty said. 'Cian Healy was such a pleasure to have because he could play tighthead, loosehead and hooker with Ireland. There's not a huge amount. I know Asher at Sale he plays a bit of both sides. He has done both. We will see. I know Andrew Porter has done both, but he has been a loosehead for the last while. Something like that is valuable isn't it?
'We'll see what the number [of props] is. Andy will guide me with what the number should be and people need to be adaptable on a tour like this. It is so exciting and it is such a good opportunity to try out all these things as well. On the last tour they took four hookers. We have had discussions now around you will have a game on the Saturday, you'll have a game on the Wednesday and you'll have a game on the following Saturday. So you will have two front rows involved. If you only have one more left, how does look the following Wednesday and how do we get our reps in?
'Those discussions are happening right now. We went through some scheduling and Andy has tasked us with seeing how we can fit that in so myself and John Dalziel are going to link up over the next couple of days and talk a little bit more on things like that: what's the right number and how can we make that work so we can properly prepare a Saturday team and a Wednesday team.'
Two other tightheads who are also consideration are Kyle Sinckler, who has not represented England since moving to Toulon in the Top 14, and Tadhg Furlong, who has started the last six Tests for the Lions and has been recently been dogged by calf and hamstring injuries before making his Ireland comeback against Ireland.
'He's fit and available,' Fogarty said. 'He's someone who if he is playing and playing to the right levels and his body's good then why not? He has done a tour. He is a world class player. Let's see. We will be watching closely over the next few weeks and months and I think it is important that we do that - we watch closely and we make the right decisions.
'Anyone who is eligible we are looking at them. For me, I understand the importance of this that for the players they will be desperate to go, Kyle included, and I am going to make sure that I go back over as much as possible to make sure we are making the right decisions with combinations, with the individuals. No-one is off the table at this moment in time. We will do the right thing and make sure we are thorough in how we're selecting the team and making sure we're bringing the right people.'
Analysis: Freakish and versatile talent proves hype train is real
Having spent the Six Nations as a specialist trainer for England without a single minute of Test match game-time, over a campaign broken up by his shuttle to and from Sale Sharks for a Premiership Cup fixture against Newcastle Falcons, Asher Opoku-Fordjour would certainly qualify as a rather wild bolter of a British and Irish Lions selection.
Then again, the 20-year-old is a highly intriguing talent who has generated plenty of excitement since his eye-catching performances in age-group action. Two seasons for England Under-20 culminated in World Championship success last summer, where Opoku-Fordjour was integral to a monstrous scrum.
John Fogarty, the Lions scrum coach, will have been robustly alerted to Opoku-Fordjour's promise in December 2023, when, at the age of 19, he acquitted him extremely well in a Champions Cup tussle against Andrew Porter of Leinster. Freakish strength is an obvious asset.
Speak to Nathan Catt, the Rugby Football Union's scrum guru, and he will extol Opoku-Fordjour's diligence and drive to improve the smallest set-piece details. Over time, we will become more accustomed to his explosive dynamism in the loose as well. Refreshingly, though, and thanks in no small part to the guidance of Catt and other coaches, Opoku-Fordjour is among a crop of propping prospects who are truly passionate about scrummaging.
The question of this protégé's position remains open to debate. England are still curious about his potential at loosehead, where he shone for the Under-20 side. He started there for England A against Australia in November. The rationale seems to be that Afolabi Fasogbon and Billy Sela will push through rapidly at tighthead, with Will Stuart and Joe Heyes excellent over the Six Nations for the senior side.
Alex Sanderson, the Sale director of rugby, was delighted that Opoku-Fordjour's Test debut against Japan in autumn came at tighthead, because Sale prefer him there. Sanderson has semi-joked, too, that versatility is a sure-fire way to juicy contracts. Thomas du Toit at Bath, a Springbok ambi-scrummager, is one of the most valuable players in the Premiership.
In the shorter term, flexibility could well nudge one-cap Opoku-Fordjour into the Lions squad and on the way to Australia. There will be midweek matches, particularly towards the Test series, that require contingency plans and adaptability. One high-speed hype train could be about to accelerate to even greater velocity.