Latest news with #TomRoebuck
South Wales Argus
4 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Carpenter ready for a piece of England action this summer
The flying full-back's best pal, Tom Roebuck, took his opportunity with both hands against Wales in the Six Nations, scoring an early try in the 68-14 demolition job at Principality Stadium. Carpenter's fellow Sale Sharks stars Bevan Rodd, Asher Opoku-Fordjour and the Curry twins have also all shone in the white jersey and the 23-year-old hopes to cap another stellar domestic season with his first caps on this summer's tour of Argentina and the USA. 'It would mean everything,' he said. 'It's what everyone dreams of as a kid, my close mates here have managed that and are really stepping into this environment and thriving, the likes of Tom Roebuck, Bevan Rodd and Asher. 'To see those boys do it makes you want to do it more. Seeing Tom, one of my best friends at Sale, get his first cap and first try was fantastic and that makes you want to do it as well. 'The step up from Premiership to Test rugby is massive, so we've spoken about what it demands of you mentally and physically. 'For me, it's all about implementing that in training as best I can for when that opportunity comes so it's not a shock to the system. 'You have to be mentally and physically in the right place for when that opportunity comes and you be ready to grab it with both hands. That's what I'm going after.' Carpenter had a taste of the senior England set-up in New Zealand and Japan last summer but didn't make an appearance on the tour. He was able to stake a claim to be involved this time around as part of a 33-man training squad who assembled at Pennyhill Park in the build-up to the tour, a camp which saw another of his teammates, George Ford, come to the fore as one of the experienced operators in a youthful group. Ford has been orchestrating the talented Sharks backline all season and Carpenter is soaking up every bit of knowledge he can from the in-form 32-year-old. 'Fordy is fantastic,' he said. 'He is a true leader in every sense, not just the way he speaks but the way he drives standards, the way he pushes everyone to be better. 'He's had a massive influence on me and how I perform. He is one of those that he loves it when it's going well but he'll let you know when you're not doing it right, which ultimately is what you need. 'To have someone like him, with the IQ he has, knowing exactly how he wants us to play the game and telling you in the moment what he wants, it just drives you to be better in the next moment in the game. He has been fantastic for us.' Carpenter's immediate aim is to help Sale Sharks into the Premiership play-offs but should they fail to make the final, he may have an audition for a spot on tour when an England XV welcome a France XV to Allianz Stadium on June 21. 'For me, it's about getting on that plane,' he added. 'I didn't quite manage to get a cap last year but the experience was fantastic. 'Training with the first team was something you can only learn from and to be in the environment was massive. This year, I'm hoping for that opportunity.' England XV face France XV at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday 21 June at 3:15pm. Tickets from £25, please visit
Telegraph
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers: Visitors score 23 unanswered points in first half
Latest updates Ben Coles Rugby Reporter 21 March 2025 • 8:27pm 8:33PM It's been a while The last time that @LeicesterTigers held @SaintsRugby scoreless in a first-half at Franklin's Gardens was in September 1988, 16-0. Leicester won that one 30-19. — Stuart Farmer (@Stu_Farmer) March 21, 2025 8:31PM Half-time score from Newcastle And Sale are in front, leading 27-10 at the break. Tom Roebuck looking sharp again after his try for England in Cardiff. Tom Roebuck taking names again! Rob du Preez applies the finish for @SaleSharksRugby after a brilliant run, 360 turn and offload from Roebuck 😮 #GallagherPrem | #NEWvSAL — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 21, 2025 8:28PM HALF-TIME: Northampton 0-23 Leicester Leicester take their time, chewing the clock into the red, and it's played quickly off the top and put into touch by Van Poortvliet. Northampton scoreless at the break! Who saw that coming? Leicester well worth their commanding lead after tries from Radwan, Van Poortvliet and Cracknell. J. V. P. The @LeicesterTigers scrum-half does it all himself against the noisy neighbours 😤 Watch live on @rugbyontnt 📺 #GallagherPrem | #NORvLEI — Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) March 21, 2025 8:27PM 39 mins - Northampton 0-23 Leicester Crowd doing their best to lift Northampton before the break. They have the ball, around halfway. Smith kicks high, good height but Leicester win it back and then pin Northampton back again with a Van Poortvliet box kick. Rare error from Steward overruning a high kick, and Hutchinson bangs a touchfinder deep into Leicester's 22. They will try now to pressure the away lineout. 8:24PM 37 mins - Northampton 0-23 Leicester That's another good-looking Northampton scrum but Leicester come away with it and kick clear. Langdon trying to return and does well for a moment, but the ball is in touch. Off a Leicester player apparently, Northampton's lineout. 8:22PM 36 mins - Northampton 0-23 Leicester Northampton scrum penalty! It's on Nicky Smith for collapsing, the hosts needed that. Lineout from halfway, trying to lift the tempo to get something before the break.... but they knock on. Leicester could not have dreamed of a better half. 8:20PM 34 mins - Northampton 0-23 Leicester Another Northampton knock-on, giving Leicester a scrum in a threatening position. Pollard chips high over to Hassell-Collins and that's spoiled by Hendy but did not go forwards. Steward does however knock on in a big tackle. 8:17PM 30 mins - Northampton 0-20 Leicester Northampton trying to play out of their half and it backfires with another breakdown penalty, think that may have been Heyes. Pollard going for the posts again.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
10-try England humiliate Wales in Six Nations finale
England have produced one of their best performances for years to crush hapless Wales by a record 68-14 scoreline to finish the Six Nations on a high. Their victory ensured the title will be decided in the final match of the tournament between France and Scotland on "Super Saturday." France will clinch the title with a win over the Scots. "Maybe I'll start singing 'The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond,'" England captain Maro Itoje smiled — referring to the famous Scottish ditty — when asked what he'll be doing during the France-Scotland game. "What will be, will be. We did our job." England were in total control from the start and tries by Maro Itoje, Tom Roebuck, Tommy Freeman - who became the first Englishman to score in all five rounds of the competition – Chandler Cunningham-South and Will Stuart put them 33-7 ahead at halftime. Debutant 20-year-old flanker Henry Pollock came off the bench to score two tries and Alex Mitchell, Joe Heyes and Cunningham-South crossed after the break to take the tally to 10. England easily surpassed their previous biggest victory margin in Cardiff, the 43-9 success in a 2003 World Cup warm-up, and their previous highest score, 44-15 in 2001. The Welsh have now lost all of their matches for two straight campaigns, as they succumbed in an international for a record-extending 17th time in a row.
Reuters
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Ten-try England destroy Wales to retain Six Nations title hopes
CARDIFF, March 15 (Reuters) - England produced one of their best performances for years to crush hapless Wales by a record 68-14 scoreline on Saturday to finish the Six Nations on a high and retain a chance of winning the title should France fail to beat Scotland later. England have 20 points after winning four matches for the first time since taking the title in 2020 but France, on 16, will almost certainly top the standings with any sort of Paris victory in Paris due to their huge points-difference advantage. Ireland finished on 19 after a 22-17 win over Italy and Wales will come last for the second year in a row after their 17th successive defeat – a record for a Tier One nation since the game went professional. England were in total control from the start and tries by Maro Itoje, Tom Roebuck, Tommy Freeman - who became the first Englishman to score in all five rounds of the competition – Chandler Cunningham-South and Will Stuart put them 33-7 ahead at halftime. Debutant 20-year-old flanker Henry Pollock came off the bench to score two tries and Alex Mitchell, Joe Heyes and Cunningham-South crossed after the break to take the tally to 10 as England easily surpassed their previous biggest victory margin in Cardiff, the 43-9 success in a 2003 World Cup warm-up, and their previous highest score (44-15 in 2001).
Telegraph
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
‘You are going to war' – How Tom Roebuck trained his mind for aerial battle in Cardiff
Tom Roebuck is discussing the art of winning high balls. There is the way you track the ball with your eyes as well as the dedicated gym programme he is given at Sale Sharks to improve his explosive jumping power. Then there are all the conversations he will have around the Sale training ground with George Ford so that Roebuck, who starts his first England Test against Wales on Saturday, will recognise the subtlest of cues that the fly-half is about to launch a high bomb. Yet for the technical and physical work the 6ft 2in winger spends on honing these fine details, winning a high ball is fundamentally a mental test. When you are launching yourself several feet into the air with no crash mat to cushion your fall, it is often a case of who blinks first. The slightest flinch can result in losing a 50-50. So Roebuck, who sets himself a target of winning between four or six high balls through slapbacks or clean catches, needs to get himself in the right mental state before the game. And that means going to war. 'There's the element of the skill and the practice of it making sure your body's in the right position, but a lot of it is who wants it more,' Robeuck tells Telegraph Sport. 'You might see a lot of lads who jump a bit hesitantly and you know they are not getting the ball back. You understand you may run into someone, you may get clattered in the air and come down a bit worse for wear, but you have to relish that side of the game and get yourself in that mental position where you are going to war. 'A lot of it is when you're lining up to chase a kick, it is 'I am going to get this ball back, I'm going to be the guy who gets this ball back'. Then you need to make sure you run as hard as you possibly can, put your whole body into the contest, rather than just your arm. Focus solely on the ball in the air rather than the people around you. When you are in the air, there's definitely an element of who wants that ball more than the other guy. If you are willing to go that extra inch to put your body on the line then you are more likely to come down with the ball.' "KING OF THE SKIES" 👑 😲 Some take from Tom Roebuck #GallagherPrem #SALvNEW — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) October 11, 2024 This is not to say that Roebuck is a one-trick pony. He has racked up nine tries in 12 games this season for Sale. He highlights the match against Racing 92 in the Champions Cup where he scored one and set up a try for full-back Joe Carpenter as his favourite performance of the season. Playing opposite Henry Arundell, he won the battle in the air and on the ground and was always looking for work. 'I don't want to be a winger that sits on the edge waiting for the ball to come to him,' Roebuck said. 'I want to go find it and get as many carries as I can.' He has also made his tackling a point of pride under Sale's new defence Byron McGuigan. 'I want to be up there with the big boys, big hits,' Roebuck said. 'Just because you're a winger doesn't mean you can't do that. I'm not there yet. I'm definitely not the perfect [wing], far from it, but I want to make sure I can try.' But as England head coach Steve Borthwick stated on Wednesday, it is Roebuck's aerial ability that is his point of difference. Roebuck points out, this is not an element of the game you learn as a child or even really features at grass-roots level. It is not something everyone can do, as anyone will know who has seen the half-time shows involving fans often comically misjudging the trajectory of high balls. But in the elite game where winning back possession and territory is so important, it has become a crucial battleground, which is why Roebuck dedicates so much time to it. This is also why he has been thrust into the starting XV against Wales after three appearances as a replacement in 2023. 'It is definitely a factor,' Borthwick said. 'You look at how Wales have been playing in recent weeks, they've reduced the number of rucks and phases they play in their own half, gone more high ball and contestable kicks. [Gareth] Anscombe dropping into the pocket as soon as the ball is slow and putting high balls in. That's the way they've chosen to play. I've no doubt that is what they will try and do this weekend. I think that is what they will try and bring.' It is practically a rite of passage for a young English wing to be targeted under the high ball with 70,000-odd Welsh fans roaring themselves hoarse under the closed roof of the Principality Stadium. Yet if nothing else, Roebuck does not lack for confidence. In all three of his appearances as a replacement, Roebuck made an instant impression for England. In his very first touch in international rugby, he left a trail of Japan defenders in his wake. Against South Africa he won one high-ball contest against the world champions before scoring his maiden try against Japan at the Allianz Stadium. As promising as these cameos were, Roebuck made clear in this interview before the Six Nations that he was not 'comfortable' just being in and around the squad. 'Comfortable is not the word I would use,' Roebuck said. 'I think if you're comfortable, you're sitting back, just enjoying the ride. I don't think I want to just enjoy the ride. I want to push and compete in that squad. I still have not started for England. I have only played three times and they have all been off the bench. It is special, don't get me wrong, playing for England, but it has not been amazing yet. I understand that. I would like to go on to get a number 14 or a number 11 on my back rather than a No 23. You can't get a No 23 shirt framed really, can you?'
