Rugby
Thompson sprint sessions for improving
England back Marcus Smith has praised the role of Olympic great Daley Thompson in improving his speed.
Smith wants to emulate the attacking ability of New Zealand playmakers Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett.
The 24-year-old has made some eye-catching appearances off the bench, but at full-back rather than fly-half, and scored two tries in his only World Cup start against Chile.
“For five or six years, I’ve been working hard on my speed,” Smith said.
“Guys like Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett have the ability to score not just 10-metre tries but from 50 or 60 metres out. That’s something that I’ve wanted to add to my game.”
The Harlequin produced a superb solo score in the 71-0 Pool D victory against Chile on 23 September, accelerating past multiple defenders to regather his own grubber kick.
Smith says his work with two-time Olympic decathlon gold medallist Thompson is clearly paying off.
“Credit goes to people who I’ve worked with down in Brighton and Daley Thompson and the guys that I work with in America,” Smith added.
“They put a lot of effort into me and I’ve loved every minute training with those guys. It’s been a joy and it has definitely opened my eyes to sprinting and speed work.”
Care replicates Shearer celebration
Danny Care’s late try gave England an 18-17 victory over Samoa in their final pool game, which was the scrum-half’s first score for his country since 2018.
The 36-year-old celebrated by putting his hand up to the sky to replicate the famous goal celebration of former Newcastle and England striker Alan Shearer.
“It has been on my mind that I haven’t scored many tries for England, especially recently being out of the fold for a few years – you never think you’re going to get another opportunity like that,” Care said.
“I decided that if I did do it, I’d enjoy it and do an Alan Shearer celebration across the stadium.”
England now face Fiji on Sunday in the quarter-finals in Marseille. They will seek to avoid a repeat of their final warm-up game in August, which the Pacific Island nation won 30-22.
“I don’t know if we had won by 20 or 30 points [against Samoa] if that would be a good thing,” Care told the Rugby Daily podcast.
“We can’t play like that this weekend as the likelihood is if you do, you are going home. We know we are going to have to be a lot better and I think we will be.
“It is what dreams are made of to be in a quarter-final of a World Cup. I can’t wait to get to Marseille and get stuck in and hopefully keep the run going.”
— Reports /TrainViral/