The northern hemisphere teams put their differences aside and come together every four years to make up a team of British and Irish Lions. Competition for places is the hottest topic ahead of the tour but no word is rolled out more during the buildup than “bolter”.
In my previous article, I took a look at the big men up front, the props, the hookers and what their chances are of making a test team. In that article, I took the low-hanging fruit of talking about a player with an outside chance. Leinster’s Jack Boyle was my pick of the lot to make a late charge into Andy Farrell’s touring squad. The young loosehead was released from Irish camp to play for his province in the URC and he had a standout game versus Swansea’s Ospreys. The 22-year-old had an impressive game in an otherwise underwhelming win for the Irish side.
His 53-minute performance may have even earned him a place on Ireland’s bench in their upcoming Six Nations game versus Wales. Ireland’s bench is currently being locked down by Cian Healy, but the Irish stalwart may be in his final season of professional rugby and now is the time to look to the future.
Given Wales’ recent run of results, 14 losses in a row, now could be the perfect opportunity to test Boyle and see how he performs on the international stage. My bolter campaign announcement could commence this very weekend, so keep your eyes peeled.
However, this isn’t about Boyle, but it is about a bolter. A Wallabies bolter. That’s right, after one week of Super Rugby Pacific, I am ready to pin my colours to the mast. The early bird gets the worm and if this player puts in another performance like last week, he’ll be on everyone’s radar.
Nick Champion de Crespigny. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)
He’s a new arrival to his team. He has a name that some fans may do a double take over. He punched holes in the opposition line, playing a vital role in his side’s comeback win. That’s right, it’s Nick Champion de Crespigny. The Western Force blindside flanker is now the lead singer of my band locally deemed the hardest-working band in Australia.
Champion de Crespigny arrived in Perth off the back of three years in the Top 14 with Castres Olympique, a small-town team, built in a Moneyball style to deliver results far and above their budget. CdC stands at 6′ 4″ and weighs in at 110kg and didn’t waste any time in laying down a marker in Super Rugby Pacific.
In his first game for the Western Force, CdC made 15 tackles (missing once), made 12 carries for some of the hardest 15 metres you’ll see. Champion de Crespigny was called on to clean up messy ball time and time again, a selfless performance that will go a long way to winning over teammates, his coaches and Joe Schmidt alike. Not to mention, the blindside took three lineouts to add a third layer to the Force’s lineout armoury. It’s this aspect of his game that is most promising in my bolter campaign.
Liam Wright made a terrific return to the international arena off the back of an incredibly consistent Super Rugby Pacific season last year. His lineout work was instrumental in his return and we’ve seen how Joe Schmidt and his Wallabies coaches value the lineout through their consistent selection of Jeremy Williams and Nick Frost in particular.
Nick Champion de Crespigny of the Force drives towards Moana Pasifika defenders. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)
The Western Force’s newest recruit is an imposing figure on the field and looks to be the perfect power player to combine with Carlo Tizzano’s breakdown work and Reed Prinsep’s ranging runs. But in all seriousness, one game versus Moana Pasifika does not a Wallaby make, but it was a terrific start for a player who surely made it onto Joe Schmidt’s radar once he landed back on Australian shores. It’s a long Super Rugby Pacific season and Nic White has already addressed his side’s gruelling schedule and the Force have always been affected by the depth of their squad.
Losing Harry Hoopert and Harry Johnson-Holmes in the buildup to week one has already put them on the back foot. But if Nick Champion de Crespigny can put together back-to-back performances throughout the year, I think he has a strong case to make the next step into a Wallabies squad.
I can’t wait to watch the rest of the Super Rugby Pacific Season.
