DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
ComeAllWithin (Harlequins Rugby)
HTML https://comeallwithin.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: ComeAllWithin Board
*****************************************************
#Post#: 152286--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ruan 'Sampie' Swiegers
DIR By: Yareet
Date: April 2, 2026, 1:28 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: never sleep link ---
>
> Are you including yourself in this statement?
> If so - how are you managing it? Do you have a painting in
your attic?
>
--- End Quote ---
Please. That’s soooo Victorian.
There is however the odd ritual slaughter tat happens in my
garden
#Post#: 152288--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ruan 'Sampie' Swiegers
DIR By: Quinky
Date: April 2, 2026, 1:44 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> Please. That’s soooo Victorian.
>
> There is however the odd ritual slaughter tat happens in my
garden
>
--- End Quote ---
I saw a slaughter recently. It was at The Rec, when Sarries
visited...
#Post#: 152289--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ruan 'Sampie' Swiegers
DIR By: poorfour
Date: April 2, 2026, 2:58 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> Far be it from me to question Bomb but I think that depends
what you mean by “top level”.
>
> Asher, Fasogban, Sela are all playing Prem/European rugby and
around the England squad. Iyogun is 26 now but apparently made
his European debut in the Champs Cup quarters at 19 and played
in a Prem SF at 20/21.
>
> Props are getting younger
>
--- End Quote ---
Baxter has just turned 24 and until his foot injury had been a
near constant in the England matchday squad since he was 22. The
last players to do that were Genge and Sinckler, 9 years ago,
and the last player before that was Marler. Joe Heyes had a
brief stint when he was 21 but has had to work his way back via
England A.
There are more props playing Prem rugby at a young age, but one
to two props a decade being ready for international level in
their early 20s still sounds pretty rare to me.
Even within that group, Baxter is more rounded than the others.
He's a better scrummager than Genge is (or Marler was at that
age) while also being a better carrier than any of them except
Genge and a better defender than any of them bar Marler at his
peak. Sinckler was a better distributor.
Fasogbon, Sela and Opoku Fordjour all have high potential but
think what Bomb was saying is that there is a reason that they
are not yet England regulars while Baxter - who played in the
same age grade teams - is.
#Post#: 152290--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ruan 'Sampie' Swiegers
DIR By: Yareet
Date: April 2, 2026, 6:33 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: poorfour link ---
>
> Baxter has just turned 24 and until his foot injury had been a
near constant in the England matchday squad since he was 22. The
last players to do that were Genge and Sinckler, 9 years ago,
and the last player before that was Marler. Joe Heyes had a
brief stint when he was 21 but has had to work his way back via
England A.
>
> There are more props playing Prem rugby at a young age, but
one to two props a decade being ready for international level in
their early 20s still sounds pretty rare to me.
>
> Even within that group, Baxter is more rounded than the
others. He's a better scrummager than Genge is (or Marler was at
that age) while also being a better carrier than any of them
except Genge and a better defender than any of them bar Marler
at his peak. Sinckler was a better distributor.
>
> Fasogbon, Sela and Opoku Fordjour all have high potential but
think what Bomb was saying is that there is a reason that they
are not yet England regulars while Baxter - who played in the
same age grade teams - is.
>
--- End Quote ---
Couple of points:
Baxter isn’t the same age grade as that group. He’s 2002, Asher
and Afo are 2004; Sela’s 2005.
For me, part of the reason so few props broke through for that
decade is that we had: Marler, Genge, Mako, Cole, Sinckler. In
2019, we only took 5 props to Japan and we had 5 Lions-standard
players (I know Genge hadn’t made a lions tour yet).
But despite that, it’s not 1-2 per decade. You mentioned Hayes
at 21. Rodd made his England debut at 21 and went to the World
Cup at 23.
Away from England, off the top of my head the names the spring
to mind are Archie Griffin (got his wales debut at 22), Demba
Bamba (played for France the year after winning the 20s World
Cup) and Angus Bell (got his first Oz cap at 20).
There’ll be loads if I dig further.
None of that is to diminish Baxter’s ability but playing Test
rugby at prop before you’re 25 is far from unusual.
#Post#: 152293--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ruan 'Sampie' Swiegers
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: April 3, 2026, 3:10 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: poorfour link ---
>
> Baxter has just turned 24 and until his foot injury had been a
near constant in the England matchday squad since he was 22. The
last players to do that were Genge and Sinckler, 9 years ago,
and the last player before that was Marler. Joe Heyes had a
brief stint when he was 21 but has had to work his way back via
England A.
>
> There are more props playing Prem rugby at a young age, but
one to two props a decade being ready for international level in
their early 20s still sounds pretty rare to me.
>
> Even within that group, Baxter is more round than the others.
He's a better scrummager than Genge is (or Marler was at that
age) while also being a better carrier than any of them except
Genge and a better defender than any of them bar Marler at his
peak. Sinckler was a better distributor.
>
> Fasogbon, Sela and Opoku Fordjour all have high potential but
think what Bomb was saying is that there is a reason that they
are not yet England regulars while Baxter - who played in the
same age grade teams - is.
>
--- End Quote ---
Sorry. Juvenile I know. Couldn't resist.
*****************************************************
Page 4 of 4
DIR Previous Page