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‘You want to be the one who dominates’

Hue ManeBy No Comments0 Views
‘You want to be the one who dominates’

Joe Marler loves playing the fool, but when it comes to professionalism in front-row play, he’s a supportive character. Last November, after finishing third with England in the Rugby World Cup, humorous touchline analysis of Harlequins and Sale in the Gallagher Premiership, live on TNT Sports, suddenly became serious.

“You don’t want analysis? So here’s a young die-hard coming off the bench for sale. He replaced James Harper in warm-ups. I am very interested in young, promising frontline players. We are Fin Baxter… But I like the look of this No18 guy.”

Marler isn’t the only one who loves the look of Asher Opoku-Fordjour. The Sharks youngster’s boss Alex Sanderson has been full of praise for the soon-to-be 20-year-old tighthead, who has enjoyed a breakthrough year for the Manchester club, making 11 Prem and Champions Cup appearances.

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Bulls director of rugby Jake White reflects on the devastating losses of the past three weeks.

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Bulls director of rugby Jake White reflects on the devastating losses of the past three weeks.

But the problem is this: Opoku-Fordjour is a talented young player who has switched roles and is also featuring for the England U20s. He finished fourth at last year’s World Rugby U20 Championship and will reprise that role with Mark Mapletoft’s second-team squad at the 2024 tournament this month, ready to secure a place in the semi-finals with the final group on Tuesday. Match against South Africa.

Ask Opoku-Fordjour which position he prefers and you’ll quickly get the answer. “Solid attitude. I’ve been doing this since I started playing props, and I feel like I have a better understanding of how to play tightheads. “That’s the most important thing,” he said. rugby pass Accommodation in the lobby of an England age group hotel in Cape Town is one with a twist for a few days as they share it with their next Pool C opponents, the Junior Boks.

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World Rugby U20 Championship

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“(Playing both sides of the line of scrimmage) really helps. You get the feeling that what it feels like to be tight is something you don’t want to happen to you, and vice versa, and once you feel it helps you play tight. But the only thing I would like to say is that if you play one side for a while after you’ve done it, it’s hard to get the same results right away. “I think it takes a few training sessions to get the feel of the position you’re playing.”

There’s a gentle shyness about Opoku-Fordjour, but he doesn’t hesitate to volunteer information. “It was an honor to hear from someone you grew up with and see what he did in the game. “It was great that he said a few nice words about me.” He spoke about having Mahler pump his tires on live TV.

Rugby has been quite an adventure so far for the promising frontman. Just 21 months ago, The Wasps Academy kid was sacked and told the club was ruined overnight. “I’d say I’m a pretty calm person,” he suggested, recalling the volatile October 2022 situation.

“I was upset to leave the boys. The coaches who taught me what they taught me, that was the most important thing, the relationships I built with everyone in such a short period of time. I felt calm. I wasn’t really worried. I didn’t have an agent at that time. My (current) agent contacted me and he was a pretty calm guy too, so we looked at our options and ended up with Sale.”

The move to Manchester was a big change for the Coventry local, but he quickly felt the vibe of the rugby organization and was hooked. “I think it has become a warm club. Like Opoku-Fordjour, when you enter the building it almost feels like home. I was comfortable there, I knew a few of the boys from the Souths vs North game and it felt right. “I’m glad I made the right decision,” he said.

Sanderson was another factor. “Yes. He made me feel comfortable and I could tell he wanted to give confidence to young players, which not all coaches are willing to do. That was one of the main things.”

What the switch initially meant was a change to Opoku-Fordjour’s National League apprenticeship. He was at Stourbridge during his time at Wasps, but Sale signed him to Sedgley Tigers. For both clubs, tuition at grassroots level was invaluable.

“When I first was at Wasps, I was at Stourbridge and everyone told me it was going to be very physical and tough, but it wasn’t. Getting around the park wasn’t that difficult. The biggest test for me was a tight scrum, and in a short period of time, I learned a lot about what I needed to do, what my body needed to do, what I needed to learn, and the little things I needed to know. About scrumming.

“I can’t pinpoint the exact date, but I know I felt pressure in the scrums several times. It only helps at that age, helps you learn and understand better what to do. .”

Following his loan training, injuries forced Opoku-Fordjour into Sanderson’s first-team plans. He thrived. The coach even claimed his apprentice gave Leinster and Ireland sidekick Andrew Porter a terrible time in Dublin last December. Opoku-Fordjour, who went on to explain what it’s like to do well at tighthead as a 19-year-old rookie, humbly said, “I don’t know the takeaways. I’m going to hold my own, and I’m going to hold my own.”

“Personally, it’s more of a feeling of pride. I don’t want to go back to the past. You want to be the one in control, and I think I have that mentality when I do Scrum. Everyone should have it, and most people have it. You have to keep fighting.

“I would say I’m pretty calm. As I said before, I am a pretty calm person. If it’s like a game-winning scrum, congratulations, but other than that, it’s your job and you have to do it. But it’s an amazing feeling to be able to dominate someone in a scrum.”

One day something bad happened at the office. “I don’t remember (his name) but there was a loose head at the Stormers who I couldn’t figure out and didn’t know what to do. “Yes, he was someone I liked a little bit,” he admitted.

“But there are so many experienced boys at Sale who would be happy to help you and review matters with you to ensure you do your best. “It might not be the exact moment to fix it, but I’m so young that I have time to make mistakes and I have time to learn.”

It’s time to bulk up too. “Obviously, if I want to be a tight prop, I need to add more weight. I just got around to wearing it. I think they could reach 115kg by the end of the year and they will keep pushing from there. “It’s not easy, but you can do it.”

Opoku-Fordjour’s absence from the game was a coincidence. “I would say probably 10, 11. My father is a huge sports fan and watches a lot of sports. As I started to get bigger, he decided to take me (to Broadstreet RFC). He was watching the Six Nations or something and decided to take me to our local rugby club, where I really fell in love with the place.

“At this point it was just a tag. Using your footwork and speed to beat defenders is what I really enjoyed. And I also got to play with my younger brother. That was the pull factor. I wouldn’t say it was bigger (than the rest of the kids at the time), but it was pretty fast. I was pretty quick and agile.”

Ghanaian heritage families are the driving force behind Opoku-Fordjour. “I think I became more serious about (rugby) when I decided to go to college. Most academies have an ACE program with links, and for Wasps it was City of Oxford College. I’m from Coventry so I had to move there. My mom had to pay for my accommodation, so in my head I was like, ‘Okay, now I have to go do this.’ I have to do it.

“Our family is quite close-knit. I also have three brothers, so they all follow me and keep me in check. My mom also always checks in on what I need and tries to do her best. So it’s definitely our family.”

His progress in the game led to a recent trip to Twickenham, where he received the Rising Star Award at the Rugby Black List celebrations. “It felt really good. Being a part of a minority community in the game, I think it’s important for me to have the opportunity to be accepted by that community. “It felt good.”

The same was true for Sale, who played his part in their side’s run to the semi-finals last month, helping them secure a final appearance in the Premiership in 2023. “It felt really good to participate in this work. Last year, I just watched and didn’t participate much, but this year I got to participate.

“You can tell by the boys that everyone wants to fight for each other. Everyone wants the best for each other. It’s a really good feeling and I’m sure we’ll get something next season. Sale is a club where we get the chance to get to know each other both when we are there and during breaks. I think it really helps during difficult moments in the game and helps you too. “Go away.”

His long-term goal is to play for the British and Irish Lions and represent England at Test level, but his current goal is to achieve success with his country’s U20s. “My mum will be attending the third game and my dad will be coming down too,” he enthused about the Championship being shortened to two rounds with the England v New Zealand final set for July 19 at DHL Stadium.

“This is a very special team. Yes, we like to focus on the steps rather than the end result. I believe we can win the World Cup. I don’t want to look too far ahead… But I hope we can keep working to achieve what we came here for.”

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