Haskell raring to get stuck into Burger
Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:54
James Haskell returns to the starting XV this Saturday for England and the 23 year-old Wasps star says he could not be more ready for the challenge of facing Schalk Burger and the rest of his South African teammates at Twickenham on Sunday.
Haskell is the one and only change to the England team which went down 28-14 to the Wallabies last weekend - replacing Tigers flank Tom Croft who drops down to the bench.
Seen as a more physical option than Croft, Haskell is expected to help the underfire England pack challenge the traditionally strong Springbok front eight.
Selected on the flank Haskell is of course set up for a direct run against former World Player of the year, Burger. While the South African No.6 remains someone who Haskell admits to being a huge fan of, he is adamant there will be no let up on Saturday.
While James says he is fully aware of the difficult challenge which lies ahead of him, he certainly does not lack a belief in his own, or his teams, ability to confront the Springboks.
“If I didn't think I was up to the challenge I'd be hiding in my room and be driving my car out of here. I feel I can compete on the international stage.
"Martin has had faith with his players and we've bought faith in to what the coaches have brought. We understand the direction we are going. We are just going to put right what went wrong, end of story."
On Burger Haskell said: "Without sounding cheesy it is a big challenge facing Burger because he is one of the guys I have tried to model my game on.
"He has been one of the best number sixes in the world for a considerable period of time. What makes him a special player is his mentality and his physicality. He combines abrasivenes and commitment with a large amount of skill.
"It's exciting. But I'm not going into this game thinking I have to put in an extra special performance. That would be detrimental. I just want to continue enjoying this set-up, going out there with guys I respect and like."
Having started on the bench for the opening two matches of the November series Haskell can’t wait for his chance from the start and is eager to get the game going and show the world just what he is capable of.
"It has been disappointment and anger that I haven't played. I wanted to take part in the games and have more of an impact than I have done.
"But in this set-up, being involved in the 22 is just as important as starting. It is an exciting time to be involved in English rugby.
"What I bring is ball carrying and tackling and I'll just try to play my normal game. It's how the team plays and how I fit into it. One man can't beat a South Africa team."
Will Haskell make the difference? Can England deliver?
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