mens
gallagher-prime minister
Northampton Saints boss Phil Dowson has backed in-form winger George Hendy for Steve Borthwick’s call-up England squad for next month’s Nations Championship.
England will face Australia, Japan and New Zealand next month before the final weekend at Twickenham, and Dowson says he was the former England U20 and the international Hendy deserves the opportunity to be selected.
Warwick-born Hendy, 24, scored two tries in the PREM Final win over Gallagher Exeter Chiefs last season and has been in sensational form, scoring four tries in the last three games. He was also impressive in the Champions Cup win over Cardiff at the weekend.
He crossed for a try, played a key role in another and earned plaudits for a try save on Wales wing Josh Adams, prompting a celebration for Dowson in the coaches’ box.
Speaking to RugbyPass ahead of this weekend’s East Midlands derby against Leicester, Dowson said: “I think he deserves to be (considered for England), but at Leicester there will be two wings, if not three, who would be in that conversation as well, and they’ve got people like Tommy Freeman and Manny Fey and a few others.
“So there are a lot of players, it’s very competitive, but we really hope George is in those conversations, and I’m sure he is. To play for England, you have to be very, very good. And I think he is.”
“I’ve been very impressed and I think as he’s come through the ranks and I’ve spoken to the coaching group about it, when he goes in the summer he obviously spends a lot of time thinking about what he wants to achieve next year.
“And some of the things he’s worked on in his game are really evident in terms of his defensive organization, his defensive positioning, his actual contact, collision defense,
“His high ball work is great. And I think you saw his athleticism over the weekend.”
