It is most obvious when Launchbury is hoisted high in the air to receive
restarts. âI would say that is one of the hardest skills in rugby, and
especially one of the hardest for a forward,â he says.
âWhen you catch a normal high ball as a full-back you can choose the flight of
the ball and get underneath it, whereas as a forward on a pod, you obviously
have to choose very early where it is going to land. Once you are lifted,
you canât really move.â
And Launchbury is very good at it, too, although there was a moment at the
start of Englandâs opening RBS Six
Nations match in Paris when he soared high but could not make the
catch. Behind him, poor Jack Nowell was taken by surprise and knocked on
with his first touch in international rugby.
âThat was my fault,â Launchbury admits. âObviously itâs his role to sweep in
behind but I should have taken the ball.â
It is a rare moment of regret for Launchbury from a tournament in which he
excelled. The only other moment really was the interception try he gifted to Italyâs
Leonardo Sarto late in the final match as England pressed to increase their
points difference.
âThat was disappointing,â he says. âWe were probably chasing the game a bit
too hard and nine times out of 10 I would never have thrown the pass. Mako
[Vunipola] was calling for the ball nice and loud on the outside, and he
apologised afterwards, saying he was too keen.â
You live by the sword, and you die by the sword, as coach Stuart Lancaster
said afterwards. The interception came in the wide channel in which
Launchbury did so much fine work during the championship. Who can forget the
game-saving tap tackle on Irelandâs Dave Kearney at Twickenham?
We are talking at a sun-blessed Twickenham as Launchbury prepares for
Saturdayâs match â âThe Stingerâ â there for Wasps against Gloucester, and
Launchbury gazes out at the pristine turf with a fond memory of that
incident and many others this season.
âItâs not something a second row would normally do but I was in the right
place at the right time,â he says modestly. âItâs probably my only tap
tackle. It was the end of a very tough Test match. We were all pretty tired.â
Launchbury mentions there about doing unusual work for a second row, and it is
a familiar theme when assessing his play. He just does not look like a
second row for a start.
Yes, he may be 6ft 6in, but he is only 18st 2lb, and, although currently
sporting a scar under his left eye, he is almost baby-faced.
But the game has changed. Launchbury is the epitome of the modern-day second
row isnât he? He laughs. It is a frequently asked question.
âI donât ever want to be known as someone who canât do the old school-type
tight-five work,â he replies. âBut I do really enjoy the way, especially the
England pack, are going in terms of wanting to use the ball effectively and
be athletic around the pitch.â
Indeed Launchbury quite enjoys impersonating an openside flanker. Before Wales
played England, the British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton admitted
that, in reviewing Englandâs victory over Ireland, he had been astounded by
the brilliance of Launchbury over the ball. âThree open-field turnovers!â
Warburton exclaimed.
âIt is something the whole team has worked on very hard with Graham Rowntree
[forwards coach],â Launchbury says. âIt is a decision-making thing as much
as anything. I donât think you should necessarily go looking for it. Luckily
in that Ireland game, a few fell right in front of me and I was kind of
there at the right place to make the decision.â
Launchbury is being far too modest again. The truth is that, were a Lions side
being picked now, he and Courtney Lawes would undoubtedly make up the
second-row pairing. But it has been back to the day job of late. And now
âThe Stingerâ match, a rebranding of Waspsâ former St Georgeâs Day match at
HQ that has not taken place for two years.
A humdrum-looking fixture between two misfiring sides (Wasps eighth and
Gloucester ninth) is given life by the chase for seventh place in the Aviva
Premiership and therefore a play-off spot for next seasonâs new European
Rugby Champions Cup.
âIt is a massive game,â Launchbury says. âThe seventh place play-off is now a
massive goal for us. Itâs an achievable goal. And hopefully we can attract
some new fans who have not seen us play before. Itâs a great place to play,
and a great pitch. Hopefully we will do it justice.â
Launchbury will, we know that much. Whether Wasps will is a different matter.
Article source: http://www.espnscrum.com/scotland/rugby/story/215115.html
Playing cricket has really helped my rugby, says Joe Launchbury as career ...
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