The best back-rower no one talks about

It’s fair to say that it’s not been a bad start to the 2016/17 season from Wasps.

The West Midlands club are undefeated through their first five games and have dazzled with the efficiency and clinical nature of their play.

They were always expected to be in the mix for top spot in the Aviva Premiership after a successful 2015/16 season and having splurged on offseason recruits such as Danny Cipriani, Tommy Taylor, Kurtley Beale, Matt Symons, Kyle Eastmond, Marty Moore and the 2017 arrival of Willie le Roux.

That said, the club lost two of its most impressive performers from last season in Charles Piutau and George Smith and were unfortunate to lose their inspirational leader, James Haskell, to an injury he suffered on England’s tour of Australia this summer.

With those three missing and a customary bedding in period expected for the new additions, no one tipped Wasps to make such a blistering start to the season.

They have already taken on Midlands rivals Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints – at Welford Road and Franklin’s Gardens – and beaten them, as well safely navigating a visit to the Ricoh Arena from Exeter Chiefs, a team who caused Wasps plenty of problems last season. They have also put Bristol to the sword, running in 10 tries and wracking up 70 points against the recently promoted side.

As the results suggest, there has been no shortage of impressive performers in this run.

Jimmy Gopperth looks to the manor born at 12, shifting out from 10 to make space for the equally-impressive Cipriani, whilst Elliot Daly and Christian Wade have looked as dangerous as ever. New boy Taylor has solidified Wasps’ set-piece and versatile back rower Guy Thompson has been lauded for his dynamic carrying.

One player going under the radar, however, is loose forward Sam Jones.

Jones may be the best flanker in the Premiership that no one talks about and his recent addition to England’s Elite Player Squad is a fitting reward for his effort. The abilities he has shown over the first five weeks of the season demonstrate just why he is so valuable to Wasps.

He has been the primary source of the quick, clean ball that Wasps have been able to flourish with. Whether he is clearing out at the ruck and securing the ball or managing to break the gain line with his carries and keep Wasps on the front foot, his motor has been non-stop so far this season. It’s clearly those attributes which have seen him win the admiration of the England coaching staff.

It’s a role Jones has played well for Wasps since he broke through alongside the likes of Wade, Daly and Billy Vunipola, but with more ‘eye-catching’ players in the back row such as Haskell, Smith, Serge Betsen, Nathan Hughes and Ashley Johnson, Jones has slipped under the radar these past few years.

With Haskell injured, Smith having departed and Johnson now working primarily in the front row, the onus on Jones to step up in these duties this season has been significant and he has not disappointed.

This season is backing up a successful England Saxons tour for Jones and were it not for injuries over the last few seasons, it’s probably fair to say that the 24-year-old may have been in the senior England mix for their tour of Australia.

It’s clear to see that Eddie Jones values versatility in the back row – despite his former comments about out and out sevens – with the likes of Jack Clifford and Teimana Harrison capable of playing across all three positions. The Wasps back rower has that same ability, having been the club’s jack of all trades in the loose forwards for years now.

Unfortunately, it looks as if an ankle injury will derail Jones’ hopes of making his England bow this autumn.

He had looked to be in a contest with Mike Williams to man the England seven jersey when the Springboks come to town in a month’s time, when he could have been going up against the likes of Francois Louw and Warren Whiteley in the South African back row.

He has the physical and technical ability to step up to test level and exhibited that in South Africa with the Saxons this summer and – touch wood – this ankle injury will not herald a rebirth of his injury struggles, the only thing which has really held him back in recent years.

With Wasps fine-tuning their Ferrari of a back line and attaching snow chains to the big old Range Rover of a tight five, little credit goes the way of the less flashy, Citroen Picasso people carrier shuttling back and forth in the back row, but there is no doubt that it has proven invaluable in their excellent start to the season.  

Jones may have to wait to pack down alongside former club and academy teammate Vunipola for England now, but his call-up to the EPS has been a just reward for a player in stellar form.