Ben Spencer: Being with England felt like it was over before it had begun - Now I feel part of this group
Spencer is set for his first England start on Saturday - six years after making his Test debut
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It is still mad to think that one of Ben Spencer’s six England caps came in the 2019 World Cup final.
Representing your country on the biggest of big stages will be the pinnacle for many but in the case of Spencer, it feels like there is still a lot more to come.
The 32-year-old, who made his international debut six years ago, admits playing in a World Cup final is a ‘memory he will treasure for a long time’ but speaking ahead of Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series opener against New Zealand, you get the sense that Spencer’s England career is about to spark into life.
“Feeling really a part of this group is amazing,” Spencer says. “I have been fortunate enough over the last 12 months where I've had a good run in this team, maybe not the amount of caps I potentially would have liked, but being in the squad and around Pennyhill [Park] (England’s training base), and around the team, you feel like you are a part of the team.
“Whereas before, it was tough. I was in and then I was out or I was called in for the last game of a Six Nations or the World Cup final. It was like it was over before it had begun.”
But that might not be the case this time around for the scrum-half.
With Northampton Saints’ Alex Mitchell out with a neck injury, Spencer has been handed a starting berth for the first time in his scattered England career ahead of Bristol Bears’ Harry Randall.
The All Blacks are, of course, up first for Steve Borthwick’s troops, but further Tests against Australia, world champions South Africa and Japan present a golden opportunity for Spencer to show what we can offer on the international stage.
Because watching him in club colours, you are left scratching your head as to why someone as talented as Spencer has only accumulated 81 minutes in an England shirt.
Bath’s No.9 - and captain - has been a key cog in the rise of Johann van Graan’s side over the last two years, with his consistently strong form making him harder and harder to ignore.
“I’d like to think I’ve put myself in a position over the last few years [since joining Bath in 2020] to make it [playing for England] happen,” Spencer adds. “I’m just delighted that it is going to happen and hopefully I can make the most of it.”
After the international retirements of Ben Youngs and Danny Care, the scrum-half jersey has perhaps felt more up for grabs but Northampton’s Mitchell has made it his own over the last 12 months.
The sharpness and quick-thinking nature of the 27-year-old has ticked all the boxes for Borthwick and his coaching staff, with Mitchell’s ‘speed of release’ – how fast a scrum-half plays the ball once it becomes available - key to that.
And it is an area of Spencer’s game which he has been asked to develop.
“That was probably my main work-on for the last 18 months/two years to try and get back into this team,” Spencer explains.
“I think it is more of a mindset thing if I'm honest. It is more of a mindset of me getting to the breakdown quick and ultimately getting the ball in the 10's hands as quickly as possible.
“The game now is won when you're on the front foot and if I can keep the team going forward and doing it quickly, I think we will be in a good position.”
Five of Spencer’s six England caps have come away from Allianz Stadium, Twickenham - two in South Africa back in 2018, two this year against Scotland and New Zealand respectively and one, of course, in the 2019 World Cup final in Yokohama, Japan.
“I played in the Scotland game [at home] which we drew 38-all,” Spencer says. “That was my first experience of playing for England at Twickenham.”
But that experience five-and-a-half years ago will be replaced by, what Spencer hopes, will be a very special afternoon at HQ on Saturday.
His family will be in attendance for his first England start, with his wife Jordan also sharing the 2019 World Cup final episode with him.
Having watched Eddie Jones’ side beat New Zealand 19-7 in the semi-finals from the comfort of his own home, Spencer then received a call from England’s team manager after Will Heinz - one of only two scrum-halves to have travelled to Japan - picked up an injury.
“I think it would have been about 3pm that my phone rang and it was the team manager,” Spencer says.
“She just said; ‘You need to get on the next flight to Japan’. It all happened pretty fast. My wife, we'd had our two children but she was pregnant with our third at the time and we asked whether she wanted to come out. She was like; 'No, I'll be fine' and I was like 'Ok, no probs.'
“As I was walking on the plane, I got a phone call from her Mum saying; 'Jord’s in tears here, you need to get her the next flight to Japan’. She went out with one of her best mates and, fair play, two kids and four months pregnant, she smashed it.
“Some of the videos I have of the kids at the game, us running out, I’ll cherish those forever. I wasn’t impressed they watched their iPads for 80 minutes when I’d just paid for their tickets but they’re memories I’ll cherish forever!
“It was a crazy week and probably one that I will look back on in a few years and just laugh about really.”
The whole Japan experience would have felt like a whirlwind, perhaps even hurried for Spencer but heading into Saturday’s showdown with the All Blacks, he feels like this is truly his time with England.
“Yeah, really excited. It’s been a long time coming. This weekend’s a huge opportunity for me and I’m just really excited to get out there with the lads. Saturday’s a great opportunity and hopefully one that I can take.”
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