Kyle Sinckler thanks England staff for keeping the faith after tough spell

That Kyle Sinckler enjoyed the “infectious” nature of England’s 18-7 victory over Ireland was plain for all to see.

But the joy he felt perhaps ran a little deeper than the pleasure experienced smashing into tackle after tackle, though. The game appeared to bring an end to a “hard” period of “big change” in his life since moving from Harlequins – and London – to Bristol – during lockdown, which saw his form dip to the point that he felt he was functioning at just “20%" of his formidable best.

Sinckler opened up after the game on the time it has taken to adapt to his role in the “unique” free-flowing gameplan at his new club while settling in a new city away from family and friends.

Sinckler thanked Lam and Eddie Jones, the England coach, for “sticking by me”, saying “hopefully I rewarded the boys today with a shift”.

“I think it’s probably been hard for me more off the field, and I think in the future I’ll reap the benefits of what I’ve done,” he said.

“I never really understood when players sign and they move to clubs why they’ve not hit form.

“I guess for me my issues have been I had to move in the middle of lockdown, I haven’t seen my mum since June, I haven’t seen any family. I’ve obviously been in Bristol and basically we’ve been on our own little lockdown anyway because you can’t go out, as if you get coronavirus and bring it back to the team that’s not going to be good.

“It’s just been a big change and I think I appreciate everyone there that’s been massively patient with me and I’m just excited to get back some form, and then when I get back to Bristol whenever that may be, just try and do the fans proud.

“But it’s been a great lesson for me in terms of patience. Obviously I want to get the ball and do my thing, but it’s a whole different system. I have to be patient. I’ve started from when I was at Quins and I’ve been there since I was 12 years old with a lot of credit in the bank. I’ve gone to Bristol and it’s like starting again from zero, and I can only give thanks to Pat [Lam] and the coaches that have massively helped me.

“Even though to you guys it looks very erratic the way Bristol plays, it’s a lot of structure and a lot of detail. The training is unbelievable and we’re always pushing to get better, so I think it’s probably a bit of both. But I know it’ll come. I think I’ve played 12 games there, I think we won 10 and we won the Challenge Cup so it’d be good to get back there and get the other 80 per cent. That’d be exciting for the team.”

Sinckler also joked that having barbers – who also happen to be friends of his – come into the England camp at the Lensbury helped his return to form.

“Charlotte, the team manager, has been doing an excellent job with getting the barbers tested,” he said.

“I think that Eddie knows with me that if I don’t get a trim before the game, there’s no point in playing me. It’s one of the things I said: surely we can get the barbers in because they’re not working with lockdown. It’s a win win for both. If you feel good and you look good, you play good. It’s been really helpful with Ruben and CJ coming in. It’s nice to see them because I haven’t really seen anyone since I moved up to Bristol. It’s good to get my barber back.”

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