Sale are torn between pleasure on the ‘astonishing’ feats of their new, teenage prop prospect – and never eager to make him a goal as a consequence of untimely hype.
Simply three video games into his senior skilled profession, Asher Opoku-Fordjour is quickly making a reputation for himself. After a starring position for England Underneath 20s on the junior World Cup final summer time, the 19-year-old has burst to prominence in the previous couple of weeks, with eye-catching cameo appearances within the Sharks’ 1st XV – incomes acclaim from Joe Marler and a raft of latest admirers.
What’s inflicting such a stir is that Opoku-Fordjour seems to own a outstanding repertoire at such a younger age. The rookie began out as a wing at Kenilworth RFC and moved to Sale final autumn following the abrupt collapse of Wasps, the place he had come by means of the ranks. His background within the again line is clear in his explosive operating, footwork and off-loading potential. There may be innate X-factor in him.
However he’s additionally displaying indicators of formidable energy and resilience, permitting him to deal with the set-piece staples of his position.
Usually, props take time to develop their scrummaging craft and may be simple prey for skilled rivals, however up to now, Opoku-Fordjour has greater than held his personal, in opposition to famend opposition.
Asher Opoku-Fordjour is inflicting a stir simply three video games into his senior skilled profession
He enhanced Sale’s pack on his Premiership debut in opposition to Newcastle, then withstood the problem of going toe-to-toe with Marler at Harlequins and helped to win a collection of scrum penalties in opposition to a vaunted Stade Francais pack.
That final look, on Sunday, noticed him earn a loud ovation after an short-term early stint as a Head Damage Evaluation substitute, and the congratulations of team-mates for his second-half efforts in Sale’s 28-5 victory.
After that newest promising efficiency, his director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, responded to the approval for the rising front-row sensation, by saluting his set-piece affect. ‘That’s the primary factor, as a tighthead; your bread and butter is the scrum,’ he mentioned.
‘Individuals are making a noise about him. I’ve been attempting to say, “What has he carried out?”. He’s come on in opposition to Newcastle and carried out effectively, then he got here on in opposition to Quins – in opposition to a tiring Joe Marler – and did effectively.
‘However he needed to come on 10 minutes right into a sport this week, in opposition to the very best scrum within the High 14. Stade have probably the most dominant scrum within the High 14 and so they scrum by means of their loosehead. So his potential to remain in that battle; keep sq. at tighthead, not take the hole early and win penalties… it’s fairly astonishing.
‘He’s doing issues that I haven’t seen 18 or 19 yr olds do earlier than. That’s simply within the scrum and then you definitely have a look at his energy. He’s a prop with quick twitch; a tighthead with quick twitch. You simply don’t get them. They’re as uncommon as teddy bear s**t! So I’m lifeless satisfied for him.
The 19-year-old has burst to prominence with eye-catching cameo appearances for Sale
‘We now have given him the chance however he’s stacking up. From Newcastle to Quins and now within the Champions Cup. The place is his restrict? I don’t suppose we’ve even seen it but. We’re making that noise about him as a result of I feel he deserves it. Clearly we wish to hold him transferring ahead, however I feel he’s having a superb time and having fun with himself right here. Yeah, we’ve discovered a cracker there.’
There’s a wider significance right here, amid a dearth of pedigree younger English tightheads. Dan Cole was England’s first-choice on the finish of the World Cup, however he’s 36. Kyle Sinckler misplaced his standing because the pre-eminent No 3 and Bristol face a battle to cease him becoming a member of Toulon on the finish of this season. Will Stuart is the opposite established prop on that facet who’s going effectively at Bathtub, however elsewhere the choices are restricted, particularly as Leicester’s Joe Heyes has struggled to usurp Cole for membership and nation.
No-one is suggesting that Opoku-Fordjour goes to earn a Take a look at call-up simply but, however there is no such thing as a doubt that Steve Borthwick and England scrum coach Tom Harrison will probably be paying shut consideration. For now, Sale are eager to keep away from setting their new prodigy up for a fall.
Forwards coach Dorian West – a part of England’s World Cup-winning squad in 2003 – heralded his uncooked potential but additionally warned that he’s nonetheless understanding his position.
‘You don’t get gamers as sturdy as him fairly often who’re that younger,’ he mentioned. ‘That’s one thing; simply the truth that he has been in a position to maintain his personal in opposition to two scrums within the final two weeks, or not simply maintain his personal – he’s carried out fairly effectively. It reveals that he’s on the appropriate course to be a fairly good participant.
‘He has pure energy, he works exhausting and he’s in fine condition. He’s cellular and will get across the pitch as effectively. He’s performed in opposition to a few respectable gamers and carried out very well. He’s acquired the fundamentals of what he wants; that energy to have the ability to maintain his form within the scrum. He has to search out the method that fits him and hold repping it in follow, to present him an opportunity to maneuver ahead.’
Opoku-Fordjour additionally has uncommon front-row versatility, as he packed down at loosehead for the England Underneath 20s and at tighthead for Sale. However the membership are decided to be affected person along with his improvement – regardless of understanding they’ve a particular expertise on their palms. ‘I don’t wish to make him a goal,’ mentioned West. ‘He’s nonetheless studying. We in all probability speak to him about method greater than we do to every other prop in the mean time.
Sale boss Alex Sanderson has hailed the ‘astonishing’ affect of Opoku-Fordjour
‘We don’t wish to construct him up an excessive amount of, so everybody begins pondering, “Proper, I’m going to show a degree in opposition to him”. Everybody has seen his final couple of performances and so they’ll be speaking about him. That’s tremendous. Everybody will probably be watching what he’s doing as a result of he’s doing remarkably effectively, however he has simply began so he has loads to enhance on.
‘It’s thrilling although. He’s a prospect, isn’t he? He’s thrilling and he could possibly be the true deal in a couple of years, however he nonetheless has loads to work on.’
Opoku-Fordjour definitely made an impression when he locked horns with Marler. The veteran England loosehead mentioned: ‘There’s a younger tighthead who has come off the bench for Sale. I’ve acquired a giant factor about up-and-coming front-rowers. This man, No 18, I just like the look of.’
On the again of Marler’s tribute, the official England Rugby account on X (previously Twitter) launched a put up displaying Opoku-Fordjour blasting by means of for a strive in opposition to Eire on the Underneath 20 World Cup. The caption learn: ‘A severe expertise. Asher Opoku-Fordjour is already making his mark on @premrugby on the age of 19 after shining for England U20 males in the summertime.’
