Adam Radwan reveals ‘hunger’ for England spot as he praises ‘incredible’ teammate in same boat
Adam Radwan on England selection standings praises 'incredible' teammate in same boat
Adam Radwan is set to experience yet another Midlands derby when Leicester arrive at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday to face Northampton Saints in the PREM playoff semi-final.
Before he arrived at the club, he’d never really experienced a derby, with only Newcastle vs Sale resembling any sort of a rivalry. But the intensity of a derby wasn’t the only change that the 28-year-old noticed when he switched counties.
Claiming that “all aspects” of his game have “grown massively”, he reasoned that the “difference in resources” at Leicester played a big part in his development.
He labelled the “number of coaches” and the “amount of time” spent with each coach as huge factors in his growth.
“I’ve got nothing bad to say about any of the coaches I had at Newcastle,” he continued. “But they’re potentially understaffed a little bit. So I think the amount of time you get with one-on-one coaches and the amount of time they have to spend with each player [at Leicester], I ultimately benefited from hugely.
“You get so much more input, you get to work with them on your individual needs a lot more often. So I think my game’s grown massively because of that.”
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Waiting in the wings
His international prospects have also benefited from the extra exposure to quality coaching, with Steve Borthwick adding him to an England alignment camp just a few weeks ago.
“It was brilliant,” he told Planet Rugby. “It was great to be back involved in that, and you get a little sniff there, it just makes you so hungry for more.”
Asked whether he’s been given a heads up by Steve Borthwick ahead of the final Nations Championship squad announcement, he responded plainly, saying: “I haven’t really had too much chat around it, and it’s something I’m not really thinking about massively.
“My number one priority is making sure whenever I put a Leicester shirt on, I play as best I possibly can, and I think if I’m doing that consistently, opportunities will come off the back of that.”
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The Goose to his Maverick
Former London Irish speedster Ollie Hassell-Collins joined the Tigers a year before Radwan, but remains in a similar boat internationally. He’s had his own opportunities with England, but never quite nailed down the wing shirt.
Reflecting on his relationship with his wing partner, Radwan told PR: “Honestly, we get on so well, like he’s an unbelievable player, and I’ve always known that. The way he goes around his game, I honestly think he’s incredible. He’s brilliant.”
There have been complaints in the past that, besides his electric feet, Radwan lacks in other areas of his game. Well, joining up with his powerful wingman has brought a new level to the Yorkshire man’s game.
“He’s helped me so much,” he continued. “The aspects of his game, he’s got a massive left boot, and he’s incredible in the air, so he’s helped me with that massively.
“I watch clips of him in games and see him do it in training. We keep pushing each other forward. We want the best for each other, and there’s a real healthy bit of competition in the squad.”
Radwan’s known for his out-and-out pace, but his wing partner is no slouch either.
“I’m probably faster, but he shifts,” Radwan admired.
“He’s deceptively quick. People don’t realise how quick he is, and he’s a big unit as well, so once he’s going, he is tough to stop. He’s got great feet as well, and a big fend. He’s a top player.”
The duo will need to be on red-hot form on Friday if they’re to make an impact against the top of the league Northampton Saints. But, both can be devastating on their day, so expect fireworks.