Cadan Murley has been analysing prolific Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to sharpen his own finishing as he targets a place in England’s World Cup squad.
Murley is happy to put his support for Manchester United on hold in the belief that even though Haaland plays a different sport, his predatory instincts provide a valuable insight into scoring.
Haaland recently set a new goalscoring record in a Premier League season with 52 – 36 in the top flight – as he helped City complete the treble, while Murley proved equally deadly in the Gallagher Premiership by ending 2022-23 at the top of the try chart with 15.
“Every sportsman looks at other sports to see how they can improve and you’ve just got to look at Haaland’s goalscoring record this season – it’s been absolutely incredible. As a United fan that’s a pretty tough thing to say!” Harlequins wing Murley said.
“For a lot of those goals he’s been called a tap-in merchant, but you have to be in the right place at the right time. A lot of that is down to his relationships and his understanding of the players around him.
“He’s got some of the best assisters around him – Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez – but he still has to be in the right place at the right time to know what they are going to do and how to finish.
“Watching him play, he’s always so alert, he’s always live in the play and looking around for where the opportunity is going to come.
“And a lot of wingers these days, that’s where their tries come. You need to read the game early and know who is around you.
“At Quins, we’ve got Andre Esterhuizen and Alex Dombrandt and they are the two who are going to look for the offload the most, so if I can flood in around them, I know that’s when the touch is going to come.
“I know Marcus Smith prefers to kick one way, or when he looks a couple of times that’s when he’s going to do it. Little things like that, having those relationships with the players around you, is massive.”
The task now facing Murley is to rapidly develop his familiarity with his England team-mates having been picked in a 41-man World Cup training squad that will be reduced to 33 on August 7.
The uncapped 23-year-old has been working on his aerial skills to improve his all-round game, but it is understanding the nuances of playmakers such as Owen Farrell and George Ford that will be key to securing his place at France 2023.
“Haaland joined Manchester City and fitted in seamlessly, which is a skill in itself. It’s about working on how you can come in and and do that as quickly as possible in this environment,” Murley said.
“We’re all chucked together from different clubs and all play a different way. Getting to know people on and off the pitch firstly will help.
“Then going through different clips from training, watching different clips of people during the training and analysis – what they are thinking at different points – that can help as well.
“I’ve got those relationships with the Quins lads already, but we don’t know who’s going to get picked for the World Cup, so I need to have relationships with all the 41-man squad at the moment.”
France 37-23 Argentina: Les Bleus wrap up campaign with third win
France posted a comfortable 37-23 win over Argentina on Friday to make it three wins out of three tests at the Stade de France to conclude their Autumn Nations Series.
Having also beaten New Zealand and Japan in Paris this month, Fabien Galthie's side claimed four tries, including a superb solo effort from Louis Bielle-Biarrey, as they eased to victory against the Pumas.
The hosts led 30-9 at the break after Argentina's Julian Montoya and Juan Martin Gonzalez were both shown yellow cards in the first half, with Thomas Ramos slotting his third penalty of the game.
Tomas Albornoz made it 30-16 for Felipe Contepomi's visitors, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed as Bielle-Biarrey scored his fourth try in three games before Ramos made it 37-16.
Albornoz then cut the deficit to 37-23 with a two-pointer with nine minutes to play, but that wasn't enough to stop his side from falling to a defeat.
"We knew it was going to be an 80-minute game. We saw last week how Argentina went all the way against a good Irish team," France lock Emmanuel Meafou told TNT Sports.
"We are happy with the win. We have three from three [in the autumn] and we will look to build on that in the Six Nations next year."
England must be 'brave on the ball' to halt winless run, says Borthwick
England head coach Steve Borthwick has demanded his team to be "brave on the ball" when they take on Eddie Jones' Japan in the Autumn Nations Series on Sunday.
Borthwick's side have lost each of their last five matches, their longest such run since another five-game stretch between February and June 2018.
However, they have not lost more in a row since a streak of seven in 2006. Each of the five losses in their current streak have also come in single-digit margins.
But England have also struggled at home. They have fallen to defeat in their last three matches at the Allianz Stadium, their longest losing run since 2008.
Only once before have they lost more in a row at the Twickenham venue (L5 between 1971 and 1973), though Borthwick has urged his players to persist with an attacking style.
"We are trying to play the game a different way," he told BBC Sport.
"I am encouraging the players to be brave with the ball, to move the ball, that’s where the strength of the team now is and where it is going to be in the future."
Borthwick named his 23-man squad to face Japan on Friday, reinstating Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, nicknamed the "Kamikaze Kids" by Jones in 2019.
Curry has been recalled to the team after he was knocked out against Australia, and he replaces Chandler Cunningham-South in the back-row.
In the other change from the starting XV that lost to South Africa, full-back George Furbank comes in for Freddie Steward.
Fin Smith replaces George Ford on England's bench while Cunningham-South steps in for Alex Dombrandt. Sale's Opoku-Fordjour could also make his senior debut.
"We anticipate a tough challenge from a team that thrives on playing fast and with tempo," said Borthwick.
"Japan are a dangerous team, so it’s important that we execute our game plan and maintain focus throughout the full 80 minutes."
England team to face Japan
George Furbank, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Nick Isiekwe, Chandler Cunningham-South, Harry Randall, Fin Smith, Tom Roebuck.
Gatland 'still the best coach in the world', says Wales assistant Howley
Wales assistant Rob Howley described Warren Gatland as the "world's best coach" and insists the under-fire boss is going nowhere.
Wales have lost each of their last 11 Test matches, their longest ever run in men’s rugby, overtaking a 10-game stretch between November 2002 and August 2003.
Their most recent defeat came by 32 points (20-52 v Australia), their heaviest loss since a 36-point thrashing at home to South Africa in August last year (16-52).
And it is not going to get any easier with world champions South Africa the visitors to the Principality Stadium on Saturday for Wales' Autumn Nations Series finale.
South Africa have emerged victorious in six of their last seven Tests against Wales (L1) and have also won each of their last three games against Wales by margins of 16+ points.
Another triumph would see Wales going the calendar year without winning a Test, which has not happened since 1937, though Howley has no doubt that Wales are in safe hands.
"We've got the best coach in the world who has had a legacy of more than 13 years," said Howley.
"He's won Grand Slams and there is no better coach to have in your camp than Warren. He gives players the confidence and self-belief they need to go out and play."
During Gatland's first stint in charge from 2008 to 2019, Wales were World Cup semi-finalists, Six Nations champions and Grand Slam winners.
This time around, amid far more challenging circumstances and attempting to mould a new squad, Wales have won just six out of his 23 Tests at the helm.
Wales have also won just one of their last 11 Test matches at the Principality Stadium, last winning in Cardiff against Argentina in November 2023.
Howley was asked if he would take an interim head coach job if Gatland departed, but responded defiantly by saying, "Warren Gatland won't leave".
Howley insists Gatland's experiences can help turn Wales around, saying: "Warren is a hugely respected coach and has coached over a number of years.
"His legacy with different teams is a winning legacy. At the moment, we are in this spell where we are losing.
"We at some point know we will win, and I hope it will be the next game on Saturday. I think at the moment we've got the best coach who has got years of experience.
"We've been in changing rooms where we've won and lost, Lions changing rooms going into the series at 1-1 with everything on the line.
"He understands rugby, and I believe Wales have got the best coach in the world to get us out of this."
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