John had been named as the starting tighthead against Scotland only for the match, and his Test debut, to be called off 24 hours later.
Now he finds himself so far down the national rankings that four other tightheads have been picked ahead of him for the six-Test autumn schedule.
“I was astounded when I saw that they hadn’t picked him,’’ Steve Diamond, Sale’s director of rugby, told The Rugby Paper. “While Griff has been a massive work in progress over the last two years, he has also been a dominant tighthead.
“In two-and-a-half years he has missed only four games for us out of one hundred due to injury. He’s a huge man, a good scrummager and a good defender. I think it’s a poor decision. I’m disappointed.’’
A gigantic figure at 6ft 3in and almost 20 stone, John’s choice for the last round of the Six Nations in March followed the mangling of the Welsh scrum at Twickenham the previous week.
Denne historien er fra October 11, 2020-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra October 11, 2020-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
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Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
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Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
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Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
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