Chris Hewett, of the Independent, looks at one of the most remarkable rises in stock this season.
"England's candidates for Six Nations duty gathered yesterday at the new red-rose base on the outskirts of Leeds, most of them bruised after another weekend of European activity. Some were suffering emotionally too, as the extent of the Premiership's embarrassment began to register. Of the 16 knockout places available in the Heineken and Amlin Challenge Cups, only four have been filled by clubs from the world's biggest, richest union – and three of those will play in the back-room competition, rather than the shop-window tournament.
The Harlequins players, including national captain-elect Chris Robshaw, were licking more wounds than most after blowing their Heineken Cup chances in the west of Ireland, but the Londoners were at least lifted by developments at England Saxons level. Matt Hopper, the 26-year-old centre who has spent most of his rugby life scuffing around the club scene in Devon and Cornwall, was promoted to the second-string squad and has a decent chance of playing the biggest game of his career against a powerful Irish Wolfhounds side in his home city of Exeter on Saturday evening.”
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