Sport

Hodgson pulls the strings in front of selectors

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP: London Irish 28 Wasps 16: LONDON IRISH head coach Toby Booth advanced Paul Hodgson’s claim to England recognition…

Mon Sept 28 2009 - 01:00

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP:London Irish 28 Wasps 16: LONDON IRISH head coach Toby Booth advanced Paul Hodgson's claim to England recognition following yesterday's English Premiership victory over Wasps.

Hodgson produced an impressive display at scrumhalf in front of England manager Martin Johnson and his assistants Brian Smith and Mike Ford.

The 27-year-old has yet to be capped but Booth expects him to participate in the autumn internationals against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand.

“It’s a delight to have Paul on your side and in front of England selectors he’s shown what he’s good at,” he said. “He has good core skills and can play with great clarity in high pressure games. He can be the midfield general.

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“We must plan for life without him when the autumn internationals come around because I’m sure he’ll be involved.”

Hodgson may have been pulling the strings, but it was electric winger Sailosi Tagicakibau who stole the man-of-the-match award. The Samoan try-machine took his tally for the season after four matches to five tries, showing his pace and predatory instincts to cross in each half.

“Sailosi Tagicakibau is a deceptively strong guy. People think he’s just ambling around,” said Booth. “He has massive power and can break through the first tackle. If you get it wrong against him he will punish you.”

Ryan Lamb kicked 15 points as Irish surged to second in the Premiership table and their line was only breached when Adam Thompstone conceded a penalty try for an illegal tackle on Dominic Waldouck.

LONDON IRISH:Hewat; Thompstone, Seveali'i, Mapusua, Tagicakibau; Lamb, Hodgson; Dermody, Paice, Ion, Kennedy, Casey, Danaher, S Armitage, Hala'ufia. Replacements: Richards for Seveali'i (63 mins), Malone for Lamb (58 mins), Lalanne for Hodgson (78 mins), Murphy for Dermody (70 mins), Coetzee for Paice (58 mins), Rautenbach for Ion (58 mins), Perry for Casey (58 mins), Thorpe for Hala'ufia (63mins).

WASPS: Mitchell; Sackey, Jacobs, Waldouck, Varndell; Cipriani, Simpson; Payne, Webber, Vickery, Skivington, Birkett, Worsley, Betsen, Hart. Replacements: Walder for Mitchell (59 mins), Beech for Payne (66 mins), Lindsay for Vickery (75 mins), Baker for Birkett (76 mins), Leo for Worsley (75 mins), Ward-Smith for Betsen (59 mins).

Referee: D Pearson (Newcastle).