Alfie in the Guardian

[Sliminator]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/dec/23/wasps-alfie-barbeary-hopes-moving-back-is-the-way-forward

[DGP Wasp]

Interesting piece.  The suggestion had been that EJ encouraged the permanent move to back row, but seems like it was all down to Alfie, and he told Eddie, not the other way round.

[Rossm]

And in The Telegraph.

If someone’s approach to playing board games shines a light on their soul, then Alfie Barbeary is one of life’s ultra-competitors, according to Wasps director of rugby Lee Blackett.

“If Alfie was losing at Monopoly, he would flip the board. He is that type of character,” said Blackett. “I know that because I am exactly the same. I would definitely flip the board as well. I’d rather get called a cheat than lose at it.”

It is a character trait not without its challenges, particularly given the cruel run of injuries the 21-year-old has had to overcome this year.

The world appeared to be at his feet when he shot to prominence during Wasps’ run to the Premiership final in the second half of 2020, scoring a hat-trick on his first Premiership start in the 54-7 victory over Leicester Tigers.

It earned him a brief call-up to England squad for their autumn campaign and such was the impact of his ball-carrying power, he was seen by some a potential bolter for the Lions tour of South Africa.

But after a horrific run of injuries sidelined Barbeary for most of this year, first with a syndesmosis injury and then several hamstring problems, his competitive nature made the rehabilitation period more difficult. 

“I see that competitive edge with him when he can't get out there and things aren't going his way injury-wise; he can get really frustrated,” said Blackett. “It definitely had to be managed and there was consultation. But the last eight weeks he is different. He has changed, his mindset, his professionalism has gone up another level and it has made a massive difference to him. He is maturing really well.”

That growing maturity was tested to its full when Blackett decided as a precaution to withdraw Barbeary at half-time during Wasps’ defeat by Munster despite scoring a first-half try, after he had begun to feel a tightness in his hamstring.
“His immediate feedback was quite emotional but then he just got it. Maybe a year or so ago he would have got really annoyed, really frustrated and quite emotional. It is great to see that he is maturing well.”

Barbeary admits part of that maturing process has been “getting to know how my body reacts to different things”.

“I’ve been working closer with the physios on my rehab, getting a better understanding of what my body can and can’t do. What I can do to keep myself on the pitch for as long as possible and do everything I can to keep going and not really have any more soft-tissue setbacks.

“I’m a very competitive person so at half-time (against Munster), it was one of those where I felt like I let the team down. It was one of those awkward ones where I didn’t want to, it didn’t feel like anything would go, it was just a bit tight but I’ve said that before and we’ve had hamstring tears, so I think it was the right decision in the end.

“I get what he (Blackett) means about flipping the table. I’ve never been too keen on sitting in the crowd so you can imagine how much these last eight months have killed me. So we probably made the right call, just being able to maintain being on the pitch as much as possible and be fit and healthy.”

His injury setbacks combined with a positional dilemma as to whether he should focus on playing in the front row at hooker or as a back-row forward. After consultations with Blackett, his parents, senior team-mates such as Joe Launchbury and Eddie Jones, the England head coach, he has settled on No 8, despite the huge level of competition in the back row in the national squad.

It possibly would have been a more strategic decision to focus on hooker for his international aspirations but that competitive streak has left him undaunted.

“It’s one of those things and you look at the back row in England and there are so many talents, and it does make you wonder but I know I play my best rugby if I’m in the position I want to play in,” he added. “I could go all right at hooker but I might not enjoy it as much and that might show in my game play so I thought, ‘I’ve got to do this for me’, and if things happen, things happen.

“I get a lot of enjoyment out of my ball carrying, trying to beat defenders, so at hooker I think it's a lot harder to get on the ball, in terms of set piece, you're either throwing or in the lineout or in the middle of a scrum. Being in the back row, I can be part of a set-piece move, or very easily get on to the ball in terms of second phase, off a scrum.

“It was just easier for me personally to get into the game once I get those few carries. When I was a hooker, it could take a while to find myself on the ball, whereas at back row I feel it flows a bit easier in terms of getting on the ball and strike plays.

“I do enjoy rugby and if I didn’t enjoy it I wouldn’t be where I am now. So I’ve just got to keep being positive and if things don’t always go the right way, just remember that we’re lucky to be doing this as a job and try to take everything from it.”

[Rossm]

Alfie's everywhere. He's in The Mail as well.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-10341171/Wasps-forward-Alfie-Barbeary-keen-make-festive-impact-eight-month-injury-nightmare.html

[Lwasp]

He doesn't have a contract negotiation coming up does he? Agent doing a mass marketing job to boost profile and earnings???

[backdoc]

And now the Times

RUGBY UNION
Alfie Barbeary: I spoke to Eddie Jones, and we agreed that the back row is my best chance of an England jersey
Chris Jones
Friday December 24 2021, 12.00pm, The Times
Barbeary is reconsidering his position after a few injuries

This has been a frustrating year for the Wasps forward Alfie Barbeary, who has been blighted by injury as he attempts to prove that a switch from hooker to the back row can fast track his international ambitions.

A syndesmosis injury – a high ankle strain – and a series of hamstring issues mean the 21-year-old has played only five games in 2021 having been out for eight months at one stage. However Barbeary, whose side host London Irish on Boxing Day, has used the rehabilitation time to better understand his body, a result of which meant he accepted that he must be taken off at half time against Munster as his hamstring tightened.

That is a significant step forward as Lee Blackett, the Wasps head coach, acknowledged – pointing out that before gaining a better insight into his body, Barbeary would have soldiered on with the inevitable resulting injury putting him out for months.

Crucially, this change of attitude has not impacted on the youngster’s competitive nature with Blackett and Barbeary recognising in each other a burning desire to win with the Monopoly board taking the brunt of their frustrations.

Barbeary explained: “I would say Lee is more the one who flips the board, I’m the one picking up the money after he’s flipped it! I think me and Lee are similar in terms of how competitive we are. Definitely when it comes to a game, I’m not one who likes losing, I don’t think anyone is. It does ruin your weekend when you don’t get a win. So I can see where he’s coming from in terms of flipping the table.”


What Blackett also recognises in Barbeary is massive potential, something the England head coach, Eddie Jones, has also noted. The back row has, as a result of that recognition, become the focal point, rather than the role of hooker. “Right now I’m going to focus on back row, that’s where I can do the best for Lee and Wasps,” explained Barbeary. “And we’ll see what happens, but I’m going back rower for the future.

“I was just enjoying where I was playing and Lee gave me the option in terms of, ‘Do you want to be a back row? — we think you could be a great back row at Wasps.’ I hadn’t really played at hooker for about a year, since before Covid. In terms of going back to hooker, there was uncertainty about playing and being in the [Wasps] squad. I spoke to Mum and my dad, who has always seen me as a back rower. I was enjoying it a lot more in the back row, there was more freedom, so I decided to go ahead and stay there, and hopefully it’s the right decision.”

Barbeary, who is still listed on the Wasps website as a hooker, spoke to Jones about his best position; they both came to the same conclusion. “We had a discussion in terms of what I was thinking. But I think it was more my decision more than anything else in terms of where I saw myself and where I wanted to play, rather than his [decision]. It was more about what I was thinking to let him know more than anything else. I’ve got lots of enjoyment out of my ball carrying and trying to beat defenders.”

Blackett finds it difficult not to smile whenever he talks about Barbeary and is excited about the potential he brings to the squad and believes the input from Jones has increased the youngster’s desire to break into the crowded England back-row contenders.


He said: “Alfie was massively keen on playing in the back row. I just saw a weight lift from him when he realised he could still play back row and that the England selectors believed he could play for his country in that position.

“Once he got that news, it was a no brainer for him. The big thing for him from what I’ve seen over the last eight weeks or so has been him maturing and knowing his body really well. The other week when we took him off at half-time, he started to feel his hamstring tighten. Before, he would have tried to go through it and the next thing you know he’s pulled his hamstring and he’s out for three months. We’ve got to keep working to the stage where we can get him out there for 80 minutes but he’s building his fitness and his little cameos have been really effective.”

With Jones having plenty of back-row options, Barbeary knows his challenge is a daunting one but, typically, he is up for the fight, adding: “You look at the back row in England and there are so many talents and it does make you wonder, but I know I play my best rugby if I’m in the position I want to play in.”

[wasps]

It's a real dilemma.
He's certainly got an X factor that few others possess.

But, with everyone fit and available, which back row position does he play for Wasps?

I think Tom Willis has had a real break through season and is first choice No.8 now
When available, Shields and Jack probably fill the other 2 back row positions.

Obviously, Alfie's likely to improve over time so could easily displace one of those.. But for now, I feel that he's an impact replacement.



We've talked a lot of times about players playing for England who aren't even the best in that position for their clubs.
I feel that's where Alfie is right now.

That being said, I can see him being picked for England ahead of Tom Willis because of that X Factor.
It's not often a player comes along who has something a bit different about them, but I feel that he'll be seen as impact for England rather than necessarily a starter.


In 12-24 months time, I may change my mind

[backdoc]

My concern is he wants to be in the thick of the action. To me, he is a wonderful asset in broken play. I don't want him breaking himself against a set defence. Let the props and second rows do that! Save his energy for the crucial breaks that we have seen him do.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

That has been the issue with how Wasps have played/used Alfie. As a battering ram, and it is pointless. I would put him as an obvious receiver and never give it to him. I wonder how many off the ball tackle penalties we would get?

[Neils]

Should let him have a go at 13.