Bristol Bears winger Gabriel Ibitoye has revealed that he received no communication from England head coach Steve Borthwick after being left out of the Autumn Nations squad, despite his electrifying form.
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Hat-trick Heroics at Sandy Park
Ibitoye was the standout performer in Bristol Bear’s comeback victory against Exeter in the Gallagher Premiership, scoring a jaw-dropping hat-trick in just nine minutes. His heroics at Sandy Park turned the match on its head, leaving fans and pundits baffled by his omission from England’s squad for the Autumn Internationals.
Speaking on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast, Ibitoye confirmed the lack of contact:
“No chat, hopefully one day soon,” he said when asked if he’d heard from Borthwick.
The “Total Package” Winger
Ibitoye believes his playing style is unique, but he’s still trying to decipher what Borthwick might be looking for in his wingers:
“Looking at England, Steve definitely wants something from his wingers. I think I am different as a total package, I don’t know what the nuts and bolts are,” Ibitoye explained.
He acknowledged the class of the players Borthwick has selected, but noted that perhaps his more high-risk style could be a factor:
“The wingers he’s got in there are obviously class but I know I might have to be less risky on the field and not take as risky decisions,” Ibitoye added.
Despite the risk factor, Ibitoye is confident in his approach:
“The way I see it I’m just playing what I see in that moment… for me it’s not that risky because in the week I practice it a lot.”
Fans Fume Over Ibitoye’s Snub
The decision to leave Ibitoye out of the England squad didn’t sit well with fans. Many took to social media to voice their frustrations, with one fan writing:
“Ibitoye is a special talent. Are you not entertained Steve Borthwick????”
Another fan on X echoed the sentiment, slamming the decision:
“Steve Borthwick hang your head in shame for not adding Ibitoye in the England team. Absolutely disgraceful, he’s unreal.”
The comparisons to past snubbed wingers were unavoidable:
“Ibitoye getting that Wade and Ashton treatment from the England coaches. I don’t know what they have against flair wingers, smh,” one fan commented.
Borthwick’s Response: A Competitive Arena
When pressed on why Ibitoye was excluded, Borthwick highlighted the wealth of options in the back three when speaking to BBC Sport :
“We’ve got a lot of good player in that back three as you look at it now.”
He acknowledged Ibitoye’s form but defended his choices:
“He’s playing really well and Bristol have started the season well and played some very good rugby. But… we’ve got some real good players there… Tommy Freeman, Immanuel Femi-Wabaso, Ollie Sleightholme, Tom Roebuck. We’ve got some really good wingers so it’s a competitive arena.”
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Four South African Premiership stars are about to qualify for England
England head coach Steve Borthwick is reportedly keeping a close watch on four South African stars who are soon set to qualify for the England squad through residency.
Benhard Janse van Rensburg
South African centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg joined the Bristol Bears from London Irish following their collapse in June 2023.
The former London Irish midfielder, who can operate at inside and outside centre and also cover fly-half, made more than 50 appearances for the Exiles over two seasons, scoring 11 Premiership tries.
During the 2022/23 season, the former Free State Cheetah made six tries assists and beat 33 defenders.
Hanro Liebenberg
South African back-rower Hanro Liebenberg arrived at Leicester Tigers last summer of 2019 from the Bulls in Super Rugby.
After playing his youth-team rugby at Boland, Hanro moved to Pretoria to play in the Currie Cup with the Blues Bulls and earned his first selection for the Bulls in 2015.
He also followed in his brother Wiaan’s footsteps by captaining South Africa Under-20s at the World Junior Championships where they were beaten in the semi-finals by England before picking up the bronze medals with play-off victory over France.
After starting his first season with Tigers strongly, he missed the middle section of the campaign after surgery on an ankle injury, but returned after the Covid lockdown to make 15 appearances in his debut season, playing at flanker and No8.
