History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

KING BACKS ENGLAND FOR VICTORY IN PARIS

Alex King is backing England to prove all the doubters wrong against France on Saturday at the Stade de France. The former Wasps fly-half, who made three appearances for England, believes Brian Ashton's team will reproduce their World Cup semi-final heroics when they defeated Les Bleus 14-9 at the same venue.

King, who plays for Clermont Auvergne in France, said: "Everyone is writing England off for the Six Nations now - they are huge underdogs this weekend.

"France have had all the praise from the media and anyone in the rugby world, as they have rediscovered their attacking flair.

"But in their last 30 minutes against Ireland they were pretty dire. If the game had been five or ten minutes longer, they would have lost the game.

"England can take heart from that and the fact that France are not the complete package yet. They have nothing to lose. It's a similar situation to the World Cup semi-final - no one expected them to win, and that will give them more freedom to play.

"They have 80 minutes to salvage their Six Nations. If England win this they could go on to win the championship, and what a turn around that would be.

"These boys love nothing better than being underdogs and proving everyone wrong."

While London Irish back Shane Geraghty has been ruled out of the France game through knee trouble, King is delighted that his old team-mate and flanker Joe Worsley should feature after a long injury lay-off.

"I'm really pleased for Joe," he added. "It's great to see him back in action and against Bath at the weekend he played really well. He brings a dynamic edge to the back row."

Labels: Alex King, Brian Ashton, England, France, rugby union, Six Nations

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:38 pm | Permalink | Comments

ASHTON SHOULD BACK CIPRIANI - KING

England international fly-half Alex King has urged Brian Ashton not to be afraid to use Wasps' young No10 Daniel Cipriani. The talented 20-year-old will only flourish from more playing time, thinks King, who had held the Wasps No10 shirt for a decade before he moved to ASM Clermont Auvergne last summer.

King, 33, gained three international caps, and would have won more had it not been for the emergence of incumbent fly-half Jonny Wilkinson.

Now his former team-mate, Cipriani, is jostling for Wilkinson's shirt, and though that is a formidable task, King believes that he would benefit from more minutes on the pitch for England.

"I would like to see Danny get more game time for England," said King.

"Ten minutes at the end of a game when his team are struggling is not great for anyone.

"He only touched the ball three times against Italy - once he was charged down; once he dropped it; and the other time he put a great kick into the corner.

"He has bounced back - he played brilliantly against Bath at the weekend and really directed Wasps to victory.

"He has put behind him what happened in Italy and the more game time he gets, the better because the more times he touches the ball the more times things happen.

"And he will learn from have more time on the pitch. Brian Ashton has got to back him for more than 10 minutes in Italy when the team is not functioning very well."

Labels: Alex King, Brian Ashton, Daniel Cipriani, England, rugby union, Six Nations

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:33 pm | Permalink | Comments

KING RELISHING WASPS VISIT

Alex King's left boot kicked London Wasps to Heineken Cup victory in May, but on Saturday the 32-year-old will line up against his former team mates as his new club, ASM Clermont Auvergne, host the champions at Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin.

The former England fly-half played at Wasps for 11 years and won ten medals including four Premierships and three European titles, before crossing the Channel in the summer. And King is loving the new challenge in France.

“It has been a fantastically good move me personally and professionally,” he said. “There have been different experiences, I have leant new things and am playing with different players.

“I had an amazing 11 years at Wasps and I still look out for their results – they are the team I love the most in England. But I am now with ASM and my allegiance lies with them.

“I couldn’t have left Wasps at a better time – we had just won the Heineken Cup, so it was a great high to leave on.

“This fixture is something that has been in my thoughts since I joined ASM – it will be very special for me.”

King has informed his new team mates of Wasps’ strategies and tactics, but knows they the visitors possess the class to blow sides away.

He continued: “In the last few weeks Wasps have shown that they have developed as a team. They have a great balance.

“When we have had team meetings here I have told the guys they should be under no illusions: Wasps are a tremendously talented outfit, and they want to defend their trophy.

“I have given Vern (Cotter, ASM’s coach) an idea of how Wasps might play, the strategies Ian McGeechan and Shaun Edwards might use. I have a huge amount of respect for the coaches at Wasps, and Ian and Shaun are wise old men – I’m sure at they will have a few surprises up their sleeve.”

And in 20-year-old Danny Cipriani, who has stepped into King’s boots, Wasps have a world beater, believes the erstwhile fly-half.

“I have known Danny for a few years,” said King. “When I was at Wasps he was mostly playing full-back, and playing the odd game at fly-half.

“I think it was invaluable for his development at No10 to play in a variety of positions. It gave him a good perspective of the game, and he learned about different positions and the different roles within the team.

“He has really thrived on the responsibility of playing No10 for Wasps this team. His maturity as a player has improved immensely over the last year or so.

“He is lucky in that he has the likes of Riki (Flutey) and Fraser (Waters) outside him, who are playing out of their skin.”

King, who scored 15 points in Wasps’ 25-9 win over Leicester Tigers in the Twickenham final six months ago, thinks that Cipriani will soon replace Jonny Wilkinson in the England team.

“Danny has certainly played some big games over the last month or so,” he added. “He played against Ronan O’Gara when they defeated Munster, and beat Stephen Jones’ Llanelli and Jonny’s Newcastle last week.

“So he’s playing against all the top No10s in the northern hemisphere and he’s doing himself proud. I would be thrilled if he got a chance for England – he was really unlucky to make the world cup squad.

“I think he would have added another dimension to England’s back play. He has all the attributes to be a world class player for a decade. He is doing everything he can to be pushing for England selection.”

Labels: Alex King, Heineken Cup, rugby union, Wasps

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 5:19 pm | Permalink | Comments

KING OF THE CHATEAU

Alex King’s left boot kicked Wasps to three consecutive Guinness Premierships and two Heineken cups – the last one being the magnificent 25-9 victory over Leicester in May, when he scored 15 points. But the 32-year-old former England fly-half, who swapped London for Clermont-Ferrand in the summer, is hoping he can repeat the feat at the expense of his old team.

After the dust had settled on the Twickenham final King announced that he would be moving to Clermont Auvergne, where he was offered a one-year rolling contract. After 11 years at Wasps he thought it was right to leave on a high.

Though his new team have never reached the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup, they have started well this campaign, and managed to thump Llanelli Scarlets 42-21 on Sunday, in the competition’s ‘group of death’.

Aside from the Scarlets, King’s team have to play his former side Wasps in December, and winners of two years ago: Munster.

He said: "It was a good result and a great performance by the boys against the Scarlets. It's handy to get a win early on in this very difficult group.

“Wasps are number one seeds and they have been drawn with the second best team in France last year – Clermont - the 2006 champions and Llanelli Scarlets, who are always there or thereabouts in the knockout stages.

“It’s a tough group, but whoever qualifies will be confident of winning the tournament.”

King is enjoying his time at the club, and thinks that the multicultural make-up of the side will reap rewards come the end of the season.

“We are really well managed by coach Vern Cotter,” he continued. “In the three months that I have been here I have seen the impressive team ethos and work culture.

“There is a fantastic blend of rugby cultures from all over the world. We have two Georgians (Goderzi Schvelidze and Davit Zirakashvili – both props) who are brilliant characters; two Argentineans in Martin Scelzo and Mario Ledesma who are fantastic in the front row.

“There are three Fijians and three South Africans. World cup winner John Smit is a really top man. He is going to bring a huge amount to the team.”

King added: “Then you have the staple French guys, the likes of Pierre Vigouroux, Aurélien Rougerie and Julien Bonnaire who hit the highs with France at the World Cup. It is a really good mix and the ambition there from everyone is easy to see.

“We are a very ambitious club, and we want to do something special this year. It is great for me to join a club in France with that kind of ambition.

“To go on a Heineken Cup journey with another team is something that really excites me. It would be a nice Christmas present to beat Wasps, but I’m sure they are thinking the same thing.”

Labels: Alex King, Clermont Auvergne, Heineken Cup, Llanelli Scarlets, rugby union, Wasps

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 8:24 pm | Permalink | Comments