England called upon a local player to join their squad after Willi Heinz was ruled out of the Rugby World Cup.
Saracens playmaker Ben Spencer was called up as a replacement but with a few days of travelling Eddie Jones added Suntory Sungoliath scrum-half Genki Okoshi to his squad.
The playmaker joined the squad for training this week and he received a signed shirt from the squad as he departed the England camp today.
Today was Genki’s last day training with us.@sungoliath, thank you for lending us one of your players どうもありがとう
Genki, you’ve been an absolute star and we hope you enjoy the game on Saturday
#RWCFinal #CarryThemHome pic.twitter.com/ISpXqZUP0U
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) October 30, 2019
Wallabies legend Matt Giteau was also invited by the fellow Aussie but was carrying an injury.
According to Giteau, Okoshi has become a hit among the England players and this week has performed the role of diminutive South African scrum-half Faf de Klerk, complete with a blonde wig.
PREDICTIONS:
“He’s got a yellow wig, well that was the talk yesterday,” Giteau said on the Fox Rugby Podcast. “It gives them a picture but also a joking point to take away the seriousness, the severity of this game. In terms of a mindset it could do really good things.
“A World Cup final, you’re not going to leave any stone unturned. Preparing for Faf de Klerk and it’s definitely to lighten the mood, the severity of the game and keep them nice and relaxed. Because there’s no way you’re not going to be up for a World Cup final. The danger is playing your final too early. That’s where Genki’s been good.”
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