The teenage Sale prop shocked Harlequins’ Joe Marler in only his second Premiership game, winning a scrum penalty which resulted in a wry smile from the England international.
Sale head coach Alex Sanderson tried but failed to play down the hype for the 19-year-old tight-head after his European debut against Stade Francais last month.
“He is doing things that I have never seen 18, 19-year-old props do before,” he said.
The youngster has freakish strength at scrum time because of his “fast twitch” muscle fibres which you “just don’t get anymore” in tight-heads, according to Sanderson.
Opoku-Fordjour, who has come off the bench in Sale’s European games against Stade, Leinster and Stormers, might be a little bit too raw but England are looking for new talent with Dan Cole nearing the end of his England career and Kyle Sinckler struggling for form and fitness.
In addition, England are currently without loose-head props Marler and Bevan Rodd because of injury, while Ellis Genge is a doubt because of injury and Mako Vunipola has retired from international rugby.
Opoku-Fordjour featured last season for England under-20s at loose-head at both the Six Nations and World Championship in South Africa.
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Author : rugby-247
Publish date : 2024-10-19 18:27:47
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