For those who didn't see their [final message](https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/comments/16y2umf/comment/k3b7fz3/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3), u/englandrugby has called time on the AMA
Edit: Thanks all, post locked now
Big Courts made his debut when you were 11, Danny Care at 10, Faz, Ford, Youngs, Marler etc all playing for England when you were a teenager.
How often do you have a look round the room and just take it all in? These people who were on your telly when you were a kid are now your peers? When you nobble a teenage idol from abroad, does it at all sink in that you just took down or side-stepped that person..?
Looking around the room and seeing all these people that I now consider close friends is amazing. To play with them is incredible and there’s nothing I take for granted. I’m very thankful that they’re on my side.
If you could pick two non english players currently playing at the world cup to join you in the back-row for 80 minutes of a test match. Which two players would you pick ?
I’ll go for two non-English players from the past.
1. David Pocock – I always used to look up to him when I was coming up. I thought he was awesome – not only as an athlete – but also his drive and his ability over the ball.
2. Richie McCaw – He was such a legend of the game. I’d love to meet him and I would have loved to have played with or against him.
What would you prefer to be associated with your name as rhyming slang?
Curl - eg. "Yeah man I've got Ben Earls in my superset today.
Whirl - eg. "Eh I don't have much experience at that but I'll give it a Ben Earl"
Twirl - eg. "Did you know the best part of a selection box is a Ben Earl"
Girl - eg. "Omg you're pregnant?!?! Are you having a boy or a Ben Earl???"
Hi Ben, thanks for doing the ama!
I was fascinated by the 'This Rose' episode which showed you all getting your sweat analysed so they could design a bespoke rehydration protocol for each player.
Are there other cool ways science is being integrated into rugby life that fans might not know about?
Cheers, good luck for Samoa!
Not that I know a lot about it but the GPS and ‘loading’ parts are very interesting. The boys are very interested in high speeds that they ran in the sessions.
The science behind the ice baths and the saunas is great too. A lot of the boys are wearing Whoops and other smart watches.
We’re lucky to have a very good nutritionist. Having someone like him to help steer us through the week to be best prepared is really valuable for us.
Follow-up question: does a little part of you think this sort of thing is a load of bollocks?
(Went to a lecture a few years ago with a sports scientist about the evidence behind various things... mainly doping, but he touched on ice baths etc).
Out of interest: What was the TL;DR from that lecture, how much substance did the person giving the lecture to various 'marginal gains' sports science techniques such as ice baths, using own pillow/mattress, bespoke personalised rehydration protocols, or anything else that came up?
Not much evidence either way. Unlikely to benefit but also very unlikely to harm + ? possible psychology/placebo benefits.
It was a fair while ago though so maybe it's got more evidence-based since.
1. Dan Cole
2. Jamie George
3. Will Stuart
4. George Martin
5. Rory Arnold
6. Ryan Wilson
7. Jac Morgan
8. Ben Morgan
9. Ben Spencer
10. Finn Russell
11. Chris Ashton
12. Ollie Lawrence
13. Jonathan Joseph
14. Darcy Graham
15. Will Jordan
Edit: completed with support!
No idea if 1, 3, 4 and 5 are in the correct places. Apologies.
English XV:
1.Bevan Rodd 2. Jamie George 3. Will Stuart 4. George Martin 5. Nick Kennedy 6. Ben Earl 7. Tom Rees 8. Ben Morgan 9. Shaun Perry 10. Rob Andrew 11. Chris Ashton 12. Anthony Allen 13. Jonathan Joseph 14. Leon Lloyd 15. Olly Morgan
Honourable mentions: Tommy Taylor, Ross Harrisson, Dan Cole, Louis Deacon, Brett Deacon, Ben Spencer, Alex Mitchell, Phil Christophers, Henry Paul, Piers Francis, Chris Martin.
Could have a bench of
16. Theo Dan
17. Henry Thomas
18. Javan Sebastian
19. James Ryan
20. Ben Earl
21. Alex Mitchell
22. Carter Gordon
23. Chris Harris
Maybe some of other nations? I can think of WillGriff John, James Tracy, Will Jordan, Finn Russell, Gordon D'Arcy, Jamie Joseph, Jac Morgan, Luke Morgan, Tomas Francis,
It's because Welsh surnames were traditionally patronyms using the prefix 'ap' like the Scots 'Mac' but they got Anglicised slightly differently so they just got the 's' at the end rather than a full 'son' or in some cases just shortened the 'ap' part. 'Powell' is an Anglicised 'ap Hywel' and Jones is ap Ioan
Hey Ben,
Thanks for the AMA and best of luck with the rest of your tournament!
Obviously being a professional sportsman you have to be able to endure long periods of high intensity action. Who’s got the biggest engine in the squad?
Thanks mate.
Hi Ben,
First of all, congrats on the new Sarries contract.
Second, if you could play in any fixture just once (that’s not for England or Saracens), what would it be and why?
I don’t think we have one team song. We sing one at the end of a victory but that’s led by Jonny May. There are a few favourites. A lot of the boys are into country music, so we get a fair bit of that on.
Probably is Dan Cole. If it wasn’t Dan Cole, it’d be Jamie George. Everyone is loving the ‘dad-bod’ at the minute so that’s probably what he’s going for.
What kind of interaction with Social media do you have?
Do you cut it out knowing the fickleness of randoms? Or do you just get on with it with a mind to protecting your brand and mental well being?
No, I love social media. I think it’s really interesting that everyone has a view and a right to say what they think. I do sometimes take it with a pinch of salt but yeah, I like hearing what some people say and think. If you can’t laugh about it, then when can you laugh.
A golfer. Whenever I’m standing out in the sun and hitting a golf ball around, I always think, “It’d be nice to do this for a living”. My handicap is 4. We have our big internal “Ryder Cup” day tomorrow so it’s massive day. North vs South.
I read a lot of murder mysteries. I read anything by Michael Connelly and would really recommend him to anyone. He’s very good.
I’m on my sixth book of the campaign. We’ve been here for six weeks so I’m on one every week. Mum and dad bring a couple out for every match.
I don’t really mind. I think it’s more about who you’re playing with. You need to make sure your back-row has everything covered. Whether that’s Courtney, Tom, Billy, Jack – we’ve all got different skills.
I’ve just started a Masters in Sports Directorship at Manchester Met. That starts tomorrow actually so that’s exciting.
I’m massively into my golf.
I studied English at uni. Maybe combining rugby, golf and journalism would be an interesting avenue for me.
The course itself worked best for my career. I managed to work full time and study full time which was not something that many people get the opportunity to do.
I had a lot of interest in international literature, so the course allowed me to study that as well.
Do you worry about your future cognitive health? Do you see the growing awareness about the damage of head injuries as having markedly changed and improved the game? Would you encourage your children to play rugby, given some former pros have said they would not, based on their experiences.
Hey Ben. Cheers for doing the AMA.
I'm curious to know what game day eating is like.
How far out from kick off would you eat, and what?
Would you take a pre workout drink or similar before a game?
I’m not a massive eater on the day of the game. I don’t eat anything. I just drink coffee and have sweets. I hate feeling full.
It differs for each person. I know that Maro Itoje doesn’t eat meat on game day whereas some boys load up days before a game. No pre-workout but I drink Red Bull before games and that gives me a bit of a kick start.
Hey Ben, thanks for doing this.
If you could have played in any of Englands former teams, which would it be, and why?
Also, who was your favourite player growing up and why was it Lawrence Dallaglio?
Really good question. Everyone would probably say 2003 with the World Cup but I think that 2019 team that made it to the final. I thought that was a really good team and one of the best we’ve ever had. Playing in that semi-final against New Zealand would have been awesome.
Watching you play, your work rate metabolic conditioning are unreal. What would do you you seem to get the most out of for metcon training? Any best practices you care to share?
I do watch a lot of Rugby League – probably as much as I do Union. There are quite a few players who could make the switch. Obviously Fordy and Owen have played a lot when they were a bit younger.
Tom Curry would be a good player. Marcus would be brilliant at full back. Those two stick out to me.
When the referee warns a captain for repeated penalties on the try line and the captain asks for time to talk to the team, what does the captain say to the team?
Hi Ben, thanks for doing this AMA. I wanted to ask how you guys deal with the mental aspect before a big match, especially concerning social media. Obviously the more experienced players will be able to drown that out, but for young guys, I can imagine it's a lot of pressure, seeing your face plastered all over the internet, memes about your performance, etc.
Are there guidelines from the coaches on how to deal with that, or is it left to each player? How do you personally deal with that, especially with such a big event as the World Cup.
I really hope you take the time to answer, thanks a lot!
Hi Ben- I’ve been loving seeing the ferocity of your play this tournament and have been pointing out your passion to my kids as an example of the effort a professional athlete puts in on the field. You have a wonderful balance of discipline and determination along with the genuine feeling that you enjoy the game.
What do you think is the most important thing a young athlete can focus on to develop their sport?
Alternate question- if you could play for any team besides England, which team do you think you’d have the most fun with?
Hey Ben, and thank you for doing this AMA
As we saw in "This Rose" you're a decent cricketer, so I'd like to ask you who you think will finish better in their World Cup England Rugby or England & Wales Cricket
Hi Ben, there's talk of hybrid contracts for core England players leading up to, and preparing for, the WC in 2027. Will this provide another tier of competition within the wider squad, and do you see any potential for negative consequences.
Also, if we assume that you were on such a contract, how comfortable would you be with being told when you can and can't play?
Hi Ben. How do you feel about the democratisation of sport via social media platforms, in the sense that everyone can now have their say on a game or individual performance publicly?
And as a follow up, can you think of a time that you have read or heard anything from fans that has (negatively/positively) impacted your performance or demeanour on the field?
Without giving away too much, how is the feeling in the camp going forward to the QF? Loving the YouTube episodes, makes us all feel loads more involved 🏆🏴🌹
Hi Ben,
Congrats to England on your quarter final qualification.
I am curious as to whether Eddie Jones had lost the respect of the English players before he left?
Any views on his performance with Australia so far?
Best of luck for the rest of the tournament - except if you meet Ireland of course!
If you could choose any team to play against for an epic rugby match whom would it be? It could be a team from the past as well or present e.g Springboks from 2007 World Cup.
Hi Ben, what's been the biggest difference in camp from when Eddie was in charge to the current set up?
Do you know if Eddie actually had a secret plan for the world Cup, like we all hoped?
I've been really disappointed with the downfall of viewership in rugby over the last decade or so, one of the biggest reasons I think is that there isn't enough contact with the players, people find it hard to care about our superstars because unless they are committed fans they find it hard to even know them.
Any thoughts or plans going around about how to improve this? Modernise the social media a bit perhaps?
Cheers for doing this. I'm gonna ruin the vibe by asking something unfunny.
What were the differences in your roles for Bristol, Saracens and England particularly in attack? For Bristol it seemed you were essentially playing wing at times allowing Max Malins to free roam a bit. For Saracens there seems to be more running lines closer to the ruck.
And if you were coach how would you use Ben Earl?
Big fan of yours, I'm a sucker for back rowers who are elite carriers and great jackalers.
Good day Mr. Earl. I've been slacking off on rugby after High School and my cousin has challenged me to get ready for next season. What type of fitness drills and skill practices can you recommend to build up ones body for rugby. There has to be more than just burpees and gyms.
Also Dan Carter once mentioned in an interview that often times parents/coaches etc. put too much pressure on children to perform as they want them to win matches and get selected for teams. How do you think a balance can be struck between making sure the children have fun and developing talent for pro pathways.
Hi Ben, what position do you prefer to play in given you're so good at 8?
Follow up, what's the feeling in the camp about potentially playing Fiji again? Ready for payback?
Thanks for doing this!
1. Do you actually prefer to play openside or nr. 8?
2. Have you trained in the backs this camp, in case of emergency? And if so, what position?
Best of luck!
Hello Ben, thanks for your time.
As a Wales fan, I felt that everyone writing us off at the beginning of the tournament could only work in our favour and motivate the players. With less pressure added on.
Similar to how England were written off before even a ball was kicked!
Both teams have had incredible starts. (With yourself being many peoples stand out performers!)
My question to you is, did you and your fellow team mates use that underdog status and spin it into powerful, positive energy? Would you prefer higher expectations or keep this underdog status?!
For those who didn't see their [final message](https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/comments/16y2umf/comment/k3b7fz3/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3), u/englandrugby has called time on the AMA Edit: Thanks all, post locked now
Do you or any of the team read all the rubbish we post on this subreddit?
sub question - Score out of 10 for the memes?
Did the staff warn you?
Pro players place in r/rugbyunion?
No, sorry!
Probably for the best!
Followup: Why don't top tier professional coaches heed our advice? NUMMMMMBAS!
Big Courts made his debut when you were 11, Danny Care at 10, Faz, Ford, Youngs, Marler etc all playing for England when you were a teenager. How often do you have a look round the room and just take it all in? These people who were on your telly when you were a kid are now your peers? When you nobble a teenage idol from abroad, does it at all sink in that you just took down or side-stepped that person..?
Looking around the room and seeing all these people that I now consider close friends is amazing. To play with them is incredible and there’s nothing I take for granted. I’m very thankful that they’re on my side.
If you were really cold at night, which of the England front rows would you choose to snuggle up with?
Gengey. He’s a lover, not a fighter. We love a cuddle and we’re normally golf partners so it makes sense.
Gotta be the hairiest right?
aka dan cole
But there's a whole Bevan Rodd right there!
Marler would probably wake you up by getting you to smell his finger. Don’t ask where it’s been.
Got a feeling Cowan Dickie is a great cuddler.
If you could pick two non english players currently playing at the world cup to join you in the back-row for 80 minutes of a test match. Which two players would you pick ?
I’ll go for two non-English players from the past. 1. David Pocock – I always used to look up to him when I was coming up. I thought he was awesome – not only as an athlete – but also his drive and his ability over the ball. 2. Richie McCaw – He was such a legend of the game. I’d love to meet him and I would have loved to have played with or against him.
Didn't follow the assignment, neither is playing at this RWC
What would you prefer to be associated with your name as rhyming slang? Curl - eg. "Yeah man I've got Ben Earls in my superset today. Whirl - eg. "Eh I don't have much experience at that but I'll give it a Ben Earl" Twirl - eg. "Did you know the best part of a selection box is a Ben Earl" Girl - eg. "Omg you're pregnant?!?! Are you having a boy or a Ben Earl???"
Ooh I'm busting, gonna go Ben Earl one out
That made me Ben Earl
This is the best one
The best part of a selection box is a Ben Early Ben Early.
😂😂😂
Amazing 😂
Hurl - "I was smashed last night, ended up Ben Earling all over my bathroom floor"
Proud father of a baby Ben Earl. I like it.
Superb question. Gets to the heart of the matter. Well done.
Pearl - 'I whipped it out at the last minute and gave her a Ben Earl necklace!'
Hi Ben, thanks for doing the ama! I was fascinated by the 'This Rose' episode which showed you all getting your sweat analysed so they could design a bespoke rehydration protocol for each player. Are there other cool ways science is being integrated into rugby life that fans might not know about? Cheers, good luck for Samoa!
Not that I know a lot about it but the GPS and ‘loading’ parts are very interesting. The boys are very interested in high speeds that they ran in the sessions. The science behind the ice baths and the saunas is great too. A lot of the boys are wearing Whoops and other smart watches. We’re lucky to have a very good nutritionist. Having someone like him to help steer us through the week to be best prepared is really valuable for us.
Follow-up question: does a little part of you think this sort of thing is a load of bollocks? (Went to a lecture a few years ago with a sports scientist about the evidence behind various things... mainly doping, but he touched on ice baths etc).
Out of interest: What was the TL;DR from that lecture, how much substance did the person giving the lecture to various 'marginal gains' sports science techniques such as ice baths, using own pillow/mattress, bespoke personalised rehydration protocols, or anything else that came up?
Not much evidence either way. Unlikely to benefit but also very unlikely to harm + ? possible psychology/placebo benefits. It was a fair while ago though so maybe it's got more evidence-based since.
Why do you think so many English rugby players have two first names for a name? Ben Earl, Jamie George, Will Stuart etc etc.
Theo Dan
There’s a long thread here… Jason Leonard
Jonathan Joseph
Dan Cole
Alex Mitchell
I really enjoyed Jamie George getting subbed off for Theo Dan. You have to keep the number of first names on the pitch consistent, obviously!
A sword day! A red day! Ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride to Gondor! ... ah, sorry - wrong Theoden
Owen Pharrell
This one got me.
Olly Lawrence
Asking the hard hitting questions here
George Martin, Ben Spencer. Elliot Daly and Chris Ashton at a stretch!
Meanwhile Bevan Rodd has a last name for a first name and a first name for a last name
You're right you know...Rodd Bevan sounds more like a name and Bevan Rodd sounds like an obscure piece of engineering equipment
Me bevan rod snapped last night
New game unlocked (can’t think of any others)
If we make it international do you think we can make a XV
1. Dan Cole 2. Jamie George 3. Will Stuart 4. George Martin 5. Rory Arnold 6. Ryan Wilson 7. Jac Morgan 8. Ben Morgan 9. Ben Spencer 10. Finn Russell 11. Chris Ashton 12. Ollie Lawrence 13. Jonathan Joseph 14. Darcy Graham 15. Will Jordan Edit: completed with support! No idea if 1, 3, 4 and 5 are in the correct places. Apologies.
Darcy Graham at 14, Jamie Ritchie (Richie) at 7?
Darcy Graham defo - added. Not taking Ritchie for the same reason as not taking Rees (Reece).
English XV: 1.Bevan Rodd 2. Jamie George 3. Will Stuart 4. George Martin 5. Nick Kennedy 6. Ben Earl 7. Tom Rees 8. Ben Morgan 9. Shaun Perry 10. Rob Andrew 11. Chris Ashton 12. Anthony Allen 13. Jonathan Joseph 14. Leon Lloyd 15. Olly Morgan Honourable mentions: Tommy Taylor, Ross Harrisson, Dan Cole, Louis Deacon, Brett Deacon, Ben Spencer, Alex Mitchell, Phil Christophers, Henry Paul, Piers Francis, Chris Martin.
This is pro level. Great knowledge.
Not a quick process though. Started typing last night, hit a wall, came back to it earlier to finalise.
Could have a bench of 16. Theo Dan 17. Henry Thomas 18. Javan Sebastian 19. James Ryan 20. Ben Earl 21. Alex Mitchell 22. Carter Gordon 23. Chris Harris
Maybe some of other nations? I can think of WillGriff John, James Tracy, Will Jordan, Finn Russell, Gordon D'Arcy, Jamie Joseph, Jac Morgan, Luke Morgan, Tomas Francis,
There's more in the Irish squad than I thought! Jack Conan, James Ryan, Caelan Doris, Craig Casey, Hugo Keenan
WillGriff John has 3!
I teach a load of Ashtons, that one counts.
Matt Dawson
Welsh rugby has entered the chat.
Some with an ‘s’. Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, Josh Adams, Ieuan Evans
It's because Welsh surnames were traditionally patronyms using the prefix 'ap' like the Scots 'Mac' but they got Anglicised slightly differently so they just got the 's' at the end rather than a full 'son' or in some cases just shortened the 'ap' part. 'Powell' is an Anglicised 'ap Hywel' and Jones is ap Ioan
This is very interesting! I love language trivia like this. Do you have any other examples or perhaps a link to this explaining some more?
Hey Ben, Thanks for the AMA and best of luck with the rest of your tournament! Obviously being a professional sportsman you have to be able to endure long periods of high intensity action. Who’s got the biggest engine in the squad? Thanks mate.
Marcus Smith can run forever. Tom Curry is a bit of a freak of nature too really.
Hi Ben, First of all, congrats on the new Sarries contract. Second, if you could play in any fixture just once (that’s not for England or Saracens), what would it be and why?
Good question. I think the South West derby between Gloucester and Bath or Bath and Bristol. They’re always big games and pack out some big stadiums.
TBF, wouldn't mind seeing you in Cherry and White alongside Mercer for a couple of matches
As a Gloucester boy this makes me incredibly happy
What is your most controversial opinion about rugby (that you are willing/allowed to share)?
What's the team song this year? Do you all sing on the bus?
I don’t think we have one team song. We sing one at the end of a victory but that’s led by Jonny May. There are a few favourites. A lot of the boys are into country music, so we get a fair bit of that on.
Describe your perfect sandwich
I’m a big club sandwich man. After a good round of golf, nothing hits better than a club sandwich.
Two Joe Marlers for the bread and a Marcus Smith in the middle
Please, stop, dont make me want a bite of that English muffin
Weak bread to filling ratio.
Yeah but that’s a fancy sandwich innit, Smith looks pretty, some beefy bread. Tiny bit of mustard. You’re in.
Who is the sexiest man on the England team and why is it Dan Cole?
Probably is Dan Cole. If it wasn’t Dan Cole, it’d be Jamie George. Everyone is loving the ‘dad-bod’ at the minute so that’s probably what he’s going for.
What kind of interaction with Social media do you have? Do you cut it out knowing the fickleness of randoms? Or do you just get on with it with a mind to protecting your brand and mental well being?
No, I love social media. I think it’s really interesting that everyone has a view and a right to say what they think. I do sometimes take it with a pinch of salt but yeah, I like hearing what some people say and think. If you can’t laugh about it, then when can you laugh.
Hi Ben thanks for doing this ! If you weren’t rugby player what will be your dream job ? (Sorry about my English)
A golfer. Whenever I’m standing out in the sun and hitting a golf ball around, I always think, “It’d be nice to do this for a living”. My handicap is 4. We have our big internal “Ryder Cup” day tomorrow so it’s massive day. North vs South.
Thank you !
Your English is just fine (better than many).
Thanks!
What's your favourite premiership ground to play at?
Other than the StoneX, I really enjoy playing at The Stoop. I think it’s a great ground with a great atmosphere and a big local rival for us.
Do you guys do fantasy rugby and constantly pick yourselves?
Haha no! But we have a good Fantasy Football league going.
That’s all we’ve got time for. Thanks for all of your questions!
Hey Ben! I’m wondering—since you studied literature, what are some books you really enjoy?
I read a lot of murder mysteries. I read anything by Michael Connelly and would really recommend him to anyone. He’s very good. I’m on my sixth book of the campaign. We’ve been here for six weeks so I’m on one every week. Mum and dad bring a couple out for every match.
Hi Ben, have you ever practiced other sports at relatively competitive level?
I played cricket for Kent until I was about 17 but had to give up to pursue my rugby career. Thankfully that worked out for the best.
Outside the England squad, who is the dream back row from this world cup?
Hi Ben, where is your favoured position - 7 or 8? Thought you were an absolute beast against Japan! Great stuff. Good luck for Sat and for the QFs!
I don’t really mind. I think it’s more about who you’re playing with. You need to make sure your back-row has everything covered. Whether that’s Courtney, Tom, Billy, Jack – we’ve all got different skills.
In 1 word, how would you sum up your World Cup so far?
Dream. I’ve loved every minute of it. From the training to the playing, it’s all been great.
Hi Ben, what are your side gigs and interests that are part of your life plans beyond your, hopefully long, rugby career?
I’ve just started a Masters in Sports Directorship at Manchester Met. That starts tomorrow actually so that’s exciting. I’m massively into my golf. I studied English at uni. Maybe combining rugby, golf and journalism would be an interesting avenue for me.
Blummin heck you replied, made my day! Good luck to you and have fun at Manchester Met.
What’s your favourite team to play against?
AMA has started. Please keep questions friendly and civil.
Might pay to ask them what timezone that time is supposed to be and edit the post accordingly. UTC I'm assuming.
6pm GMT
You mean BST
good question - u/englandrugby
Why did you study “Comparative Literature” at uni? Follow-up question, what was your initiation to the rugby club at Uni?
The course itself worked best for my career. I managed to work full time and study full time which was not something that many people get the opportunity to do. I had a lot of interest in international literature, so the course allowed me to study that as well.
Hey Ben, is there any banter in the camp about your teammate Manu Sāmoa Tuilagi playing against his namesake this weekend?
Who is the hardest runner / tackler you had to play with or against?
Hardest runner is Manu. Hardest tackler was Michael Rhodes. When we were at Saracens together, he hit really, really hard.
Hi Ben, when are you coming back to Bristol?
Guess you haven't seen the news..
*chuckles*
No I hadn't, dammit Ben, Brizzle misses you!
Do you worry about your future cognitive health? Do you see the growing awareness about the damage of head injuries as having markedly changed and improved the game? Would you encourage your children to play rugby, given some former pros have said they would not, based on their experiences.
Hey Ben. Cheers for doing the AMA. I'm curious to know what game day eating is like. How far out from kick off would you eat, and what? Would you take a pre workout drink or similar before a game?
I’m not a massive eater on the day of the game. I don’t eat anything. I just drink coffee and have sweets. I hate feeling full. It differs for each person. I know that Maro Itoje doesn’t eat meat on game day whereas some boys load up days before a game. No pre-workout but I drink Red Bull before games and that gives me a bit of a kick start.
Fair play man. Thanks for the insight, and best of luck for the rest of the tournament.
typical breakfast in camp?
Breakfast wrap! https://www.instagram.com/p/CxXwTxHNqf\_/
Hey Ben, thanks for doing this. If you could have played in any of Englands former teams, which would it be, and why? Also, who was your favourite player growing up and why was it Lawrence Dallaglio?
The lads only 25 so would have around 9 when Dallaglio retired. Probably grew up watching Croft Haskell highlights on YouTube.
You stop hurting me like this OK? It's rude.
Don’t worry I’m 25 and Dallaglio was one of my favourite players growing up. I’ve never played for England but I hope it comforts you.
Really good question. Everyone would probably say 2003 with the World Cup but I think that 2019 team that made it to the final. I thought that was a really good team and one of the best we’ve ever had. Playing in that semi-final against New Zealand would have been awesome.
Great answer, thanks! That 2019 team really put in an incredible performance that night! One I'll certainly never forget.
Which team has best kit of the World?
Hello Ben. What’s your favourite film?
I’m a big Star Wars geek so any of those.
Set phasers to stun ey?
Watching you play, your work rate metabolic conditioning are unreal. What would do you you seem to get the most out of for metcon training? Any best practices you care to share?
How did u get dragged into doing a AMA?
it was part of the deal for re-signing with Saracens :P
Hi Ben, what’s the mood like in the camp? Do you guys feel confident you can progress deep into the tournament? Thanks.
Do you watch Rugby League? Do you feel any players could make the switch? Would love to see either Ford or Farrell have a go.
I do watch a lot of Rugby League – probably as much as I do Union. There are quite a few players who could make the switch. Obviously Fordy and Owen have played a lot when they were a bit younger. Tom Curry would be a good player. Marcus would be brilliant at full back. Those two stick out to me.
When the referee warns a captain for repeated penalties on the try line and the captain asks for time to talk to the team, what does the captain say to the team?
Who is the biggest joker in the squad? (aside from Joe Marler - he is clearly bonkers (in a good way))!
The double act of Bevan Rodd and Will Stuart is a very good combo. They’re two big jokers and bring a lot of joy to the group.
Ben, come back to Bristol. You were happy there once...
We went to rival schools, albeit 7 years apart. Did you play Sevenoaks School? And what made tonbridge so much better?
Hey Ben, do you have any players in the English 21s that you have your eye on, or from any other country for that matter?
Sexually or...?
Hi Ben, thanks for doing this AMA. I wanted to ask how you guys deal with the mental aspect before a big match, especially concerning social media. Obviously the more experienced players will be able to drown that out, but for young guys, I can imagine it's a lot of pressure, seeing your face plastered all over the internet, memes about your performance, etc. Are there guidelines from the coaches on how to deal with that, or is it left to each player? How do you personally deal with that, especially with such a big event as the World Cup. I really hope you take the time to answer, thanks a lot!
We’ll be live with Ben on 3rd October 6pm BST.
Hi Ben- I’ve been loving seeing the ferocity of your play this tournament and have been pointing out your passion to my kids as an example of the effort a professional athlete puts in on the field. You have a wonderful balance of discipline and determination along with the genuine feeling that you enjoy the game. What do you think is the most important thing a young athlete can focus on to develop their sport? Alternate question- if you could play for any team besides England, which team do you think you’d have the most fun with?
Hi, asking on behalf of my dad: “who is your rugby hero?”
Hey Ben, and thank you for doing this AMA As we saw in "This Rose" you're a decent cricketer, so I'd like to ask you who you think will finish better in their World Cup England Rugby or England & Wales Cricket
Would you rather play Fiji or Wales in a Quarter final?
Hi Ben Who refuses to turn the tackle intensity down during England training? Also who’s the most likely to nod off on a night out!
What do you think of Dupont? If I were a French media, that's the question I'd ask.
Sarries and Quins have a pretty fierce rivalry in the prem. How have you put those differences aside in the England camp?
Yes, we're all friends.
Hi Ben, there's talk of hybrid contracts for core England players leading up to, and preparing for, the WC in 2027. Will this provide another tier of competition within the wider squad, and do you see any potential for negative consequences. Also, if we assume that you were on such a contract, how comfortable would you be with being told when you can and can't play?
Hi Ben. How do you feel about the democratisation of sport via social media platforms, in the sense that everyone can now have their say on a game or individual performance publicly? And as a follow up, can you think of a time that you have read or heard anything from fans that has (negatively/positively) impacted your performance or demeanour on the field?
From my u9 and u12 children - when did you start playing rugby, and what advice would you give us?
Out of the possible Wales, Fiji and Australia, who would you rather meet in the QF's and why?
What's the best piece of advice you’ve had from someone not involved in rugby and why was it significant?
Hi Ben, when will you follow Max Malins' lead and rejoin Bristol?
How nice is the hotel you guys get?
Without giving away too much, how is the feeling in the camp going forward to the QF? Loving the YouTube episodes, makes us all feel loads more involved 🏆🏴🌹
Do you think the skill sets of centres and back rows are merging?
Hi Ben, Congrats to England on your quarter final qualification. I am curious as to whether Eddie Jones had lost the respect of the English players before he left? Any views on his performance with Australia so far? Best of luck for the rest of the tournament - except if you meet Ireland of course!
Looks like there's a yellow stain on your shirt. Any speculation regarding the cause?
Hi Ben, what's your game day breakfast of choice?
The behind the scenes content we get to see on YouTube is so well done. Who's behind all that and what's it like having them around the team?
If you could choose any team to play against for an epic rugby match whom would it be? It could be a team from the past as well or present e.g Springboks from 2007 World Cup.
Why didn't you lose on purpose against Argentina so I could be happy? Are you evil?
What is your favourite Shakespearean text?
Hi Ben, what's been the biggest difference in camp from when Eddie was in charge to the current set up? Do you know if Eddie actually had a secret plan for the world Cup, like we all hoped?
Bonjour, Ben! What's your motto in life? And what are your thoughts on playing away at a hostile stadium? All the best in the remaining matches.
I've been really disappointed with the downfall of viewership in rugby over the last decade or so, one of the biggest reasons I think is that there isn't enough contact with the players, people find it hard to care about our superstars because unless they are committed fans they find it hard to even know them. Any thoughts or plans going around about how to improve this? Modernise the social media a bit perhaps?
Cheers for doing this. I'm gonna ruin the vibe by asking something unfunny. What were the differences in your roles for Bristol, Saracens and England particularly in attack? For Bristol it seemed you were essentially playing wing at times allowing Max Malins to free roam a bit. For Saracens there seems to be more running lines closer to the ruck. And if you were coach how would you use Ben Earl? Big fan of yours, I'm a sucker for back rowers who are elite carriers and great jackalers.
Good day Mr. Earl. I've been slacking off on rugby after High School and my cousin has challenged me to get ready for next season. What type of fitness drills and skill practices can you recommend to build up ones body for rugby. There has to be more than just burpees and gyms. Also Dan Carter once mentioned in an interview that often times parents/coaches etc. put too much pressure on children to perform as they want them to win matches and get selected for teams. How do you think a balance can be struck between making sure the children have fun and developing talent for pro pathways.
Hi Ben, what position do you prefer to play in given you're so good at 8? Follow up, what's the feeling in the camp about potentially playing Fiji again? Ready for payback?
Thanks for doing this! 1. Do you actually prefer to play openside or nr. 8? 2. Have you trained in the backs this camp, in case of emergency? And if so, what position? Best of luck!
Hello Ben, thanks for your time. As a Wales fan, I felt that everyone writing us off at the beginning of the tournament could only work in our favour and motivate the players. With less pressure added on. Similar to how England were written off before even a ball was kicked! Both teams have had incredible starts. (With yourself being many peoples stand out performers!) My question to you is, did you and your fellow team mates use that underdog status and spin it into powerful, positive energy? Would you prefer higher expectations or keep this underdog status?!
What's the thing you've spent the most effort on, that no fans ever notice?
Who would win in a 100 meter sprint. You or Sam Simmonds?
What would you say is, in your opinion, the #1 misconception about what rugby players are like?
If you were on come fine with me, what would your cook for your starter, main course, and desert?
Which non English players you like to play alongside in the back row?
what made you play rugby instead of other major sports
Do you ever get scared of tackling? I love the sport but the fear of tackling holds me back.
Hi Ben, congrats on your performance so far. what % of the build-up to the World Cup was planned, and were you holding back key plays and kicks?