‘Courtney’s a people’s captain… his growth in the last 18 months as a player has been brilliant’: England’s stand-in skipper Lawes hailed by prop Joe Marler after dramatic win over South Africa
- Courtney Lawes led England to victory over South Africa at the weekend
- Regular skipper Owen Farrell is still recovering from ankle surgery
- Northampton forward Lawes was outstanding once again for England
Courtney Lawes has received another resounding endorsement as England’s stand-in captain after leading the team to a famous victory over South Africa.
The 32-year-old Northampton forward was outstanding once again as he proved he can be an inspirational leader, with regular skipper Owen Farrell recovering from ankle surgery.
In the build-up to the showdown with the Springboks, Tom Curry had spoken about how Lawes’ calm leadership was so effective, and after the world champions had been beaten, Joe Marler added his own tribute. ‘Courtney’s a people’s captain,’ said the Harlequins prop.
Courtney Lawes has received another resounding endorsement as England’s stand-in captain
‘He plays for the boys, he talks about his love for the group and will always put his body on the line. When he speaks, everyone listens. He’s a good guy and I’ve really enjoyed playing under him in this campaign.
‘His growth in the last year to 18 months as a player has been brilliant. He’s carrying hard, he’s added that extra bit of footwork, the tips (passes) in attack, and he still does what he does in defence. He’s older than me and he’s still pushing hard.’
Manu Tuilagi is due to have a scan on Monday after limping off on Saturday with a hamstring strain.
Joe Marler paid tribute to Lawes, saying that his team-mate is a ‘people’s captain’