Sinckler can be own worst enemy: Horwill

Oct 4, 2017 - 4:18 PM Former Wallabies captain and Harlequins leader James Horwill insists understanding the difference between anger and aggression will enable England hopeful Kyle Sinckler to stop becoming his "own worst enemy".

Sinckler has been banned for seven weeks for gouging in Saturday's defeat at Northampton after a disciplinary hearing decided that making contact with the eye of Michael Paterson was a deliberate act..

England's second-choice No.3, who was omitted from Eddie Jones' most recent training squad, has effectively been ruled out of the entire autumn series as his November 21 return date is four days before the final Twickenham international against Samoa.

An arrest by Auckland police during the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and a combative style on the pitch have established Sinckler as a fiery competitor and veteran lock Horwill believes his fury is an asset only if channelled correctly.

"Kyle has so much raw potential and ability that he can become a world-beater and one of the sport's best props," Horwill said.

"But sometimes he can be his own worst enemy a little bit and lose focus on what his main goal is. The better he gets at that, the better he'll be on the pitch.

"It's about being aggressive and not angry. Someone told me that when I was a younger player - because I was quite ill-disciplined at that stage - there's a difference between being aggressive and angry."

"But one of Kyle's points of difference is that he's a very aggressive guy, he's an aggressive carrier. That's something that he wants to keep doing, but must harness it to benefit himself and the team.

"He's a great kid, his heart is always in the right place and that's why he does so much for us as a team and the community."

All 11 of Sinckler's caps have been won as a replacement, three of them during the drawn Lions series in New Zealand.

Source: AAP