"I had about 14 hours" – Ben Spencer: England scrum half recalls late call-up for jet-lagged 2019 Rugby World Cup Final
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England scrum half Ben Spencer has been named to start this Saturday, as Steve Borthwick’s men take on the All Blacks in their first match of the Autumn Nations Series. Spencer has had a turbulent journey to get his hands on England’s nine shirt, with his international career including a dramatic late call-up for the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final.
Spencer was initially left out of Eddie Jones’ squad for the trip to Japan, yet was hurried into the mix following Willi Heinz’ hamstring injury in the semi-final win against the All Blacks. Spencer was at home with his two children and pregnant wife when he got the call from the England camp, telling him to drop what he was doing and get on the next plane out to Tokyo.
It was certainly an unforgettable turnaround for the Bath man, as Spencer was boarding a flight to the Far East less than 24 hours after getting the call. Spencer has had plenty more preparation for England’s Autumn Nations Series opener against the All Blacks, and spoke ahead of the match of his memories from five years ago.
“I think it would have been about 3 o clock that my phone rang and it was the team manager.” Spencer said, at England’s training camp at Pennyhill Park. “She just said "you need to get on the next flight to Japan" It all happened pretty fast. We'd had two children but my wife was pregnant with our third at the time.
“As I was walking on the plane, I got a phone call from her mum saying ‘Jord's (Spencer’s wife) in tears here, you need to get her the next flight to Japan’. She went out with one of her best mates and, fair play, two kids and four months pregnant, she smashed it.”
“Funnily enough the flights tripled in price that week! I think she (Spencer’s wife) flew from Paris to Hong Kong to Japan so it was a bit of a mission but we got there in the end. Some of the videos I have from the kids at the game, us running out, I'll cherish those forever. I wasn't impressed they watchetd their iPads for 80 minutes when I'd just paid for their tickets, but they're memories I'll cherish forever!”
“It was a crazy week and probably one that I will look back on in a few years and just laugh about really. The whole sort of week went so fast and there was obviously jet lag to get over and things like that so it was a crazy week and one, if the result had gone the other way, it would have been unbelievably special but definitely a memory I will treasure for a long time.”
Spencer has been relishing his recent run within the England camp, as he has had solid involvement within the camp since stepping up in the 2023/24 Premiership season. The Bath man was regarded to have been in the form of his career, as he captained the blue, black and whites to an eventual Premiership Final defeat to Northampton Saints.
It was his opposite man from the Premiership Final who steps aside for Spencer to start, as Northampton Saints scrum half Alex Mitchell continues his stay on the sidelines with a neck injury. Mitchell has not featured in green, black and gold yet this season, which has enabled Spencer to stake his claim for the starting space, ahead of Harry Randall of Bristol Bears and Leicester Tigers man Jack van Poortvliet.
“Yeah, you sort of want to be in this environment.” Spencer said. “I have been fortunate enough over the last 12 months where I’ve had a good run in this team, maybe not the amount of caps I potentially would have liked but being in the squad and around Pennyhill, and around the team on a game day, you feel like you are a part of the team.
“Whereas, before it was tough. I was in and then I was out or I was called in for the last game of a Six Nations or the World Cup final. It’s like it is over before it has begun, perhaps. To get a decent run in the squad has been great.”
Spencer partners up with Marcus Smith in the halfback axis, with the Bath scrum half able to pull plenty of comparisons between England’s starting fly half and his club teammate Finn Russell. Both number 10s are mercurials with the ball in hand or from the boot, with Spencer excited to star alongside Smith, whom like Russell, he considers to be the ‘ultimate showman’.
“They're obviously very similar players. They're both really attacking-minded, which is great. They're both ultimate showmen and like to get the team going forward. It's been a really smooth transition, to be honest. Marcus was the first to message me on Monday night just to say congratulations and he's really excited to get the combination going. Saturday should be good.
“I've said it before, I think Finn oozes class and oozes confidence. That spreads throughout the team. He's not afraid of making mistakes. Any mistakes he does make, he's quickly onto the next thing and that's probably the biggest aspect I've taken.”
Spencer expressed how playing alongside Marcus Smith or Finn Russell is quite the stylistic far cry from his early career with Saracens. Spencer was previously the ammunition distributor to Owen Farrell, and Spencer identified how the former England captain’s brand of attack was certainly different from what we see today at the Rec.
“It depends what team you're playing in. If we looked 10 years ago, the model that Sarries were playing is what you are trying to describe. I think the game's changed from that. Obviously there are a few rule changes that are probably going to help the team kicking but, the way the game's going now, it's getting more attacking and a lot quicker. It's developed since 10 years ago.”
Continuing to reminisce upon his days at the StoneX, Spencer recalled how his current England assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth helped him find his feet with Saracens. ‘Wiggy’ was Spencer’s scrum half compatriot for a decade in North London, with the duo apart of many memorable Premiership and Champions Cup accomplishments along the way.
“It's great. Obviously having that previous relationship, I think we were together for 10 years or so at Sarries before that. He's been brilliant in terms of giving me my work ons and telling the strengths that I bring to this team. To have that relationship with Wig is great and I really respect his opinion. Hopefully I can build on it going forward.”
Looking at tomorrow’s task at hand, and Spencer is chomping at the bit to lead England’s back line against the All Blacks. Describing the incoming opportunity as ‘a long time coming’, Spencer is excited to put his practice with Marcus Smith into on-field action, and bring the fight to Scott Roberston’s side in front of a packed house at HQ.
“Yeah, really excited. It's been a long time coming. I'm really looking forward to getting out there at the weekend. We've had a good couple of weeks training together; I've been trying to gel together with Marcus as quickly as possible and hopefully we can get the team going forward at the weekend.
“I guess you never really know until it does come but I'd like to think I've put myself in a position over the last few years to make it happen and I'm just delighted that it is going to happen and hopefully I can make the most of it.”
The post “I had about 14 hours” – Ben Spencer: England scrum half recalls late call-up for jet-lagged 2019 Rugby World Cup Final appeared first on Ruck.
