Possibly as a result of Opoku-Fordjour doesn’t match the previous tight-head mould, he has additionally appeared on the alternative facet of the scrum.
Whereas he performs tight-head for Sale, he switched to loose-head for England Below-20s, the place Gloucester’s Afolabi Fasogbon and Tub’s Vilikesa Sela give England mammoth depth at three.
The trio have been massively spectacular within the crew’s age-grade World Cup win in the summertime, with set-piece dominance splintering France within the last.
They aren’t the one causes to be cheerful.
Harlequins’ 22-year-old Baxter made his Take a look at debut in the summertime. Crew-mate Nathan Jibulu, 21, is poised to stress central contract-holder Theo Dan, 23, at hooker.
Northampton’s Tarek Haffar and Emmanuel Iyogun, each 23, are two extra promising prop prospects.
In all, England hope they’ve a golden era lined up behind Marler and Dan Cole, who’re nearing the tip of their careers, and Ellis Genge and Will Stuart, 29 and 28 respectively.
West believes that, as soon as the transition is completed, Opoku-Fordjour would favor to finish up again at tight-head.
However in fashionable Take a look at rugby, versatility will be the important thing that unlocks the following stage and a spot in a squad.
West and Titterrell’s day was completely different. Replacements have been rarer. Specialists stayed put. And the set-piece was extra chaotic.
Footage from their enjoying days offers amusement, relatively than training, to their younger costs.
“The lads snicker now after they see the footage of the video games we performed in,” says West.
“Again then the referee didn’t have a lot involvement within the engagement at scrums – you bought collectively and acquired on with it.
“There was extra affect, much more scrums ending up on the ground and there was a specific amount of brutality concerned in that.
“Even so, the gamers now are a lot larger and possibly stronger than we have been previously. It’s completely various things they do these days.”
Differing types, however equivalent locations. Opoku-Fordjour and the remainder are arriving quick on the worldwide scene and, as within the scrum, will take some shifting as soon as they’re in place.