There is all sorts of trouble to be had in Susukino if you know what you’re looking for and more if you’re not sure. Sapporo’s notorious entertainment district is a block of 20-storey tower blocks, neon from the pavement up: restaurants, bars, gaming parlours, cinemas, salons and love hotels, heaving with off-duty office workers and, for this weekend at least, several thousand English and Australian rugby fans. The England team are staying 10 blocks away, just the other side of the river. They haven’t been any further than the local cafe. “We just tend to find the best coffee shops if we can,” said Owen Farrell. But the atmosphere was crackling in their hotel.
England are, as Eddie Jones says, about to go over the top of a rollercoaster they have been riding ever since they arrived at their training camp 10 weeks or so ago. You could see it in Jones, who seemed so wired he was almost vibrating with nervous energy, and hear it in George Ford:“It’s through the roof, we can’t wait to get out there,” and Courtney Lawes: “I am very, very excited.” They were grinning like kids who have burst into their parents’ bedroom on Christmas morning.
Written by Andy Bull in Sapporo
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/21/owen-farrell-emotion-control-england-rugby-world-cup-tonga under the title “Owen Farrell: ‘I try to take the emotion out of it – you want to be in control’”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
