England prop Kyle Sinckler reveals how a haircut was behind his stunning return to form

Kyle Sinckler’s quest to rediscover the form that was lost in transit upon moving to Bristol has involved a huge amount of hard graft in the England camp — and a timely visit from his barbers.

The Lions prop moved west in the summer, leaving behind family, friends and Harlequins to become a Bristol Bear. It has proved to be a challenging relocation for the country’s leading tighthead. 

But his dynamic, powerful performance in last Saturday’s Autumn Nations Cup win over Ireland at Twickenham made Sinckler hopeful that he has turned a corner.

England star Kyle Sinckler has revealed how a haircut was behind his stunning return to form

He is convinced that it had something to do with looking sharper. ‘Charlotte, our team manager, has been doing an excellent job with getting the barbers tested,’ said the 27-year-old. ‘I think Eddie (Jones) knows if I don’t get a trim before the game, there’s no point in playing me!

‘If you feel good and you look good, you play good. It’s been really helpful with them coming in. It’s nice to see them, because I haven’t really seen anyone since I moved to Bristol. It’s good to get my barnet back.’

And Sinckler wasn’t the only England forward reaping the rewards of a haircut. Sinckler added: ‘I had to get into Tom Curry a bit because his hair was longer. I said, “I don’t think it’s you, man. Get back to basics — go back to short back and sides”. He got it done and had a really good game. He should listen to me more.’

Sinckler was back to his best in England’s win over Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday

On a serious note, Sinckler is undergoing a more profound transformation. He is trying to re-establish his credentials after a difficult period. 

Against Ireland, he was at the forefront of a monumental defensive effort — making 20 tackles, as well as acting as a fulcrum of the hosts’ dominant set-piece. ‘I put my best foot forward and I’m starting to get some sort of form back,’ he said.

Sinckler isn’t hiding from his struggles so far in the West Country. He added: ‘I’d say I’ve been functioning at 20 per cent of my best at Bristol. It’s a unique way to play and it’s something that I want to get better at.

‘I appreciate the help from Pat (Lam — Bristol’s director of rugby) and Eddie, who have been sticking by me.

Sinckler believes England coach Eddie Jones is aware of the importance of him looking sharp

‘It’s been harder for me off the field. I never really understood when players move clubs why they don’t hit form. My issues have been that I had to move in the middle of lockdown. I haven’t seen my mum since June and I haven’t seen any family.

‘I’m just excited to get back some form, then when I get back to Bristol, I will try to do the fans proud.

‘I was at Quins since I was 12 years old, with a lot of credit in the bank. I’ve gone to Bristol and it’s like starting again from zero, so I can only give thanks to Pat and the coaches who have massively helped me.

‘I know it’ll come. I think I’ve played 12 games there, we won 10 and won the Challenge Cup, so it would be good to get back there and get the other 80 per cent of my game going.’

Sinckler convinced teammate Tom Curry to go back to a short back and sides for the game

Sinckler relished England’s defensive exploits in the 18-7 win over Ireland, but insisted their progress in that crucial area was just one small part of a grand vision. 

‘It’s not just defence, we want to be the best at everything,’ he said. ‘If you aim for the stars — and that’s what we try to do — if we don’t reach them, we might land on the clouds.’

Luke Cowan-Dickie and Anthony Watson were recalled yesterday in a 35-man squad to prepare for Saturday’s encounter with Wales in Llanelli — but Jacob Umaga and George Furbank have been ruled out due to injury.

The 27-year-old prop has struggled since leaving Harlequins to join Bristol in the summer