Special Feature: It's all about getting SEEN - Paul Sackey's quest for an England recall

18 August 2010

Paul Sackey was England's top-scorer at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, now he's moved to Toulon in order to push his claims for an international recall in time for the 2011 competition in New Zealand.

Here, in an extract from an exclusive interview with the superb photo-journalist magazine SEEN, he talks about his new life at one of France's most ambitious clubs, his dream of pulling on the red rose once more and what it's like having Jonny Wilkinson as a team-mate...

Seen - Have you got fond memories of France, because you had a fantastic World Cup here in 2007?

Paul Sackey - That’s it, and that’s another thing because I really loved it when we were over here, and we were here for a couple of months and I had such an amazing time that I always said that if I had the opportunity to come and play in France I would do it in a couple of years’ time after the [2007] World Cup. Like I said someone came in for me and it was the only place I wanted to come to in France so I took it. The whole atmosphere in France is different because they love their rugby over here, it’s such a rugby-orientated country and to be over here and experiencing it is amazing. Just walking into Toulon, and even in training the whole atmosphere is amazing. Sometimes in the street it’s like a carnival here.

S - You wait until you get to the games, the atmosphere at the grounds is amazing with the drums and the noise the supporters make.

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PS - Yeah, yeah, I’m looking forward to it and like I said I’ve put in a lot of work in pre-season and the season here starts a lot earlier than the English one.

S - What do you say to people who say you’ve only gone for the money? The money is obviously good – you can’t ignore that – but is it more than that.

PS - You know what, I have not gone for money and I haven’t gone for that much money – if you look closely it’s not that much money – I’ve gone for the experience, the culture, the lifestyle and I’ve gone for the different way of life. Like I said, English rugby for me I’ve been there for 10 years so I just wanted to try something else. Maybe it will refresh me like it has done for Jonny and a few other guys who have come over here. I’ve not ruled myself out of playing for England, I want to come over here and get myself back into the shop window, like Jonny has and a few other guys who have come over here.

S - I wanted to ask you about England. You’ve not been picked of late, not really since you broke your leg. Is it something that still drives you on, to recapture the manager’s attention?

PS - Yeah, of course, I think in anything, even in business, you want to keep striving to get to that next level and the next level from playing club rugby is playing for your country, and you always want to play for your country until you feel that your time is up for them, and mine isn’t yet. I want to play another World Cup. I thoroughly enjoyed the last one and I want to be a part of the next one. So for me maybe it’s a place to revitalise myself and get the form back to how I used to be. Like I said, nothing against Wasps – I love Wasps more than anything, they did a hell of a lot for me, the coaches there like McGeechan, Shaun (Edwards) and Warren Gatland, all those guys have done amazing well for me and leaving was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, so I just wanted to come over here and challenge myself, Sometimes you get into a comfortable environment and you’ve got to take yourself out of it to find out who you are. Hopefully that’s what I am doing and I can benefit from coming over here playing with some of the best rugby players in the world.

S - Have you had any contact from Martin Johnson or the England set up?

PS - I haven’t as yet, but I knew I wouldn’t yet, it’s too early doors.

S - The whole change of culture thing, is that something you’re enjoying? Obviously it’s a lovely place down in Toulon.

PS - Yeah, yeah. Beautiful, beautiful. The whole culture thing is going to take me a while to adjust to properly but like I said I’m settling in quite nicely at the moment, so hopefully in time – give it another couple of months – and I should be able to get the lingo a little bit more and just settle in to the whole way of life, but like I said it’s nice and I like it.

S - The style of rugby is different too. I don’t know if you watched much Top 14, but you’ve obviously played international rugby against France and you played against French clubs for Wasps and London Irish, is that something you are looking forward to playing?

PS - I think that was one of the big decisions for me to come down here because at the moment English rugby is a bit kick-kick oriented, where French clubs it’s more pass and move so they get the ball out wide and they play some good rugby, so that was another attraction for me to come over to France. If you watch the French international team they were the only ones in the last Six Nations to play any rugby, and look what happened? They done tremendously well, so that for me swayed me a little bit, and obviously the sun and sea!

S - You’re going to have Jonny at number 10 and obviously you know all about him so that must help as well.

PS - Of course, it’s nice to have a few boys that you know in the team as well and for me I know a couple of the boys already, which is nice and helps you settle in to see some of the boys.

S - I read that you like to express yourself on the field and play heads up rugby, which from what I’ve seen that’s what they like to do in French rugby. The scrum is massively important but when it goes wide the backs have a bit more liberty.

PS - That’s a major part of why I’ve come.

To read the full Paul Sackey interview, and see the rest of SEEN magazine, click here.

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