Hook and Roberts class act – Flood (From Campaign Series)

Hook and Roberts class act – Flood

12:10pm Monday 8th February 2010

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THE pain of defeat to the enemy over the Severn Bridge may not dissipate for some time but Welsh fans can find comfort in the birth of a first-class midfield combo according the man who went toe-to-toe with them.

Many predicted that Toby Flood’s late promotion to the England side courtesy of inside centre Riki Flutey’s dead leg would be lapped up by powerhouse centre Jamie Roberts.

Roberts didn’t have it his own way and his struggles, since being named British and Irish Lions player of the tour to South Africa, continue.

Instead it was the player in the Wales number 13 jersey rather than 12 that had the biggest impact. James Hook shone at outside centre and capped a fine attacking and defensive performance with a top-notch try when he identified prop Tim Payne in the defensive line He had the gas and strength to cross for a try that gave Wales hope of victory.

England managed to quell the Welsh threat but Flood saw enough evidence at Twickenham to believe the Roberts-Hook axis will grow to be up there with the best.

“To play against the brawn of Jamie Roberts and the skill and fluidity of Hook is a real challenge, especially when they are playing outside someone with the distribution of Stephen Jones,” the Leicester man said.

“There is no doubt that it is going to be a very strong combination and while Wales will probably come away from this game thinking they have let a win slip away I think they will also be encouraged with what they saw from their midfield.

“Roberts had a pretty solid game but said to me afterwards that he was pretty disappointed he didn’t get involved as much as he wanted to.

“But that’s just the way it goes sometimes and I am probably in the same boat.

“But Hook was fantastic and was all over the park. He was strong, carried well and scored a world class try.

“He is blessed – he has pace, skill and an eye for the gap.

“Those attributes are always going to make a threatening player.

“It definitely has all the ingredients of a top partnership, and one that will only get better with time.

“The combinations are pretty exciting for Welsh fans because there is a lot of talent there, and there also some top players waiting in the wings.”

Hook has previously stated his desire to start at fly-half at the Ospreys and has been shifted around the back line with both region and country.

The 24-year-old started at full-back in the autumn internationals and was poised to do so on Saturday if Lee Byrne had been unsuccessful in his appeal against a ban for the 16th-man fiasco.

“I would say that we have exactly the same qualities but there are similarities in that we can both slot into different positions,” said Flood, a fly-half in club rugby.

“It does sometimes make it tough when you can be slotted in anywhere but it is also exciting and credit to him, he took to 13 superbly.”

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