The Interview | Juan Martin Gonzalez
Mark McCall may be the acknowledged master at preparing teams to win major silverware, but perhaps he is not given enough credit for spotting players and bringing them to the StoneX Stadium.
When it became know Billy Vunipola would be moving on there was a need to strengthen his back row options and in came both Tom Willis and Juan Martin Gonzalez. Since 2023 they have been two of the stand out performers for the ‘Men in Black’ with Puma flanker Gonzalez comfortably matching his billing ahead of his arrival.
“Juan is a player who we are very excited about. He has shown his ability in the Premiership over the past couple of seasons and we believe he has his best rugby ahead of him,” was director of rugby McCall’s assessment of Gonzalez when he signed two summers ago.
The sight of him going head to head with his Argentine teammate Facundo Isa in Toulon in the Investec Champions Cup was one of the highlights of the amazing 16 try, 114 point Round of 16 clash three weeks ago.
It may have ended 3-1 to Isa, who scored a hat-trick to his fellow countryman’s solo try, but it proved, if any proof was needed, just how much of a warrior Gonzalez truly is when he wears the black shirt.
“We felt like that game gave us a lot of confidence and showed us the kind of spirit we need moving forward,” said Gonzalez.
“We have to keep on improving. The Premiership is so tight there is now no margin for error.
“We have things in our own hands and that is where we want to be. It was incredibly important in our game at Leicester for us to bounce back from the ‘Showdown’ defeat to Harlequins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“That is exactly what we did, and if we show that kind of level of desire and commitment over the final four matches we will be there or there abouts in the shakedown for a top four finish.”
When McCall was asked to weigh up the contribution of Willis to the side this season in the build up to last weekend’s game against Gloucester he was only too happy to sing his praises as well.
“Tom has had a very strong season that has been built on a strong initial campaign with us. He hit the ground running at the start of the season because of all the hard work he had put in during the summer,” said McCall.
“He is very consistent and that is what got him back into the England squad. If you are always around a mark of 7-9 out of 10 week in, week out, it is the sign you are a top player.”
Add in England star Ben Earl, Samoan cap Theo McFarland and fit again Scottish international Andy Onyeama-Christie and the challenge for back row places in McCall’s starting XV is as tough as it has ever been. And that’s just the way Gonzalez likes it!
“Competition is what drives standards and we all know that we have to perform each time we get an opportunity,” admitted the Puma.
“We face another massive game at Sale this Friday. They are all huge games now and we want to keep putting our best foot forward.”
