Julian Salvi, the full back for the Aviva Premiership Rugby Union side the Leicester Tigers will be more than happy to put his body on the line for the cause of the team when the record Premiership champions take on Worcester Warriors on Saturday, the 8th of September in the second match day of the new season of the Premiership. The 26 year old from Australia is expected to be given his second start for The Tigers in the new season of the Premiership when The Warriors travel down to Welford Road for the match.
Just this week, Ben Woods, his fellow back rower announced his retirement from the game at the tender age of 30 years thanks to a problematic broken wrist and Salvi has given the fans a stark insight into the brutal life that an open-side flanker faces in the game and how to survive it. Speaking about his position, Salvi stated that as an open-side flanker, one has to put his head down when going in for the ball and there are bodies and knees flying in each and every direction.
He went on to add that when he gets up, he is just happy to have survived that play and then puts his head down again for the next one. Surviving an 80 minute match means the world to a player in his position. The Leicester Tigers added that he was disappointed to see ‘Woody’ retire at such an untimely age but it’s one of those positions where the players have to grind it out every time and it’s all about luck.
Many open-side flankers retired in recent times, with Be Herring of the Leicester Tigers being the most notable, but Salvi accepts all there is to the position and still is determined to give it his all.