Adam Radwan: England wing on his blistering speed and licence to attack

England wing Adam Radwan is set to dazzle fans in Friday night’s World Cup clash with Australia. The Sale-born player has played all three games so far and scored two tries, but the 24 year old also boasts one of the fastest legs on earth when he gets his hands on it.

In England’s rout over Tonga on Saturday, Adam Radwan scored the first of 11 tries.

Adam Radwan intended to savor every second of his Twickenham experience last Saturday after coming close to quitting rugby after being released by Newcastle Under-18s a few years ago.

On the Rugby Union Weekly podcast, the England winger revealed, “It probably didn’t really strike me until we were there.”

“As the bus neared, it was completely crowded, totally packed; there were people literally everywhere, and the vehicle had to drive between the fans in a narrow path.”

“When we got close, I took off my AirPods because I wanted to absorb it and experience it.”

Radwan’s path to the top has been unusual and winding; after his release as a youngster, he spent time in the lower divisions and on the Sevens circuit before returning to the Newcastle Academy in 2017.

On his debut against Canada in the summer, Radwan scored a fantastic try for his first England try.

After a succession of exceptional performances at club level, he earned his first appearance against Canada in the summer, a debut he marked with a magnificent hat-trick. But Saturday’s match against Tonga was the 23-year-debut old’s in front of the whole 82,000-strong home crowd, which he commemorated with an early try.

“It’s been a strange path to take, but it’s worked out OK,” he continued.

“It was just an unforgettable day. And having my family there to share the moment with me made me extremely proud. It was very wonderful.”

Radwan’s mix of footwork and natural speed – he’s been clocked in England camp at a top speed of 10.85 meters per second but has never been timed beyond 100 meters – has drew parallels from head coach Eddie Jones to Springboks World Cup winner Cheslin Kolbe: a big praise or a lot of pressure?

“It’s not a terrible thing to hear; it maybe adds a little pressure, but I enjoy it and think I perform well under pressure,” Radwan said.

While England’s kick-first approach has won a few games but made few friends over the last 18 months, Jones and captain Owen Farrell have made it clear that they want to break out of their tactical rut this fall.

And Radwan claims that he has been granted permission to play against Australia this weekend, despite the fact that the stakes will be greater and his time on the field would be shorter.

“Eddie wants me to loosen up a little more and give it my best. My game isn’t going to alter, I’m sure of that “he said

“My natural impulse is to flee first. I believe I make choices in my thoughts without being aware of it. It simply occurs because my legs take control.”

Jones’ clumsy comments about fly-half Marcus Smith and the dangers of off-field distractions – citing US Open tennis champion Emma Raducanu – made headlines in the aftermath of the Tonga game, but Radwan clarifies what the England boss expects from his rookies.

“Don’t lose sight of the important things, as he says. Make sure you’re continually dedicated and working hard, and don’t believe you’ve made it just yet “he said

“At this level, everyone wants to be in this position and this atmosphere, so unless you’re always working hard, someone else will take it.”

For the time being, Radwan is one of “New England’s” faces, a moniker established by defensive coach Anthony Seibold on Tuesday, and he, along with Smith, can enliven the Twickenham crowd this month.

“Against Tonga, there were two players on the field who had the audience more enthusiastic than anybody else: Marcus Smith and Adam Radwan,” Rugby Union Weekly’s Ugo Monye stated.

“And I adore it because the audience recognizes the potential and anticipates events.”