{"id":292409,"date":"2023-10-20T11:39:05","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T11:39:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/?p=292409"},"modified":"2023-10-20T11:39:05","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T11:39:05","slug":"chelsea-ace-ben-chilwell-left-with-egg-on-his-face-after-rugby-world-cup-blunder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/soccer\/chelsea-ace-ben-chilwell-left-with-egg-on-his-face-after-rugby-world-cup-blunder\/","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea ace Ben Chilwell left with egg on his face after Rugby World Cup blunder"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rugby World Cup: Semi-final previews<\/h3>\n

Chelsea vice-captain Ben Chilwell was forced to correct himself after accidentally inferring that rugby props are not athletes, leaving Irish legend Brian O\u2019Driscoll in tears of laughter at the blunder. The England star was tasked with naming a rugby XV of his Blues team-mates ahead of the upcoming World Cup semi-final against South Africa on Saturday, when a slip of the tongue may have landed him in hot water.<\/p>\n

Joined by O\u2019Driscoll, who captained Ireland and the British & Irish Lions during his legendary playing days to provide Chilwell with some expertise, the left-back began with what was deemed as the tough job of picking footballers to go into the front row.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are the biggest boys in the team,\u201d O\u2019Driscoll said to give Chilwell a helping hand, but the footballer was reluctant and explained: \u201cI don\u2019t want to upset anyone by putting anyone here\u2026\u201d before picking club captain Reece James as the team’s hooker.<\/p>\n

Chilwell then said: \u201cHe shouldn\u2019t be here because he\u2019s an athlete. Sorry, they are athletes, but\u2026\u201d As he could only apologise while O\u2019Driscoll was chuckling away at Chilwell playing down the athleticism of front rowers in rugby.<\/p>\n

JUST IN <\/strong> England have three players with an extra point to prove vs South Africa[PREVIEW] <\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Chilwell also named Nicolas Jackson as openside flanker, someone who O\u2019Driscoll put it as the “biggest cheat on your team\u201d though the Chelsea man played down that thought and described the striker – who has already been suspended for five bookings through just seven Premier League games – as the best at game-management.<\/p>\n

Conor Gallagher was inserted at fly-half, a call that Chilwell admitted was \u201charsh\u201d as O\u2019Driscoll described some players in that role as ones who have \u201ccome back at the end of the game with a cleaner jersey\u201d. Chilwell acknowledged Gallagher\u2019s work ethic on the pitch but made the decision based on how the former Crystal Palace loanee \u201clikes to keep his hair nice\u201d.<\/p>\n