In the salons of Bordeaux this week relatively little attention has been paid to Fin Baxter. Harlequins have starrier names in their match-day squad and anyway it is their attacking prowess that hogs the headlines. If the massive local props are considering their 22-year-old opponent, it will be as a quick amuse-bouche before they tuck into something more substantial.
They will not be the first to make that misjudgment. Never mind that Baxter looks even younger than his years and has the cherubic appearance of a choirboy awaiting evensong. He could be England’s next big thing, if you listen to his captain, Stephan Lewies: “He’s a future international prop in my opinion. He’s ridiculous for a 22-year-old and he’ll just get better with time. He’s a future leader of the club if he keeps his head down and keeps working. Which I think he will because he’s that type of guy. I can’t speak highly enough of him.”
