3 hot takes as Steve Borthwick names England team to host France
It’s been the quite the week for Steve Borthwick and England. He came under fire for cutting Marcus Smith loose from the training squad last week. Now, he has ignited another fiery blaze, this time naming Smith as No10 starter this Saturday versus France and benching skipper Owen Farrell. Here are three RugbyPass hot takes on his Guinness Six Nations round four team announcement:
Nostradamus Matson
Hats off to Tabai Matson, the Harlequins coach. It was eight days ago in a Guildford hotel when he calmly shot the breeze regarding the dramatic release of Smith to the London club following his unexpected omission from the fallow week England training squad.
By then there had already been a massive 24-hour media fuss made about the Borthwick decision to cut Smith and run his eye instead over George Ford, a selection that was generally negatively portrayed as the potential end for Smith.
The player’s club coach, though, wasn’t buying any of that rhetoric, instead suggesting: “I don’t think not being in training camp is going to hinder him on that and ultimately it might enhance it.” How Nostradamus-like right was he with that ‘win-win’ prediction.
Eight days later, Smith was vaulted straight back into the England No10 jersey rather than being made surplus to requirement to the match day 23, and Matson would have been well within his rights to allow himself a hearty chuckle.
Borthwick didn’t go into the exact nuts and bolts regarding his specific reasons for ringing this major change to his Test team. There was an admission that goal-kicking wasn’t a decisive factor, the head coach stating at his team announcement media briefing that Farrell was “kicking brilliantly this week in training”.
There was also a claim that Smith running alongside Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade in the 10/12/13 combination was “the right blend” this week, a curious description given the amount of commentary highlighting the supposed merits of having the experienced Farrell playing at 10 in between the inexperienced Lawrence and scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet.
Otherwise, Borthwick was as diplomatic as he could be about the drama of dropping his England skipper to the bench. There was a reference that “Owen has been brilliant” regarding his demotion, that he “cares so deeply about this team”. But there was nothing given away by the head coach regarding what qualities Smith might bring to the No10 role on Saturday instead of Farrell.
What piqued the interest, though, was how Borthwick made a point in his final answer at the briefing of dismissing the description of picking Smith ahead of Farrell as a bold call.
Despite notable February selections such as axing the likes of Manu Tuilagi and Ben Youngs from the match day 23, the recall from the wilderness of veteran sub Dan Cole and so on, the England boss has been given the label of ‘Conservative Steve’ due to his constant emphasis on his team getting better at their basics.
This ‘brilliant basics’ mantra was interpreted as unambitious, yet you have to give Borthwick kudos for his gutsy approach towards areas of his selection, something he feels is a trait of his.
“If you were to track all the teams I selected over the last few years, there were some pretty bold decisions,” suggested the ex-Leicester boss. “I’ll leave it to you to track back to last year’s final, have a look at the selection.”
He got it right on that occasion, Leicester beating Saracens to a title they were the underdogs for, and he sounded on Thursday like a coach who has every confidence of being proven right again this Saturday with his latest selection.
The Dave rave
Quitting your national team for club rugby in France can be a tricky business. Look at how swiftly Simon Zebo was frozen out of Ireland’s plans in the 2017/18 season when it was confirmed before the 2017 November internationals that he would leave Munster for Racing in the summer of 2018.
Signing a French deal, though, hasn’t been viewed as a negative by Borthwick, judging by how the Toulon-bound David Ribbans has been named on this weekend’s England bench.
It took the Northampton-based South African several years to finally convince Eddie Jones he was worth a Test level shot and he played three times in the recent Autumn Nations Series. Then came the announcement that he is quitting the Premiership for the Top 14, a decision that will end his Test career once gets started at Toulon.
Knowing Ribbans’ future is away from England post the Rugby World Cup, Borthwick could have decided the lock wasn’t worth his consideration, but the head coach is currently very much a week-to-week operator across this Six Nations and the 27-year-old is now primed for a run from the championship bench having been named as the replacement for the injured Courtney Lawes.
“He has been champing at the bit for the opportunity,” reported Borthwick. “He has been training really well and I thought watching him play his last game for Northampton, he played really well there. It is an opportunity for Dave, it’s an opportunity for us to keep moving forward.”
There was no insightful update, though, on the seriousness of Lawes’ latest injury setback. The only reference made to him came when Borthwick was discussing why he gave the captaincy to Ellis Genge. “Unfortunately, Courtney Lawes had to leave the squad this week due to injury, another brilliant leader,” he said.
The wrong tracks hero
The bunting should be out this weekend in Knowle West in honour of Genge skippering England for the first time. It’s quite the achievement for the 28-year-old Bristolian, someone that Jones regularly referred to as hailing from the wrong side of the tracks.
Genge has been well-spoken over the years about how rugby in England needs to broaden its base and start breaking into more working-class communities. It was a topic he specifically addressed in one particular RugbyPass interview, that football was way ahead regarding its recruitment compared to rugby.
“It is rugby’s biggest downfall,” he claimed at the time. “That is why football is doing so well. You see footballers today being so incredible at the ages of 11, 12 and you see footballers signing contracts so early. Everyone is like, ‘It’s ridiculous’. But it’s not. It’s just investing in their youth and grassroots in the sport.
“Football is looking into primary schools around the country, looking as deep as it can in some of these estates. I’m not saying every footballer comes from an estate, but I’m saying they are looking long and far whereas rugby over the past 10 years, I think everyone agrees, has been very narrow-minded in the whole scouting system.”
Some England fans might feel appointing Genge as Saturday’s skipper is a risk, the insinuation being that he is a bit of a hot head. But he isn’t. If he was you could be sure that Borthwick, who appointed Genge as his Leicester skipper, would not be giving him this honour.
“Ellis Genge is a fantastic leader, is a natural leader and is somebody players follow… I’m delighted for him,” enthused Borthwick on Thursday. Quite the compliment for a player whose upbringing was very different to so many of his England teammates.
ENGLAND (vs France, Saturday – 4:45): 15. F Steward (Leicester Tigers); 14. M Malins (Saracens), 13. H Slade (Exeter Chiefs), 12. O Lawrence (Bath Rugby), 11. A Watson (Leicester Tigers); 10. M Smith (Harlequins), 9. J van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers); 1. E Genge (Bristol Bears, capt), 2. J George (Saracens), 3. K Sinckler (Bristol Bears), 4. M Itoje (Saracens), 5. O Chessum (Leicester Tigers), 6. L Ludlam (Northampton Saints), 7, J Willis (Toulouse), 8. A Dombrandt (Harlequins). Reps: 16. J Walker (Harlequins), 17. M Vunipola (Saracens), 18. D Cole (Leicester Tigers), 19. D Ribbans (Northampton Saints), 20. B Curry (Sale Sharks), 21. A Mitchell (Northampton Saints), 22. O Farrell (Saracens), 23. H Arundell (London Irish).
Comments on RugbyPass
Did the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
1 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
15 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
15 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments00 😍 U
1 Go to commentsSabbaticals have helped keep NZ’s very best talent in the country on long term deals - this fact has been left out of this article. Much like the articles calling to allow overseas players to be selected, yet can only name one player currently not signed to NZR who would be selected for the ABs. And in the entire history of NZ players leaving to play overseas, literally only 4 or 5 have left in their prime as current ABs. (Piatau, Evans, Hayman, Mo’unga,?) Yes Carter got an injury while playing in France 16 years ago, but he also got a tournament ending injury at the 2011 World Cup while taking mid-week practice kicks at goal. Maybe Jordie gets a season-ending injury while playing in Ireland, maybe he gets one next week against the Brumbies. NZR have many shortcomings, but keeping the very best players in the country and/or available for ABs selection is not one of them. Likewise for workload management - players missing 2 games out of 14 is hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Again let’s use some facts - did it stop the Crusaders winning SR so many times consecutively when during any given week they would be missing 2 of their best players? The whole idea of the sabbatical is to reward your best players who are willing to sign very long term deals with some time to do whatever they want. They are not handed out willy-nilly, and at nowhere near the levels that would somehow devalue Super Rugby. In this particular example JB is locked in with NZR for what will probably (hopefully) be the best years of his career, hard to imagine him not sticking around for a couple more after for a Lions tour and one more world cup. He has the potential to become the most capped AB of all time. A much better outcome than him leaving NZ for a minimum of 3 years at the age of 27, unlikely to ever play for the ABs again, which would be the likely alternative.
3 Go to commentsJake White talks more sense than anything I've read in the last 5 years. Hope someone's listening.
15 Go to commentsThe Springboks tried going down the road of only picking home-based players and it was an unmitigated disaster in 2016 and 2017. Picking overseas-based players has been one of the main reason the Boks have done so well since 2018, not only because of the quality Rassie could call on, but because of the knowledge and experience those players brought into camp from England, France and Japan. With some of the big names playing abroad it also gave younger players in SA the chance to break through at franchise level. Would we have seen the emergence of a Ruan Nortje if RG and Lood were still at the Bulls? Not so sure. I understand why Jake would want to block players leaving since his job depends on good results but it’s an approach that would take Bok rugby back to the bad old days and no South African wants to see that.
15 Go to commentsExeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
39 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to comments