Balance is a concern but England squad has enough quality to win World Cup - Andy Goode
Travelling to the World Cup with just two specialist tightheads and two specialist scrum halves is a major risk but Eddie Jones is doing it his way again and he has the quality at his disposal to win it.
It was always going to be the case that one of the more specialist positions was going to have to be covered by just two players instead of three but Eddie has gone with a plethora of outside backs, including the uncapped Ruaridh McConnochie, and left himself light at numbers three and nine.
Any team has to go week to week and have contingency plans and there is even more scrutiny on that at a World Cup when there are so many games in such a short space of time and the squad is capped at 31.
It seems that one of England’s back-up plans is to use George Ford at scrum half if one of Ben Youngs or Willi Heinz goes down. That might not be an issue if it’s just from the bench while another specialist nine is flown out but it could come back to bite them if one is ruled out before a game and another in the early stages of the match.
Another contingency is to use Joe Marler, who I know hasn’t fancied playing on the other side of the scrum before, as a tighthead.
I can see why you would only take two scrum halves but I can’t understand why you would go with just two tightheads. Kyle Sinckler and Dan Cole are going to be getting through a lot of work and going to Japan light in that area seems a lot more of a gamble to me.
Minor injuries are always going to happen and then there are bans as well. We know that Sinckler plays right on the edge and can fly off the handle at times so that could present a problem.
There’s a four-day turnaround between the Tonga and USA games at the start of the tournament and then there is the traditionally strong scrum of Argentina, even if it isn’t going so well at the moment, and the power of the French pack to come.
So, it was a massive surprise to me that Harry Williams wasn’t included as well. As amazing as it is for McConnochie to be given an opportunity and he has looked like a terrific athlete in a Bath shirt, I would’ve gone with three tightheads and only five back three players.
In terms of the actual selections, there are a few question marks. I don’t think they are necessarily question marks over individuals and their quality but it’s certainly reasonable to ask why he hasn’t looked at some of these players earlier.
Lewis Ludlam is clearly an absolute bolter and he was brilliant at the weekend on top of a strong first season as a regular at Northampton. That pride and passion he showed in his performance, as well as during the anthem, was great to see.
However, Willi Heinz has been around at Gloucester for four seasons, so since the last World Cup, and it’s taken until now for him to win his first cap. He’s overtaken Dan Robson, Ben Spencer, Richard Wigglesworth and Danny Care but did it have to be so late in the day?
Piers Francis is another who has been an option for a while but made just two appearances off the bench in the two years between going on tour to Argentina in 2017 and starting against Wales on Sunday.
He’s taken the seat on the plane that most people thought was reserved for Ben Te’o and a lot of people will also be surprised that he’s in ahead of Alex Lozowski, who has been starring in a Saracens side that’s been winning trophies.
I loved training with him when I was at Wasps and seeing how he developed and he’s gone on to be unbelievable for the Premiership and European champions but he was hooked at half-time against Japan in the autumn when it wasn’t really his fault England were struggling and he hasn’t been seen since.
It looks for all the world like Ben Te’o has fought his way out of the squad and, while his inclusion will have surprised many, Francis has been in really good form for Northampton at the back end of the season and stood up well against Wales too.
McConnochie is another one who has come from nowhere and, like Ludlam, they’ve obviously trained the house down in the past six weeks.
The Bath man has done a phenomenal job to force his way in ahead of Mike Brown, who may or may not have missed out because of his alleged bust-up with Te’o, and a penny for Chris Ashton’s thoughts as well.
He pulled out of the squad at the end of June because his wife was pregnant and he understandably didn’t feel like he could commit to long period away in camp. He also suggested he wasn’t sure he’d make the final squad and now an uncapped winger is in there.
Eyebrows were raised when McConnochie was named in the wider squad to take part in the pre-tournament training camp and they’re being raised even higher now he’s been named in the final 31 but he’s taken his chance.
Players are always going to make late runs and hit form at just the right time, while others fall by the wayside, and you could certainly argue that it’s just panned out like this but there are a lot of fresh faces just coming in at the very end of a four-year cycle and it’s a shame that some, like Heinz in particular, haven’t had an opportunity sooner.
It’s the balance of the squad with that extra back three man and lack of a third tighthead that concerns me most but maybe I’m just being pessimistic and two will prove to be enough.
England’s best team has underperformed over the last 18 months but the squad has been freshened up and is one that people can get excited about now. If you write down the best XV on paper, it is good enough to win a World Cup without a shadow of a doubt. The field is wide open, so why can’t it be us?
Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
16 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid 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?
5 Go to comments