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Callow England squad can thrive if Jones lets them play with freedom - Andy Goode
Eddie Jones has named an exciting young England squad ahead of their summer fixtures and he now has to let them express themselves. There shouldn’t be much doubt about the result against Scotland A, the USA and Canada but fans want to see all of this young talent allowed to play with freedom and replicate their club form on the international stage.
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We have seen young players come into the England set-up before and disappear without a trace soon afterwards or suffer serious injuries, so I hope history doesn’t repeat itself and we see a good few of these players in more squads in the next couple of years.
There has been a lot of clamour for change and this is enforced change with twelve players involved in the British and Irish Lions tour and lots more unavailable because of the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals, but it is great to see some fresh faces get a chance.
Freddie Steward has looked every inch an international player for Leicester this season and the likes of Adam Radwan, Ollie Hassell-Collins and Tom Parton have all been flying so I just hope they aren’t overcoached and are allowed to show what they can do. Ollie Lawrence has six caps to his name already but we have hardly seen him with the ball in hand at all in an England shirt yet, so he will be itching to impress.
Of course, you have to put systems in place but we don’t want to just see them all chasing box kicks all day long and I’m sure that won’t be the case against the three teams they are up against this summer. It’s a difficult squad to analyse in too much depth because there will be a significant amount of change on the Sunday after the Premiership semi-finals and then more after the final as well but a couple of names stand out.
London Irish is home to one of the more intriguing 21 uncapped players chosen by England https://t.co/iatasd3VNs
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 10, 2021
Dan Kelly is one of those because the midfield is an area where England have struggled a bit in recent years, especially when Manu Tuilagi has been absent. He only turns 20 this month and was eligible for Ireland as well, so it could be a big summer for him. Chunya Munga is another to watch with the likes of Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes and Jonny Hill in the second row all away with the Lions and Joe Launchbury injured. He may only have started six times in the Premiership but I have spoken to London Irish defence coach Brad Davis about him and big things are expected.
The scrum-half situation will be a very interesting one as well with Ben Youngs given the summer off. It’s well and truly time for Dan Robson to start for England but Ben Spencer and Alex Mitchell are also hugely talented and all of those could feature prominently in the build-up to the next World Cup.
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There aren’t many absentees who raise eyebrows too much but it was really sad to see David Ribbans sent off for Northampton last week because he would have definitely been in there had it not been for his ban and he would have done well.
All in all, it is obviously a very callow squad but it’s a really young and exciting one that you hope will thrive at a higher level – but I just hope the environment is one that helps them continue to flourish. Jones has been criticised a lot in recent weeks for his various coaching excursions outside of his England job but maybe he will have learned a lot from them and will bring that back and adapt his way of doing things that we have become used to.
Traditionally, the Jones way with England is very different to the sort of rugby we have been seeing in the Premiership in recent months and I just hope we don’t see these youngsters being shackled and forced to play in a way that doesn’t allow them to shine. The 34-man squad named shows the young talent is there below the familiar faces but it remains to be seen whether they will be allowed to play with freedom or constrained by the international set-up.
Rob Baxter reckoned last Thursday it would be "pretty difficult" for Jones to practise coaching at a Premiership club but that is what the England boss has done this week https://t.co/OoGPEjNpkq
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 10, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
The side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
4 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
4 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
4 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
4 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to comments