A look at Eddie Jone's potential starting XV for Argentina
England head coach Eddie Jones named his 34-man squad for the November Tests earlier today, but surprises were few and far between, as the Australian seeks to finetune his squad ahead of the Rugby World Cup in 2019.
The Old Mutual Wealth Series begins on November 11th against Argentina, before England take on Australia and Samoa in the subsequent weeks.
There were suggestions that Jones could rest several of the players that were involved with the British and Irish Lions in the summer, but the likes of Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and Dan Cole are all included.
BREAKING | Your England squad for the opening match of the #OMWSeries against Argentina ? #CarryThemHome
?? https://t.co/mUGcfuS0xn pic.twitter.com/QGG30XBnM4
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) October 26, 2017
In fact, of the 15 English Lions, 10 have been selected in Jones’ autumn squad. Of the remaining five, four – Jack Nowell, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler and Ben Te’o – are unavailable due to injury or suspension, leaving James Haskell as the sole player to miss out.
It remains to be seen how much rest those selected Lions will receive during the three weeks of competitive action.
For locks-cum-flanks Itoje, George Kruis and Courtney Lawes, there will be plenty of opportunities for rotation with three additional specialist second rows selected in the forms of Charlie Ewels, Joe Launchbury and Nick Isiekwe, as well as flanks Chris Robshaw, Tom Curry and Sam Underhill.
Cole, on the other hand, will be required in all three Tests – barring a late call-up for Sinckler, whose suspension ends prior to the final Test with Samoa – as one of only two tighthead props in the squad, alongside Exeter’s Harry Williams.
There will be opportunities to spell Farrell, with Piers Francis, Alex Lozowski and Henry Slade all included, taking the tally of competent fly-halves in the squad to five, with current incumbent George Ford also present.
It’s a midfield that will not lack for creativity or initiative, especially with Jonathan Joseph also involved, but with both Te’o and Manu Tuilagi not considered due to injury, there is no clear power carrier option in the England backline.
As such, there will be an even heavier emphasis on the likes of Lawes, Itoje, Simmonds, Jamie George, Ellis Genge and Nathan Hughes to provide England with the front-foot ball they need to launch that backline.
Strangely, two of the more interesting selections in the 34-man squad likely won’t touch a ball in anger during the series and those are Marcus Smith and Zach Mercer.
Smith and Mercer have both been included in the squad as “apprentice players” and will be involved with training and game preparation, but won’t be considered for selection. It is something New Zealand have long done on their European tours, bringing one or two promising youngsters north with them to get them used to the environment at international level, and its consistent adoption by other nations is long overdue.
Both players have shone in the age-grades for England, as well as transitioning seamlessly to senior club rugby and the opportunity to see how they cope in a senior international environment, as well as provide the England coaches with some one-on-one time with them, is too good to pass up.
Away from the apprentices, however, there is a feeling of a squad trying to iron out the last few creases and build depth before they enter the final stage of their 2019 RWC preperation.
? Robust
? Adaptable
Eddie runs the rule on what he wants to see from his England squad in the #OMWSeries: https://t.co/pfkE0ZLmvN pic.twitter.com/N2v9326zsW
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) October 26, 2017
There are no real “surprises”, with youngsters Curry, Isiekwe and Underhill all shining in Argentina this past summer and the likes of Genge, Simmonds and Tom Dunn rewarded for excellent starts to the Premiership and European seasons. Of that inexperienced six, only Simmonds hasn’t been capped or included in an England training camp before.
Some of the more interesting position battles next month could be at loosehead, blindside and on the wing.
Given Genge’s form this season and Jones’ desire to rest Lions, the young Leicester Tiger could push Vunipola as the series goes on, whilst the competency with which Itoje and Lawes have played at six for their respective clubs will certainly give Jones pause for thought. Lawes manned the loose forward role well during Robshaw’s injury-enforced absence in the Six Nations earlier this year and may have done enough to steal the jersey.
As for the wings, Anthony Watson and Elliot Daly may have been the favourites coming into the season as recent Lions, but Jonny May has made a scintillating start to his Leicester career, bagging almost a try a game.
Then there’s Denny Solomona, whose attacking incision took the Premiership by storm last season. If he can avoid overdoing it on the “team culture issues” on the training camp trip to the Algarve, he could be in the mix, too.
Elsewhere, Jones seems to have a solid idea of what his best XV is at this point and the six remaining international windows between now and the RWC will allow him the opportunity to tinker, but predominately to build chemistry and cohesion.
Having lost just once in the last two seasons, it’s unsurprising that Jones is sticking to the script with his selections. England have enjoyed 100% success over Argentina and Australia in that period from a combined seven games (three vs Argentina, four vs Australia) and it’s a record Jones will not want to relinquish next month.
Expect to see a strong – and familiar – side take on Argentina and Australia in the opening two weeks, before potentially resting several of the Lions for the challenge of Samoa in the series finale.
Possible XV to play Argentina
15. Mike Brown
14. Anthony Watson
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Owen Farrell
11. Jonny May
10. George Ford
9. Ben Youngs
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Dylan Hartley (c)
3. Dan Cole
4. Maro Itoje
5. George Kruis
6. Chris Robshaw
7. Sam Underhill
8. Nathan Hughes
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to comments