Eddie, tell us once and for all why Danny Care isn't in the England squad? - Andy Goode
The group training in Richmond this week may be a mix of new names and experienced faces but it’s another England squad without Danny Care in it and people deserve to know why.
It’s three and a half years since he last played for his country and he’s been in good form at various stages and for long periods during that time but he’s arguably playing better than ever right now and Eddie Jones should tell us why he’s not being included.
It seems to be an open secret that the pair have clashed in the past but I haven’t heard anyone else in the game have a bad word to say about Care and, having played with him myself, I can guarantee he isn’t a bad apple.
The blend of characters is important in an international squad, as it is at club level, and it’s also every coach’s prerogative to pick who he wants but Care is anything but a disruptive influence and I just think it’s about time we heard a proper explanation as to why he keeps being overlooked.
Jack van Poortvliet, Alex Mitchell and Harry Randall are all excellent prospects but I think you’d be hard pushed to find anyone in the country right now who thinks they should all be above the Harlequins scrum half in the pecking order.
This is, of course, only a training squad and there’s every chance they won’t be the trio of number nines on the plane to Australia in a month’s time but Care’s exile has lasted so long now that people almost seem to have accepted that he won’t get picked again.
I don’t think that’s right and I also think age is just a number. He wasn’t too old at the last World Cup when he was left out and he’ll be 36 by the time the 2023 edition comes around but if he’s playing like he is at the moment, then who cares how old he is.
If anything, that experience should count in his favour and you can certainly make a case that he’s taken his game to another level over the past 18 months or so.
He used to have a reputation as the ideal scrum half to come off the bench and inject some pace or as just a great running threat. I’m not sure that was fair at the time but now he has improved his kicking game and he’s controlling games for Quins.
Add to that, his halfback partner at club level is the incumbent number 10 for England and we haven’t really seen the best out of Marcus Smith at international level yet and that is another tick in the box.
Perhaps that familiarity he has with Smith would free the young fly half up even more and allow him to be at his best, although the game plan and structures in place are more important in allowing that to happen.
Scrum half has been a bit of an issue for England for a while now in terms of the fact that Ben Youngs has been Eddie’s favourite for such a long time and, since Care was jettisoned, nobody else has had a proper look in until Randall during this year’s Six Nations.
Willi Heinz was chosen at the last World Cup, Ben Spencer didn’t get much of a chance, Dan Robson was only trusted off the bench and others have been in the squad without being given a genuine chance to stake a claim.
Youngs is still very much in the mix of course but I think, when you look at current form, Care is head and shoulders above every other scrum half in the country.
If you want to win a World Cup in less than 18 months, you need to be picking your best players and Care’s form is making a mockery of his non-selection. Why is he not in the England squad?
It’s a simple question and not an unreasonable one. I think Jones should be getting asked it at every press conference and in every interview until we get a legitimate response.
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments