England could be facing back row injury crisis ahead of series decider
England will discover on Monday if they are facing a fully blown back row injury crisis for their decisive final Test against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground.
Eddie Jones’ tourists kept the series alive with a 25-17 victory in Brisbane but a hard-fought contest saw Maro Itoje and Sam Underhill leave the field after being concussed during heavy collisions.
Itoje has been definitely ruled out of Saturday’s decider and a clearer picture over Underhill, who has a history of concussion including in this season, will emerge on Monday.
In addition, medics are assessing the rib injury that forced Jack Willis to withdraw from the bench for the second Test and he could also be reduced to the role of spectator.
It comes after Tom Curry returned home last week having being concussed in the opener in Perth and potentially leaves Lewis Ludlam and Courtney Lawes as the only front-line flankers in the squad.
Nick Isiekwe can fill the role but is primarily a second row where resources are also stretched due to Itoje’s unavailability and Charlie Ewels leaving the tour in the first week because of a knee issue.
Jones did consider calling up London Irish’s Tom Pearson when the extent of Curry’s head injury became known, but so far he has kept faith with his original touring party and he is unlikely to summon any replacements at this late stage.
“I don’t think there will be the necessity to do that, from what I can gather at the moment,” Jones said.
England’s swagger returned as they left Brisbane for Sydney on Sunday and, while the management conduct their back row roll call, the squad will be restoring depleted energy reserves in an ocean pool.
“We’d need to freshen the players up because it was a tough game. We’re down at Coogee Beach which is the best place in the world to freshen up,” Jones said.
“We’re at Wylie’s Baths on Monday, which used to be the old rugby league haunt. They’d drink on the weekend and then sort themselves out at Wylie’s Baths on the Monday.
“I’m just hopeful that we don’t have any rugby league behaviour! We’re public school rugby boys, we behave ourselves. We’ll have good recovery on Monday and get back to training on Tuesday and Wednesday.”
Australia were taken apart up front in the first half of a compelling clash on Saturday but they fought back from a 17-0 deficit to 22-17 only for momentum to stall amid a succession of errors.
Apart from their early dominance, England could also take satisfaction from the resolve shown in the face of determined Wallabies resistance.
“It was a pressure game. We got into a situation where we got out early but they came back,” Jones said.
“There was always going to be an equalisation of the game and we had to channel hard to keep our composure and keep finding a way to go forward.
“That was a good dress rehearsal for a World Cup semi-final because that game was like a World Cup semi-final.
“Australia will work hard now. What are they going to be doing next week? They’re going to be doing maul defence and scrum defence and they’ll be improved, so we’ve got to find a way to get better.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar 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.
35 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
35 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
35 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.
35 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.
35 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.
35 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.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments