England Rugby's unlucky 'Reject XV'
Eddie Jones announced his 38-man World Cup training squad on Thursday (35 fit and the three rehabilitating players), with some unexpected inclusions and exclusions.
What is noticeable is that there is a host of seasoned and in-form players that have missed out, which is an indication of how much depth England have these days.
Nonetheless, there will be some players that will inevitably feel aggrieved that they have been omitted, either because of the season that they have had, or the career they have had with England. Here is a RugbyPass England XV that are unlucky to miss out:
15 Alex Goode
The European player of the year is possibly the most unlucky out of everyone, but has never been liked by Jones, earning his last cap in 2016 despite his consistency for Saracens.
14 Mike Brown
Although primarily a full-back, Brown must be part of this list for all he has done for England over the past decade. Unfortunately for the 33-year-old, he has slipped out of contention this past year.
BREAKING | Your 35-man England @rugbyworldcup training squad ?
? https://t.co/YTNUSNu1Kj#RWC2019 #CarryThemHome pic.twitter.com/8oJBmM66ta
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) July 4, 2019
13 Alex Lozowski
Perhaps paid the price for a poor showing for England against Japan in the autumn, but his form at the end of the season for double winners Saracens was exemplary.
12 Mark Atkinson
One of a number of Gloucester players to miss out after a brilliant season. Exeter Chiefs’ Ollie Devoto is another centre that gave a good account of himself this year.
11 Ollie Thorley
Announced himself to the Premiership at the beginning of the season with some wonderful displays for Gloucester. The mazy runner was always an outside bet to make the squad, but was pipped by Bath’s uncapped winger Ruaridh McConnochie. He could have been competing with Chris Ashton (who pulled out of the squad) and the injured Denny Solomona for a place as well, as England have a lot of options on the wing.
10 Marcus Smith
The World Cup probably came too early for the 20-year-old Harlequins fly-half who has been in and out of Jones’ squads, but will undoubtedly be part of the next World Cup cycle.
9 Danny Care
Both Danny Care and Dan Robson were both worthy of a place, but Willi Heinz got the third spot behind Ben Spencer and Ben Youngs. However, it is Care’s 84-caps-worth of experience that makes him most unlucky.
8 Sam Simmonds
This time last year, Simmonds would have been on most people’s list to make the World Cup. Unfortunately, a devastating ACL injury in September meant he only returned to rugby with a few weeks of the season remaining and not enough time to make the squad.
7 Chris Robshaw
Had a great season with Harlequins, but it always looked as though Brad Shields was going to beat him to Jones’ squad ever since the New Zealand-born player moved to England. On the other hand, Lewis Ludlam’s selection ahead of the 66-cap veteran may surprise some. At 33 years of age, this will surely spell the end of the former captain’s international career.
6 Alex Dombrandt
Another luckless Harlequins player after a barnstorming season in the Premiership. His ability to play No8 may have earned him a place, as he was one of the bolters to make the squad at the end of the season.
5 Nick Isiekwe
Already with three caps to his name at the age of 21, the dynamic lock has fallen victim to England’s immense depth in that position with Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury and Charlie Ewels ahead of him.
There was no greater show of faith in England's RWC 2019 potential than Joe Marler's decision to come out of Test retirement ? https://t.co/Gcvxer4gJ2
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 4, 2019
4 Nathan Hughes
Although primarily a No8, Jones deployed him as a second row in the autumn and Six Nations which should have given him the edge in the squad. Hughes is a player that has been a regular since making his debut in 2016 but equally never fully secured his place in the squad.
3 Nick Schonert
Included in the initial training squad, but the Worcester Warriors tighthead ultimately missed out as Jones opted for the vastly experienced Dan Coles and Harry Williams who will likely back up Kyle Sinckler.
2 Jack Yeandle
Dylan Hartley is the obvious player here, but it is an injury that has ruined his chances of going to Japan rather than anything else. The ever-dependable Exeter captain Jack Yeandle is more unfortunate as he leads the Premiership runners-up superbly and starts ahead of club colleague Luke Cowan-Dickie, who has made the squad.
1 Val Rapava-Ruskin
A player that was also included in the initial training squad after a powerful season with Gloucester, but was not helped by Joe Marler’s return to the international set-up.
WATCH: Part one of the two-part RugbyPass documentary on the many adventures that fans can expect to experience in Japan at this year’s World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
1 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments