England's selection battles for Italy
Having enjoyed plenty of success since Eddie Jones arrived as head coach, England have developed the core of their side in a winning environment.
If they were in a Rugby World Cup final tomorrow, Jones would know the majority of his 23, irrespective of form or the opposition to be played, but there are still a few spots where competition rages on for places.
Throw into the mix a handful of significant injuries and there are some interesting position battles going into England’s Six Nations opener against Italy.
We’ve picked out the five key battles within the squad which could still go either way before the team is announced to take on the Azzurri in Rome.
Sam Simmonds vs Zach Mercer
With Billy Vunipola and Nathan Hughes injured, this may be the most open position battle within the squad. Mercer is no longer an apprentice and has a wealth of good form with Bath to fall back on, whilst Simmonds is the (slightly) elder statesman, having picked up three caps with England in the autumn and also has impressive club form to call upon.
Can Simmonds hold off the challenge of Mercer?
The pair are actually very similar players and it’s unlikely to be a need for a certain style of play that will separate them in Jones’ eyes. Mercer offers more at the lineout than Simmonds, but with a plethora of lineout options already available in the forms of Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, George Kruis and Nick Isiekwe, it is unlikely to be something decisive in the competition.
Advantage: Simmonds. That extra year or two of experience could shade it for Simmonds, with Mercer an explosive option off the bench.
Mike Brown vs Anthony Watson
Watson will feature in the England back-three barring injury, but a knock to Brown has opened the possibility of the Bath man starting at full-back, a position that many think he should be playing regularly for England, regardless of Brown’s fitness.
Watson has been training in the position this past week, with Denny Solomona and Jonny May occupying the two wing berths. Could Italy present an opportunity to give Watson an entire game at the position at Test level?
Advantage: Brown – if fit. Jones loves what Brown brings as an aerial competitor, one-on-one tackler and strike runner, so if he’s fit, he likely starts.
Alec Hepburn vs Lewis Boyce
A contest that is similar to the one between Simmonds and Mercer, with two young, physical and dynamic players going head-to-head and one boasting just a little bit more experience.
Hepburn toured South Africa with the Saxons two years ago and looked to be on the track for a full senior cap, only for injury and the form of Mako Vunipola and Joe Marler to deny him the opportunity. Boyce, meanwhile, has been beginning to catch the eye with Harlequins and has made the most of the absences of Marler, Ellis Genge and Matt Mullan.
Advantage: Hepburn. The Exeter man is more experienced and a more seasoned scrummager at this point, which could prove the difference, with both players capable of making bench impact in the loose.
Joe Launchbury vs George Kruis
Itoje and Lawes will be favourites to start, with one in the row and one at blindside, and Isiekwe has been training at six, too, leaving one second-row spot to be contested by Launchbury and Kruis.
In the form debate – one that Jones not always pay heed to – Launchbury would seem to be the front-runner, especially with plenty of defensive and lineout leaders already available to England, the areas where you would usually give Kruis the edge over Launchbury.
Advantage: Launchbury. In addition to his form, Launchbury is a very proficient carrier and support-runner, something England will likely be in need of with Vunipola and Hughes out.
Ben Youngs vs Danny Care
Could this be the contest where form finally forces Jones’ hand?
Has Care done enough to start?
Care has been in sparkling form this season, dissecting opposition teams with the tempo he brings and an intricate kicking game which seems to always find space. Youngs hasn’t performed badly, but he has certainly not shone in the same way that Care has. The Leicester man’s control of a game is what has previously seen him take ownership of England’s nine jersey, but will it be enough to keep him there?
One thing worth remembering is the success Care had against Italy’s “fox” tactics in last season’s competition. We are unlikely to see it as prevalently again, but who knows, it could be something lingering at the back of Jones’ mind.
Advantage: Youngs. Jones seems to be a fan of the dynamic that the one-two punch of Youngs and Care brings and with no third scrum-half selected, would he get that same dynamic with Youngs coming off the bench to spell Care? It seems unlikely.
Comments on RugbyPass
A great game. The Sharks without Etsebeth are a shadow of the team compared to when he plays. The limitations of Some of the expensive Sharks players are being exposed. Credit to Clermont for some exhilaration play at times.
3 Go to comments100% Mr Owens. But who would want to be a referee.? It must be the most difficult job on earth.
1 Go to commentsStarts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
3 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
3 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
3 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
3 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
228 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
4 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
87 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
228 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
228 Go to comments