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England suffer eve-of-Test blow as Cockerill can't attend the game

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by Dan Mullan/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

The England preparations for this Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations game against Ireland at Twickenham have suffered another covid blow as assistant coach Richard Cockerill has tested positive and will now be absent from the match due to the need to go into isolation.

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It was last Friday when back-rower Alex Dombrandt tested positive and it was only at Thursday morning’s training that he could rejoin the squad on the pitch, a situation that fed into him only making the bench this weekend as Sam Simmonds has instead been chosen to start at No8.

Now, assistant coach Cockerill has been ruled out of involvement in the must-win round four match, the RFU issuing a Friday morning update about the current virus situation in the England camp.

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Back in the Game – RFU

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Back in the Game – RFU

It read: “England coach Richard Cockerill has tested positive for covid. He returned a positive lateral flow test early on Friday morning and immediately went into isolation. A positive PCR result confirmed the result later that morning.

“All of the other England players and staff members have undergone daily lateral flow testing this morning before training, all of which have returned negative results. Cockerill will not be at England’s Guinness Six Nations game against Ireland at Twickenham Stadium tomorrow [Saturday].”

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Eve-of-Test virus setbacks have become a regular occurrence this season with England. It was during the Autumn Nations Series that Owen Farrell and Ellis Genge were ruled out on respective November Fridays from matches in that particular series, while prop Joe Marler has had his England involvement twice curtailed by positive tests results.

It was last Sunday night when the RFU confirmed the situation surrounding Dombrandt, a starter in the February wins over Italy and Wales. “Alex Dombrandt tested positive for covid on Friday, March 4,” read a statement at the time. “After recording a positive LFT in the morning, he immediately went into isolation and did not take part in training. A PCR test confirmed the positive result later that evening. He is expected to rejoin the squad later next week.”

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Bull Shark 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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