An England XV for 2019
The natural knee-jerk reaction to a decline in form in any team is to question selection.
Since England’s loss to Scotland – and with each loss thereafter – pundits, former players and fans whinging has risen to a din of consternation. Anyone with a vested interest in England can be heard braying about the minutiae of Eddie Jones’ England selection.
Whether you’re a ‘Ford out’ or an ‘Armand In’, the consensus is that Eddie’s England needs a spring clean and after a third loss on the trot, the embattled Australian hinted that he’s now of a similar mind.
With this in mind RugbyPass looks ahead to a potential England selection for 2019.
1: Mako Vunipola
The Saracens prop is one of England’s true worldclass operators and despite the flack the team have shipped, the loosehead is probably still one of the first on the teammate sheet.
2: Jamie George
No one thinks Hartley is a better player than George, but his dropping will bring with it a significant loss of leadership. But can Eddie justify the inclusion of the 34-year-old on leadership grounds alone for another 18 months. We suggest not.
3: Kyle Sinckler
A truly destructive carrier amid a team that has struggled to win the collision this tournament. He needs game time at the highest level and that means starting for England consistently.
4: Joe Launchbury
His doggedness, workrate and leadership mean the Wasps captain is lock-in at lock if you can excuse the dreadful pun. He has 51 caps for England and could yet become the Paul O’Connell/Alun Wyn Jones like figure this England team crave.
5: Maro Itoje
Second season syndrome or not, Itoje has looked tired. His abilities are beyond question at this stage, but it’s how England deploy him that still might warrant debate. Probably deserves a summer off.
6: Don Armand
With England struggling at the breakdown, it will become increasingly difficult for Jones to justify the continued selection of 6’7 lock Courtney Lawes at blindside. That experiment is over. While Armand plays seven at Exeter, a strong argument could be made towards stacking England’s backrow with ball-winners. Let’s face it, they are playing catch-up.
7: Sam Underhill
Underhill needs to get to the groundhog he was at Ospreys and not the Kamikaze tackling machine he’s become for England. Will face a battle with Tom Curry.
Just how reliant England are on Vunipola for go forward is worrying. Although the injured Nathan Hughes is slowing getting better at carrying at international level, he still cuts a pale shadow next to the 130kg Saracen.
9: Ben Youngs
Wigglesworth was not able to give England the ‘front foot’ ball Eddie craved against Ireland, and the Youngs/Care tag team still seems like England’s best option. It might be too late with the Rugby World Cup looming to develop Saracens’ Ben Spencer or Wasps Dan Robsonm, who are yet to earn an England cap between them.
10: Owen Farrell
Farrell can hold his head high despite England’s dreary Six Nations. Not having to mind George Ford could allow him to fulfil his true destiny as England’s answer to Jonny Sexton.
11: Anthony Watson
Watson’s fallibility under the high ball mean he isn’t the long-term solution that many England fans believe him to be. Playing on the wing will allow him to do what he does best – beat defenders – while minimising England’s exposure under aerial bombardment.
12: Manu Tuilagi
Yes, he’s perennially injured, but really, is there any English rugby player that is so ubiquitously feared as Tuilagi? Oh, and you can forget about gainline problems when Manu’s around.
13: Elliot Daly
England’s outstanding threat this Six Nations despite only appearing in the latter stages. Not only does Daly keep defences guessing, he has the speed to match the best in the world while his creativity with ball-in-hand means he can create for those around him. England need to get the ball to him more often, and playing at 13 brings him one position closer to the action.
‘Roko’ brings a strike running threat that has missing from an increasing blunt looking England attack. Has done little wrong in an England jersey. Jonny May maybe the fastest player in English rugby, but speed alone won’t unlock the world’s best defences. Rokoduguni brings the footwork and power in contact that May sorely lacks.
15: Chris Ashton
Is this really such a fanciful selection? Ashton has been a revelation at fullback for Toulon, where he has profited from running lines off the likes of Semi Radradra and Joshua Tuisova and is one try away from a Top 14 try record. We all know his face doesn’t fit, but can England really afford to ignore his ability to get over the whitewash?
Comments on RugbyPass
Interesting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to comments