Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

England's experience leap from 2015 to 2019 is evident in caps total

By Alex Shaw
Mike Brown and Owen Farrell (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

A lot has changed for England since their struggles in 2015 at their home World Cup. Much of that evolution is evident in the differences in caps between their 2015 and 2019 squads.

ADVERTISEMENT

For all the criticism that went Stuart Lancaster’s way in the aftermath of the group stage exit, the core of his squad in that tournament continues to form the backbone of the side that Eddie Jones has assembled for the trip to Japan next month.

Among the tight five forwards, Mako Vunipola, Joe Marler, Dan Cole, Jamie George, Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury and George Kruis all return from the previous World Cup. As such, it’s not surprising to see the experience in the current group take a considerable leap from the previous tournament.

The front row accounted for 202 caps in 2015 at an average of 25 per player, with that jumping to 283 caps in 2019 at an average of 25 caps per player.

Just as Jones has done this year, Lancaster also opted for three hookers, although he split his props as three tightheads and two looseheads, rather than the loosehead-heavy selection of the Australian.

There has been a similar increase in the second row, where the 97 caps of 2015 – at an average of 24 per player – has moved on to 190 caps at 48 per player. The only change in the engine room is Maro Itoje replacing Geoff Parling, with the other three locks having all added to their wealth of experience over the past four seasons.

The back row bucks this trend, though, with England’s haul of 185 caps in 2015 – 37 per player – far exceeding the tally of 74 in 2019, with each loose forward only now averaging 15 caps. The disparity between the two only increases further when you factor in Nick Easter’s late inclusion as an injury replacement for Billy Vunipola.

ADVERTISEMENT

Vunipola, in fact, is the only crossover between the two squads, with the replacements of Chris Robshaw, James Haskell and Tom Wood having left somewhat of an international experience vacuum in the back row.

View this post on Instagram

Impressive display from England. #RugbyWorldCup

A post shared by RugbyPass (@rugbypass_) on

Caps have increased in the half-backs, however, with 2015’s total of 168 caps falling short of the 2019’s squad tally of 213. One difference between the two squads is that Lancaster opted for three scrum-halves in 2015 while Jones has selected just two this year.

The average of 34 caps in 2015 has jumped to 53 in 2019, something which is unsurprising given that Ben Youngs, Owen Farrell and George Ford all feature in both squads and have been central to England’s plans under Jones for the past four seasons.

Henry Slade and Jonathan Joseph feature in both squads and help take the caps in the centres from 39 in 2015 to 101 in 2019. That has been further bumped by the return of Manu Tuilagi in the place of the relatively inexperienced Sam Burgess. The average has jumped from 10 caps per player to 25 caps.

ADVERTISEMENT

Finally, the back three sees yet more continuity with Anthony Watson, Jonny May and Jack Nowell all coming back for their second shot at the World Cup. The loss of Mike Brown does diminish the increase in experience somewhat, as 2015’s total of 93 caps was good for 19 per player while 2019’s 149 caps equates to 25 per player.

Jones has used the extra spot he crafted out for himself by selecting just two scrum-halves to bring in an extra wing, with the uncapped Ruaridh McConnochie making the cut.

That 2015 campaign may have ended in disappointment, but it is clear that the foundations of this year’s group were laid in that tournament with so many of them now returning as more experienced players.

Lancaster opted for a more cautious approach by selecting a third scrum-half, as well as a tighthead prop in David Wilson, who could cover loosehead in a pinch. It remains to be seen if Jones’ more aggressive approach to selection will reap greater rewards in Japan.

WATCH: Eddie Jones talks to the media at England’s World Cup squad announcement in Bristol

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 5 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

33 Go to comments
A
Adrian 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

33 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby? Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?
Search