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George's England exile ends just 24 hours after he was left out
The international exile of Jamie George is over as Eddie Jones has called him into the England squad just a day after the hooker was one of the most high profile omissions from the squad of 34 announced on Monday for the three-match November series. George’s omission was viewed in some quarters as a potential Test career-ending decision but the Saracens player has dramatically earned a reprieve just 24 hours later.
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George was initially left out despite doubts surrounding the availability of Luke Cowan-Dickie, the Exeter hooker who was injured in last weekend’s Gallagher Premiership win over Wasps. It has since emerged that Cowan-Dickie is no longer an option for the entire Test series following a scan, clearing a path back into the England squad for George.
It was also reported that winger Anthony Watson will miss the autumn series as well – and potentially the Six Nations as well – as the knee damage sustained late in Bath’s home rout by Saracens was confirmed as a ruptured ACL. The only ray of light for England on an otherwise bleak Tuesday afternoon was that Maro Itoje’s shoulder injury, which also happened at The Rec last Sunday, isn’t serious and he should be available to face Tonga at Twickenham on November 6.
An RFU media release on Tuesday afternoon regarding the George call-up read: “Luke Cowan-Dickie has withdrawn from the England squad for the Autumn Nations Series with an ankle injury sustained in Exeter Chiefs’ game against Wasps at the weekend. “Eddie Jones has called up Saracens hooker Jamie George to the squad, which will meet on Monday to travel to Jersey for a five-day training camp as they prepare for the fixtures. England will play Tonga, Australia and South Africa with all matches at Twickenham.”
It's not the sort of verdict the soon-to-be 31-year-old hooker would like to hear from his old pal Jim Hamilton…#England #Sarries @TheRugbyPodhttps://t.co/5WFvqncIOm
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 19, 2021
It was in the wake of Monday’s latest England squad announcement that Jim Hamilton, the former Saracens second row, suggested that the international careers of George and the Vunipola brothers, Billy and Mako, were more than likely over after Jones opted not to select them despite their much-improved club form in recent weeks with their London club.
All three were major parts of the English pack that didn’t deliver in last spring’s Guinness Six Nations, the 2020 champions slipping to an embarrassing fifth-place finish. “I don’t think there is any way back. I can’t see with the way that they are playing now there is a way they can get back in unless there is an injury, unless Eddie flips its again,” said Hamilton on the show he co-hosts with Andy Goode.
“He’s so hard to read, isn’t he? Jamie George has been one of the leading hookers in the world for the last three or four years, unquestionably, and then he has had a quiet season, has gone on the Lions tour, hardly played, and then he has been dropped out of the squad having not playing any rugby, so what are you judging him on? In that sense, it is a big call.”
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SQUAD UPDATE: It has been a terrible Tuesday for Eddie Jones with Anthony Watson following Luke Cowan-Dickie out of the England squad announced on Monday for the Autumn Nations Series #England #Bath #Quins
https://t.co/ALj66suK9e— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 19, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Dear Robbie, Please return to the Crusaders next season. Sincerely, Scott
1 Go to commentsDid the big E call the Irish the ‘White Can’ts’? That would’ve been good
28 Go to commentsDalton Papalii will be lucky to be selected on the Matchday 23. Ardie Savea, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, and Peter Lauki are all as good or better openside flankers
9 Go to commentsScott Barrett is a lock and they have a much longer shelf life than a loose forward. Far more likely that Barrett will still demand a starting position based on performance at age 33 at RWC 2027 than Savea, whose explosive athleticism will have declined and he will in all likelihood have been surpassed by Hoskins Sotutu, Wallace Siti, Peter Lauki and Brayden Iose.
9 Go to commentsExtremely frustrating to get yet more speculation over whether or not Eben actually counted 12 players or not, but honestly big respect to McCloskey for keeping it classy and not pointing out Etzebeth’s hypocrisy. The Irish are a popular team outside of Ireland because they do their talking on the pitch, and its honestly a PR masterclass that they’re keeping it that way following Etzebeth’s provocation.
28 Go to commentsGood option for the lineout lost there.
1 Go to commentsIt’s not like Saffas have a long history of spouting absolute shite at any & every occasion. Oh wait… The dangers of an inferior third world education strike again.
28 Go to commentsI’m so glad we’re revisiting this. Really needs to be dissected further. I’m also so glad that a guy in the stands who wasn’t anywhere near the field when any of it would have been said (and even confirms this) has taken the lead and commented as Ireland. Definitely cleared it all up. This article would be hilarious if it wasn’t so misleading.
28 Go to commentsits such a shame he hasn’t achieved more success at club level. He’s really not been a potent finisher for a while now, but he’s still excellent in the kick chase. That’s the kind of skillset that generally only gets appreciated when you’re playing in premiership and european finals. I’m not sure whether the challenge cup counts given the quality of the competition seems lower than in previous years, but his duel with Mapimpi should be enthralling.
1 Go to commentsThe point is the irish players were arrogant,call it like you want sugar coat it aswell but they were you could see it in their way they handeled themselfs on the field when they got something right so dont tell me it was not arrogance it was,you can fool other people but not me,and to say to one of our players see you in the final put a nail in the coffin for this bullsh@t,just be grown men and accept it that you were arrogant,you could if seen it from a mile away, and then you lost to the allblacks what a cocky move that didnt work out for you ,Eben was right when he said u were arrogant,the point is you will deny it because you lost it all just grow some balls and move on we had won you lost accept it.
28 Go to comments“summer tour of North and South America” so its a summer tour of america?
1 Go to commentsEverybody is giving the Irish players the benefit of the doubt in ‘what they meant’, but none of these pundits or commentators offer the same courtesy to Eben. I don’t think Eben went, 1, 2, 3… etc. What might have happened is he didn’t count and when the 3rd or 5th guy said he went, hang on why are so many of them saying this… and then started to concentrate on it more and more as players continue to say it. So no, he didn’t count it, he realised many Irish players said it and made an assumption based on that… The Irish team was VERY confident at the time and I do believe they believed they were going to win the World Cup, which borders a bit on the arrogant side…
28 Go to commentsI can see how some of the Irish players would have said”see you in the final” as a gentle comment after a victory. It’s open to interpretation but it’s clumsy language. I don’t know the fella but I assure you Eben doesn’t have an axe to grind with Ireland. He has never been the media seeking pro. Oh and BTW it is I’ll be our winter in July so won’t be wet.
28 Go to comments*McCloskey*: _I saw this clip. Like, I wasn’t playing that game; I was in the stands…so you don't know sh!t in other words, infact you know just as much as Goode on this matter. I will believe the guy who was on the pitch when things were said as appose to two people speculating over what was said._
28 Go to comments@ turlough dream on buddy. Your boys are in for one tough time down in sa this summer…
28 Go to commentsI think Goode is looking to establish a platform for himself. Eben said “Probably” so that suggests he wasn’t counting. It’s an estimate Goode. I think even with your short and uneventful experience with the Sharks you probably realise winding up Saffas will get you some airtime. It’s a none event. Move on
28 Go to commentsRugby has never been as structured and synthetically pleasing as it is at this moment. The game is simply beautiful and messing with it too much will ruin it for everyone. I can't help but feel that over the past decade or so many rules have been changed to accommodate a certain hemisphere and counter another. Perhaps I am wrong but I somehow don’t think so.
2 Go to commentsNoted some excellent defensive steals from the Rebs last week against the Reds, largely J Canham, I think. It’s not a Rolls Royce but they are a real threat with their defensive line out at the beginning matches. What do you make of Canham Nick, WBs squad material?
86 Go to commentsCoin flip between Ardie and Scott Barrett. Both have their pros and cons, and both would probably be decent. Ardie has way more passion on the field, but that hasn’t always translated into the best decisions. They will both turn 34 at the next World Cup, so both will most likely have their best days a few years behind them. It’s hard to imagine now, but looking at young players coming through Ardie will probably be under the most pressure to retain his place in the team. Beauden Barrett also an outside chance if Razor sees him as the first choice 10.
9 Go to commentsQuality stuff from Flats. Rugby can’t replace football nor should we want it to. I think the ‘product’ (awful term sorry) now is absolutely fantastic. Growing the game shouldn’t be at the expense of losing its brutal beauty.
2 Go to comments