'I'm just shaking my head' - Woodward rubbishes England's biggest selection call
Sir Clive Woodward has slammed Eddie Jones’s decision to pick Northampton’s George Furbank at full-back and switch Freddie Steward to wing against Grand Slam chasing France insisting it has only a “10 per cent” chance of being a success.
World Cup winning England coach Woodward also questions the ability of Freddie Steward to have the “gas” to play on the wing while he is “mystified” that captain Courtney Lawes is picked at No6 against the French rather than lock where he combined so effectively with Maro Itoje in the loss the Ireland.
Writing in his Daily Mail column, Woodward said: “If this goes badly wrong — and I reckon there is about a 10 per cent chance of it coming off gloriously and a 90 per cent chance of it backfiring horribly — Jones will be very exposed indeed after a tournament in which he has constantly tampered with the outside backs and mystified with some of his selections.
“I get the logic but Test rugby is about picking a team to play your style, not a team based on an opponents’ perceived weakness which I’m not sure is a weakness at all. There is no question that France displayed a slight vulnerability against Wales last week when wing Gabin Villiere and full-back Melvyn Jaminet didn’t look secure dealing with the kicking game.
“Steward is brilliant under the high ball — certainly in defence — and we will now see if that translates to chasing and taking the ball when his own team kick, which is a slightly different skill. To that end, box-kicking king Ben Youngs is in for Harry Randall, although Youngs can have games when his box kicks aren’t always accurate. He cannot afford an off-night tomorrow. So England chase, Steward jumps high to win the aerial battle and England wreak havoc on a panicky France defence.
“There is a kernel of an idea there, but it’s the wrong mindset once again. I’m just shaking my head. The selection comes at a cost. George Furbank is competent at Premiership level but I have seen nothing to suggest he is a Test full-back.
“I sincerely hope I’m wrong. Equally, I have seen nothing to suggest Steward is a Test wing — I wonder if he has ever even started there. I like Steward defensively but I have concerns about his attacking prowess and pace. Now, England have put him out wide where he needs even more gas.
“Elsewhere, I am mystified that Courtney Lawes has again been asked to start at six when his move to lock against Ireland improved the scrum. I’d have gone with Sam Simmonds at six and Alex Dombrandt at No 8. For me, it’s another big risk but Eddie seems to be in that kind of mood and I would love to know if there is anybody in the higher echelons of the RFU willing to put their hands up before kick-off and insist they agree with Eddie’s punt. It seems a crazy selection to me. “
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
2 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
6 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
1 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
1 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
2 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
6 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
6 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
6 Go to comments