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Jack Willis cut loose by England as Jones reduces his squad to 26
Free agent Jack Willis was the highest-profile casualty on Tuesday evening when Eddie Jones cut his England squad to 26 ahead of Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series finale against the Springboks. The ex-Wasps back-rower came off the bench last weekend during the fightback that eventually clinched a 25-all draw with the All Blacks.
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However, having played twice as a replacement in the three England matches so far this November, the Toulouse-linked forward has now been omitted and the uncapped Hugh Tizard has been kept on instead with Jones placing a greater focus on the lineout area of the game this week.
“Set piece, we were disappointed we didn’t get an advantage, we were probably shaded by the All Blacks in that area so we will need to do some good work on our set-piece and just tidy things up for next Saturday,” said Jones at his post-game Twickenham media briefing last Saturday.
No reason was given for the exclusion of Willis in the Tuesday statement released by the RFU but the suggestion that greater emphasis would be on set-piece was further endorsed by Jones deciding to keep prop Bevan Rodd with the squad this week having excluded him on previous Tuesdays and sent him back to Sale.
Nineteen forwards were called into England camp at the start of this week and 15 have been retained, Willis, Joe Heyes, Sean Robinson and Jack Singleton the four to lose out. In the backs, the same six players who were excluded this time last week after two days of training at Pennyhill have again been excluded – Joe Cokansiga, George Furbank, Will Joseph, Alex Mitchell, Cadan Murley and Adam Radwan.
The decision to keep 26 players on in camp this week was different from what had happened for the games versus Argentina, Japan and New Zealand, as just 25 players were retained when those squads were cut by Jones in midweek. An RFU statement read: “England have retained a 26-player squad for their match against South Africa this weekend. Eddie Jones’ side will take on the Springboks at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday (5.30pm KO). The match is live on Amazon Prime Sport and talkSPORT.”
Willis played the last of his four Gallagher Premiership games this season for Wasps on October 9 against Northampton, the club’s last outing before their financial collapse. He then played for six minutes in this month’s opening England Test match against Argentina and was introduced in the 67th minute against the All Blacks.
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England (26-man squad vs Springboks, Saturday)
Forwards (15)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 2 caps)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 40 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 44 caps)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 42 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 71 caps)
Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 18 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 61 caps)
David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, 2 caps)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 17 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 55 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 24 caps)
Hugh Tizard (Saracens, uncapped)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 67 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 73 caps)
Backs (11)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 100 caps)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 2 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 71 caps)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 44 caps)
Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 51 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 16 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 16 caps)
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 49 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 6 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 120 caps)
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
7 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
7 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
11 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
11 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
3 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
7 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
11 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
11 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
3 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
3 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
11 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
11 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
11 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
11 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
11 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
11 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to comments