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'Lawes is a world-class player, in any other side in the world he'd be starting'
Maro Itoje’s absence will not hit England too hard due to the “remarkable” strength in depth at Eddie Jones’ disposal, says Rugby World Cup winner Lewis Moody.
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Saracens star Itoje, considered one of the best locks in the game, sustained a ligament injury to his right knee during the superb 32-20 opening-round Six Nations win against defending Grand Slam champions Ireland on Saturday.
England confirmed on Tuesday that Itoje will definitely miss this weekend’s contest against France at Twickenham, while reports suggest he will also be out for the trip to Wales on February 23.
Itoje is expected to play a part in the closing rounds of the tournament and, in the meantime, Moody – a member of England’s victorious 2003 World Cup team – is sure the likes of George Kruis, Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes will fill the void.
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“This is no discredit to Maro because he’s an absolutely wonderful player and I love watching him, but where England are at the minute compared to other home nations is just the remarkable strength in depth,” Moody, speaking on behalf of Land Rover, told Omnisport.
“Maro went off and you ended up with [number eight] Nathan Hughes playing in the second row. To bring Courtney Lawes on – he’s a world-class player, in any other side in the world he’d be starting and there’s also Joe Launchbury.
“You’ve got four second-rows there that could start in any other team in the home nations, they are absolutely brilliant.
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“So, the amount of pressure coming on each and every player to perform week in and week out [is high] because the amount of players queueing up underneath them is remarkable.
“As a coach that is exactly what you want, you don’t want players resting on their laurels thinking their place is assured, you want everyone thinking ‘Christ, if I don’t play well today I could potentially lose my spot’.
“And that just drives everyone’s performance and that’s why we’re seeing England play as they did at the weekend because it’s not just in the second row, it’s in the back row, the front row, fly-half, centres, wing, it’s just wonderful to watch at the minute and wonderful to watch Eddie Jones pick from virtually a fully fit squad.”
Countdown to #LeCrunch ?#ENGvFRA #CarryThemHome ? pic.twitter.com/IcSr79jzeE
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 6, 2019
Powerhouses Manu Tuilagi and Billy Vunipola have seen their respective England careers blighted by injuries in recent years, but both started in Dublin and Moody believes the duo make a huge difference to Jones’ side.
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“There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that without Billy Vunipola, England are a different team,” he added.
“I think the players he plays against, they know how dangerous he is and it’s not just the danger he poses of running over you as a defender, it’s getting past the gainline and being able to offload out of contact.
“His presence creates space outside him because it attracts more defenders into the hit. It’s one thing trying to make the tackle [but] it’s another trying to stop the offload, all of a sudden that drags defenders in and creates space out wide for everyone else.
“It’s the same case for Manu Tuilagi, you look at the opportunities created at the weekend and many of them were off the back of them two carrying the ball hard and creating space out wide in attack for others.
“On the flip side in defence, look at some of the hits Manu put in. So many were just well timed and that’s what he can bring, that destructive power in the tackle in the centres.
“It wasn’t just Manu or Bill on Saturday, you look at the defensive prowess across the board. The stat that blew me away at the weekend – the tackle count was quite equal – but it was the dominant hits, it was nearly 50 dominant hits, which is a crazy amount.
“Normally you’re looking at 10 to 20 if you’re lucky. Nearly 50 in a game, you as a defender smashing the attacker back over his own gainline, that to me just says this is a proper team performance.”
Lewis Moody is a Land Rover ambassador. Land Rover shares and understands the values of rugby. @LandRoverRugby
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
7 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
13 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
13 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments