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Matt Kvesic's 11th-hour bench call-up has confused England fans
Eddie Jones has named his England team to play Italy in their final match before the World Cup, calling upon three players that are not part of the 31-man squad travelling to Japan.
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Joe Marchant starts at outside centre, while Charlie Ewels and Matt Kvesic are on the bench to face Conor O’Shea’s side at St James’ Park on Friday.
The Exeter Chiefs’ Kvesic is a surprise addition to the squad after his exile from the England team for three years. He earned his only cap under Jones in 2016 and has barely been part of the picture since then.
Despite being on the shortlist for Premiership player of the year award, the 27-year-old was not selected for any of England’s training squads this summer and was only drafted into training long after the final World Cup squad was announced.
His inclusion is something that fans were calling for all last season on social media and the timing of his call-up now has confused many.
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With the success of playing both Tom Curry and Sam Underhill alongside each other against Ireland, Jones is maybe testing having another natural openside flanker in the squad, but it is hard to see what Kvesic can do from the bench two weeks before the World Cup.
The 23-year-old Marchant is a player that Jones is priming for a role in the future and that is why he has been called up after earning his first cap in August.
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England have called on players outside their RWC 31 for Friday's game with Italy and assistant Steve Borthwick explains why
https://t.co/n2SJlN7Rk6— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 4, 2019
Likewise, Ewels is a player that has been in and out of the squad during Jones’ tenure. On the other hand, Kvesic has been largely ignored by Jones, only making a bench appearance in May 2016 against Wales.
The three-cap Kvesic’s form over the last year means he is undeniably worthy of a place in the England set-up, but it is the 11th-hour nature of his call-up that fans are questioning. This is what has been said:
Why has Jones named 3 people who aren't going to Japan.. Specifically Kvesic (who I highly rate) when he hasn't been involved in the squad in ages!
— Z (@rookieshooter92) September 4, 2019
Why is Matt Kvesic on the bench when he hasn’t made the WC squad? Baffled pic.twitter.com/YMUWM1j6ux
— #Ratty (@ratty1404) September 4, 2019
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https://twitter.com/SirPyecroft/status/1169136160540639237?s=20
Kvesic was stand out premiership backrow/8 last season. Should be on the plane anyway.
— Jim Bryan (@jbryan47) September 4, 2019
Also notices Matt Kvesic as a finisher. Strange one. Is EJ making sure he has players ready to fly in to Japan should injuries occur?
— Peter Scott (@PRS_rugbycoach) September 4, 2019
I don't get why Eddie is selecting Marchant and Kvesic? Unless he's anticipating the injuries already?
— Darren Beardon (@DSBeardon) September 4, 2019
Insulting if you ask me. Why not bring through a rated youngster far more on his radar eg Mercer, Curry, Hill etc? Just an insult to Kvesic to ask him to stand in briefly. Standard Eddie IMO
— Hugh Walker (@HughWalker15) September 4, 2019
What these three selections do indicate is that these may be the three players that are the back-up options should injuries occur in Japan.
Kvesic played a lot of rugby at No8 for Exeter last season and that versatility will help, but it still seems late in the day to try him out if that is the case.
WATCH: Brian O’Driscoll tips England to win the World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
26 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
26 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
48 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
26 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
26 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
26 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
26 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
26 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments