Nine England players facing the chop before France 2023
Head coach Eddie Jones has suggested as little as 40 per cent of the current crop of England players will be on hand for the Rugby World Cup in France in 2023. A 20 per cent year on year cut is on the cards, as Jones’ looks to evolve his team in the midst of the increasing arms-race that Test rugby has become.
“I don’t think this group can have another World Cup in them,” Jones told BBC Sport. “While there will be core members of the team who will be able to continue to the next World Cup, there will be a new influx of members coming in. If you look at the squad this year we have changed it by 20%. There will be another 20 per cent change in the second year, and another 20 per cent in the third year.
“By the time we get to the World Cup it could be 40 per cent of the squad from the 2019 World Cup and 60 per cent new members.”
So who faces the chop? Here are nine candidates that could be on Eddie’s butcher’s block sooner rather than later.
George Kruis
Kruis appears to be on his way out of the country, with Japan looking the most likely destination. His England career will naturally come to an end as result, and at 30 and with 45 caps, it is unlikely he’ll be invited back should he return.
Joe Marler
Marler could well take the decision out of his head coach’s hands. He’s already retired from international duty before, and his recent Six Nations controversy might see the colourful prop call time on his Test career once again.
Dan Cole
Cole could well have already played his last game for England. At 32, Cole was not named in Eddie’s most recent Six Nations squad and will be 35 in 2023. Jones is highly unlikely to select the Tiger’s stalwart unless his hand is forced by injury.
Ben Youngs
Although a favourite for Jones and a crucial part of England’s game management system, the 30-year-old Youngs’ 99-cap mileage may mean a 2023 tournament could be beyond him. Could he go to France as second choice nine, form allowing? Yes, but a succession plan is surely now in place.
Courtney Lawes
Another of the first names on the current England teamsheet, Lawes will be 34 in 2023. His ability to play 5.5 has been a huge plus point for the Northampton Saint but he’s at the tail end of an 11-year-England career, and Eddie doesn’t lack for options at either blindside or lock.
Willi Heinz
His England debut came late in his career, but the New Zealander will be nearly 36 by when the first ball is struck in three years time. The pandemic could mean his 10 cap run could have already come to an end.
Manu Tuilagi
He may be just 28-years-old, but the Leicester Tiger’s body has been through the mill. Cursed by injury, the centre always seems to be teetering on the brink of his next layoff.
The blockbusting centre has managed just 40 Test caps since he made his 2011 debut, injury the main culprit in robbing him of at least that number of appearances again. When fit, he’s England’s clear first choice 13, but his injury profile is unlikely to improve with increasing age and Eddie might place continuity ahead of his game-busting abilities.
Can he make his three of four World Cups at 32? Maybe, if his load is managed and he gets a decent run of injury luck.
Mark Wilson
Wilson has never been first choice for England but his versatility, durability and workrate make him a useful all-rounder in the mould of a Robshaw or a Haskell. Father time is not on the 30-year-old’s side however and one imagines the next generation of explosive English backrows – the likes of Alex Dombrandt and Ted Hill – will render him obsolete before the French tournament comes round.
Jonny May
Arguably still England’s sharpest weapon in attack, May will be 34 by October, 2023 – veritable dotage for a rugby union winger. While he’ll still likely be faster than his eventual replacement, it’s hard to see May surviving another three and half years in a position seemingly never lacking for the next bright young thing coming through.
Wing centurions are the rarest of rare things at Test level.
England squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Backs: J Cokanasiga (Bath), E Daly (Saracens), O Farrell (Saracens, capt), G Ford (Leicester), P Francis (Northampton), W Heinz (Gloucester), J Joseph (Bath), J May (Leicester), R McConnochie (Bath), J Nowell (Exeter), H Slade (Exeter), M Tuilagi (Leicester), A Watson (Bath), B Youngs (Leicester).
Forwards: D Cole (Leicester), L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), T Curry (Sale Sharks), E Genge (Leicester), J George (Saracens), M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), L Ludlam (Northampton), J Marler (Harlequins), K Sinckler (Harlequins), J Singleton (Worcester), S Underhill (Bath), B Vunipola (Saracens), M Vunipola (Saracens), M Wilson (Newcastle/Sale Sharks).
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo 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.
35 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
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
35 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.
35 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. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. 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.
35 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.
35 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.
2 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.
35 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.
18 Go to comments