Picking a potential England Saxons XV
It’s been two and a half years since the England Saxons were last seen, as the RFU’s designated second side, which also operates as England’s capture side, remains dormant.
The Saxons’ last action was in the summer of 2016, when the group toured South Africa and took on South Africa A in a two-match series, where they came under the stewardship of Ali Hepher, Andy Titterrell and Alan Dickens.
The Saxons won the series 2-0 and it provided a platform for a number of players to step up to full England honours, such as Alec Hepburn, Don Armand – now the top-ranked openside in the Gallagher Premiership with an RPI of 83 – and Charlie Ewels, as well as shining a further spotlight on Danny Cipriani, who returned to South Africa two years later with the senior England side.
Fixtures between the Saxons and the Irish Wolfhounds used to be commonplace and whilst you would think the shift in World Rugby regulations that mean U20 sides can no longer be the designated capture sides for nations, only the ‘second’ or ‘A’ sides, would result in more fixtures for the Saxons, it has instead seen them fade away.
With the likes of Will Addison and Mike Haley lost to Ireland, Jake Polledri throwing in with Italy and swathes more dual-eligible players having their eyes turned by the offer of more immediate international rugby with other nations, you would think that a revival of the Saxons would one of the more pressing concerns at the RFU.
If the Saxons and the Wolfhounds were to meet over the next couple of months, as used to be the way, what might the Saxons squad look like? Bearing in mind the purposes of the side, firstly as a stepping stone to the senior side, and secondly as a way of tying up players of promise who are being courted by other nations, we have put together what a prospective XV might look like.
Back three – Ollie Thorley (73), Nathan Earle (61) and Alex Goode (88)
In Thorley and Earle, you have arguably the two most in-form English wings in the Gallagher Premiership. They have been integral to their club sides this season, boast physical abilities which would see them able to cope with the step up to international rugby and at 22 (Thorley) and 24 (Earle), have their best years ahead of them and plenty of room to grow.
Goode is a slightly different approach, with the ever-impressive Saracen, for whatever reason, having been on the outside of Eddie Jones’ plans over the last three years. The Saxons would give him an opportunity to show he can replicate his club ability at a higher level, although if Jones is simply not interested in the full-back for style or skill set reasons, then it would be a chance to have a look at Jason Woodward, who has been involved with England’s senior side previously, although he has yet to win a cap.
Centres – Mark Atkinson (68)/Ryan Mills (64) and Joe Marchant (65)
A chance to see Atkinson or Mills at this level should be one that Jones would embrace. He has moved away from Owen Farrell at 12, instead slotting him into his preferred spot at 10, but it’s a shift which hinges significantly on Ben Te’o being fit. If Jones were to have an option cut from Farrell’s cloth at 12, such as Atkinson or Mills, it would be a nice security blanket for the Australian, who could then forge ahead with Farrell as his fly-half, knowing he has alternative options at 12.
Tying up Marchant would be another savvy move for England, with the 22-year-old earning some covetous glances of late. As he continues to grow more accustomed to Paul Gustard’s system at Harlequins and thrives alongside the swift and clinical operators of Earle and Marcus Smith, as well as the emerging pair of Cadan Murley and Gabriel Ibitoye, Marchant is looking more and more like a difference-maker at the next level.
Sale Sharks’ Sam James would be worth a look, too, whilst England tying down teammate Cam Redpath would give plenty of people peace of mind. Newcastle Falcons’ Jonny Williams is another that England should be keen to tie down, with the centre eligible for both Wales and Scotland.
Half-back pairing – Jack Maunder (76) and Marcus Smith (56)
Maunder already has an England cap to his name but is someone the senior side are likely to look increasingly towards in the next cycle, when both Danny Care and Ben Youngs may play lesser roles. The scrum-half has taken the opportunities that have come his way at Exeter well and this would be a chance to see how he does in a different environment with unfamiliar teammates. As a pure passing scrum-half, he is already quite polished.
As for Smith, he sees and uses space on a rugby pitch unlike any other English fly-half. He is a unique attacking weapon in England’s armoury and defensively he has embraced his smaller stature, consistently going low and efficiently chop tackling, rather than going high and being caught by fends. Unseating Farrell is an unenviable task and the experience of George Ford is likely to win out in a race for the back-up spot at the Rugby World Cup, making the Saxons a perfect way of helping to continue Smith’s development.
Front row – Ellis Genge (70), Jack Singleton (61) and Will Stuart (71)
Genge is already a full international and should be right in the mix for the England 23 at the Six Nations, but so is Ben Moon, who was one of the standout performers of the November internationals. If Moon has done enough to seal the back-up spot behind Mako Vunipola, something which is conceivable with Genge having only recently come back from injury, then the 23-year-old could thrive with the Saxons.
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Worcester hooker Singleton has been knocking on England’s door over the last year or two, but it’s proven difficult to dislodge the trio of Dylan Hartley, Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie. In the Saxons, he could erase any doubts about his lineout throwing and show that he can step up to the next level. It’s a similar story for Stuart, who has flashed his ability this season for Wasps and England need to identify who can compete with Kyle Sinckler and Harry Williams in the next cycle, with plenty of talented young tightheads around in English rugby, but many of them lacking experience.
Second row – Jonny Hill (87) and Nick Isiekwe (84)
This pair have been just on the outside of England reckoning of late, with Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury well-established as England’s quartet of locks for the short-term. That said, both Hill and Isiekwe have repeatedly distinguished themselves at Premiership and European levels and it’s a no-brainer to get a better look at two players likely to be more involved with the senior side in the next RWC cycle.
Loose forwards – Alex Dombrandt (65), Ben Earl (84) and Zach Mercer (67)
Dombrandt has been tearing up trees with Harlequins since his return to the club and Earl has fitted in seamlessly to Saracens’ back row, looking comfortable alongside players such as Billy Vunipola, Schalk Burger and Jackson Wray. There is no shortage of alternatives, either, with Lewis Ludlow, Ben Curry and Ted Hill – if not with England – chief among them, but these two would complement each other well and it would, like the second rows, prepare them for more involvement with the seniors in the next cycle.
Unfortunately for Mercer, he has seemed to be just on the outside of the England equation, with Vunipola a must-pick and both Mark Wilson and Nathan Hughes preferred by Jones when fit. The opportunity to be a leader and focal point with the Saxons, a role that Itoje excelled in a few years ago, could see him more successfully force his way into contention with that trio in the years to come. His abilities to keep phases alive, stretch defences and find space, even in the more congested areas of the pitch around the fringes, are arguably unsurpassed among English back rowers.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Farcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar 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.
11 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.
61 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.
7 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
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
61 Go to comments