Picking an England XV to play Wales
The Rugby World Cup warm-up matches are now upon us as northern hemisphere nations join their southern hemisphere rivals in competitive action, with England getting their road to Japan underway by hosting Wales at Twickenham on Sunday.
England will then head to Cardiff the following weekend for the return fixture, before coming back to Twickenham a week later to host Ireland. They will finish their RWC preparations with a game against Italy at St James’ Park in Newcastle on September 6th.
These are the final four games before Eddie Jones’ side get their RWC underway in Sapporo against Tonga on September 22nd.
The time for significant experiments is over and the Australian’s focus will now be solely on shoring up the final few spots in his 31-man squad and ensuring that the combinations in the England squad are performing well and the team has chemistry ahead of arriving in Japan.
With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at how the England side might line-up next weekend at Twickenham and who Jones may give the opportunities to impress to.
- Anthony Watson
Having missed most of the 2018/19 season with injury, Watson is still attempting to get a decent amount of rugby back into his legs ahead of the RWC. Predominately a wing under Jones, Watson is very comfortable at full-back for Bath and this would give the Australian another chance to assess what he can bring to the position.
Elliot Daly is the man Jones has forged ahead with at the position but if Watson impresses enough for Jones to look at him as a wing who can also start at full-back if required, it could allow England to take an extra wing who offers a unique skill set or even carry an extra front or back rower.
- Joe Cokanasiga
Cokanasiga and Watson have chemistry from playing at Bath together and the 21-year-old offers unique power and physicality on the wing that England’s other options at the position simply can’t match. Cokanasiga may not be in Jones’ prospective starting XV for the crunch games yet, but he has game-breaking ability and could be a valuable asset in Japan, especially with Chris Ashton having withdrawn.
Nathan Earle is injured and Jack Nowell is in a race against time to be fit, so being sure of the next man up at the position will be important for Jones. The game against Wales will give further indications of how ready Cokanasiga is for this level of rugby, having done well in his four senior caps so far.
- Henry Slade
Thanks to Manu Tuilagi’s injuries in recent years, the opportunities for the 28-year-old to build chemistry with Slade have been few and far between, so although Jonathan Joseph offers an intriguing option, getting what seems to be Jones’ favoured centre pairing up to speed is surely the priority.
Slade has brought plenty of positives to the England side in recent seasons and if he and Tuilagi can replicate the defensive understanding and synergy they showed against Ireland in the Guinness Six Nations, a lot of minds in England will be put at ease.
- Manu Tuilagi
One of the critiques of the Ben Te’o and Slade partnership was its lack of mobility in defence, with opposition teams able to turn the corner on England with relative ease. When Tuilagi has been in tandem with Slade, that has been a lot more difficult for England’s rivals with Tuilagi proving to be more laterally mobile, something which has allowed Slade to drift out, confident that the space inside is covered.
Getting more minutes into this combination should be key for Jones, not just for their defensive synergy, but also their understanding of each other’s games in attack. The win in Dublin earlier this year was an example of how good the combination could be and their interchangeability from phase to phase.
- Jonny May
If the plan is to test out Watson’s suitability to play 15 as well as wing in Japan, then pairing him up with May, whose form for England on the wing has been exceptional, seems the most valid way to assess it.
May brings consistency to the back three and with he and Cokanasiga on the edges – two out and out wings with little to no experience at full-back – it will be a thorough examination of Watson’s positional work and decision-making at the back.
- Owen Farrell
One spot in the team that isn’t up for grabs. Farrell is the starting fly-half and only injury is likely to prevent that, so allowing him to continue to build chemistry with the Tuilagi-Slade midfield seems to make sense for the opening fixture of the summer.
Ford will have opportunities to start in the remaining three games, whilst the uncapped Marcus Smith could make his international bow from the bench in any one of the four fixtures, should Jones wish to rest either of his veteran options.
- Ben Spencer
There is little still to discover about Ben Youngs and the Leicester man’s chemistry with Farrell is already well established. Very little has been done to prepare England’s other scrum-halves for Japan, however, with Spencer only boasting three appearances that account for less than 20 minutes of rugby and Willi Heinz is currently uncapped.
As much faith as Jones has in Youngs, surely this has to be the time the England coach gets an extended look at what other players can do at the position? If Youngs were to pick up an injury, little to nothing is known about England’s alternatives at international level.
- Joe Marler
Clearly Marler is a player Jones and England trust but, having been in international retirement for the past season, a chance to rebuild chemistry and resume his previous role in the side should be embraced.
Loosehead is one of the positions where Jones does need to make a tough call, with at least one of Marler, Ellis Genge or Ben Moon set to miss out, as Mako Vunipola is expected to be fit in time for the RWC. Giving each a start in the first three warm-up games wouldn’t be the worst idea.
- Jamie George
Keeping George in the starting XV will help England build consistency and chemistry, with the question at the position being more about who will be the third player on the plane, rather than can any of George’s rivals take the starting jersey from him.
If Luke Cowan-Dickie is pencilled in as the number two option, the first two warm-up games could see Jack Singleton and then Tom Dunn on the bench, as Jones looks at what both offer in impact as ‘finishers’. Cowan-Dickie could get the start in the return fixture or in the subsequent games against Ireland and Italy, should managing George’s minutes be a concern.
- Kyle Sinckler
A chance to see if Sinckler can recreate his impressive scrummaging form from Harlequins with Marler. Historically, England have tended to use the home fixture of these RWC double-headers to field a stronger XV, before rotating more substantially in the return fixture.
The game in Cardiff then provides an opportunity to see Dan Cole or Harry Williams, as Jones decides whether to take one or both of them to Japan.
- Maro Itoje
Again, the home fixture against Wales could see England go close to full-strength, with the return fixture providing minutes for the second string.
Itoje is inked in as a starter for England and the next few weeks are just about managing his workload and making sure that he arrives in Japan in good shape and ready to have an impact.
- George Kruis
Similar to Itoje, Kruis has established himself in this spot and the pair’s chemistry from Saracens works well in the international arena.
There is little for Jones to find out in the engine room, with the duo of Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury having also established themselves as a very enviable pair of backups.
- Alex Dombrandt
A left field call here, with Brad Shields’ recent injury having opened an unexpected door. Mark Wilson is England’s starting blindside and that is unlikely to change between now and the RWC, but Dombrandt offers interesting potential in England’s power game.
Seeing how the young Harlequin would function among Jones’ regular back rowers is too appetising to pass up and if he were to excel in the role, it would help explain the absences of Nathan Hughes, Zach Mercer and Ben Morgan from the training squad.
- Tom Curry
If you’re taking a punt on Dombrandt at blindside, partnering him with Curry on the flank makes sense, as the Sale man has cemented himself as England’s favoured openside. Can the two youngsters operate in harmony and deal with a back row as challenging as the one that Wales boast?
Curry is another of the England players for whom the next few weeks will be all about managing his workload and ensuring his fitness before the team heads out to Japan.
- Billy Vunipola
Along the lines of the Curry selection, Vunipola is the established man and seeing how he works alongside Dombrandt is crucial at this point, as Jones decides whether or not to take a flier on him or look at a more experienced option such as the currently excluded Chris Robshaw.
If Vunipola and Dombrandt could work in tandem, England are suddenly looking at a pack with a plethora of carrying options, especially when you also factor in Itoje, Sinckler, George and Billy’s brother, Mako. It would be a bold call, but Shield’s injury has created opportunity.
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Comments on RugbyPass
The Springboks tried going down the road of only picking home-based players and it was an unmitigated disaster in 2016 and 2017. Picking overseas-based players has been one of the main reason the Boks have done so well since 2018, not only because of the quality Rassie could call on, but because of the knowledge and experience those players brought into camp from England, France and Japan. With some of the big names playing abroad it also gave younger players in SA the chance to break through at franchise level. Would we have seen the emergence of a Ruan Nortje if RG and Lood were still at the Bulls? Not so sure. I understand why Jake would want to block players leaving since his job depends on good results but it’s an approach that would take Bok rugby back to the bad old days and no South African wants to see that.
8 Go to commentsExeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
34 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
11 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
34 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
86 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
86 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
8 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
34 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
8 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
8 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
11 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
11 Go to comments