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Snubbed Saracens players' behind the scenes reaction to England omission
Saracens flanker Ben Earl has given an insight into how Saracens’ high profile England players have reacted to being dropped by Eddie Jones.
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Billy and Mako Vunipola, Alex Lozowski, Elliot Daly and Earl himself were all omitted from Jones’ original England Guinness Six Nations squad – although Daly has since been called up as a replacement for the injured Jonny May.
Earl featured in England’s 2020 and 2021 campaigns before being left out of the 2021 Autumn Nations Series squad. The 24-year-old is facing stiff competition in the backrow, where the rise of Alex Dombrandt, Sam Simmonds and latterly Alfie Barbeary have seen the Saracens man pushed out.
“It’s an interesting one almost with Eddie, if I talk about the Autumn Internationals, they announced the squad I’m not in the squad, and I’m like ‘Sweet, haven’t had a phone call but I’ll plug on’,” Earl told the RugbyPass Offload podcast.
“He then rang me two days on.
“We had a good chat. He’s an incredible man-manager in the way you have these conversations. You nearly come away from it with so much confidence, even if you weren’t in the squad. He doesn’t get that praise or that image in the media.
“He makes you want to go and do that [improve]. He makes you really energized. You can be dropped but come away feeling really good about where your game is at. Maybe it’s a case of being easier to speak to when you’re not in the squad than when you are in it. I’ve certainly experienced that on the other foot.
“I’ve got some clear things to work on and I’m looking forward to starting that journey again.
Earl also reflected on how his teammates have taken their omissions, suggesting that everyone has been relatively composed in how they’ve taken it, if also keen to prove the Australian wrong.
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“Things in rugby can change so quickly,” said Earl. “That’s a big perspective in terms of those guys [Vunipolas, Daly]. Proof of the pudding is that Elliot is now in the squad, although he wasn’t three days ago.
“I think it would be an issue if they weren’t picked and they were playing badly. I don’t think they’d mind me saying this, I think they’ve been playing unbelievable well. They’ve been key talismen of our return to the Premiership.
“Myself and Alex Lozowski are slightly different in the sense that weren’t really that [high profile in the England squad]. I got a few caps for 12 months but we weren’t really ingrained in the squad. It’s kind of a different challenge for all of us.
“Everyone has been so enthusiastic to prove everyone wrong – both media, coaches, whatever so it’s a good place to be and selfishly, it’s good news for the club and we’re used to not having two or three of those players and now we’ve got them and our team looks completely different.”
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There’s of course a considerable upside for Mark McCall’s team – they have world-class players on duty during the international window.
“It’s an exciting [Premiership] block for us now. Whereas it used to be survival mode, now it’s a block where we can make some big strides in the league.”
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> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
2 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
1 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
6 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
2 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
6 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
6 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
16 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
16 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
157 Go to comments