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Steve Borthwick handed boost amid England back row injury crisis
By Josh Raisey
Of the back row that started for England in the World Cup semi-final against South Africa in October, Courtney Lawes has since retired from international rugby, Tom Curry has a season-ending hip injury and Ben Earl is still nursing a knee injury.
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To make matters worse for England head coach Steve Borthwick, Saracens confirmed this week that No8 Tom Willis is likely to miss the Six Nations after having minor surgery on his knee this week.
Though England have a wealth of options in the back row currently, they are teetering on having a mini injury crisis. Borthwick was handed a major boost today though with the return of Zach Mercer.
The Gloucester No8 underwent ankle surgery at the beginning of November and it was believed he would be out of action for an extended period, casting his participation in the Six Nations into doubt. However, he has made a swift return, and is set to start at the back of the scrum tomorrow night against ASM Clermont Auvergne at Kingsholm in the Challenge Cup.
This is a major boost for both England ahead of the Six Nations and Gloucester for the rest of the season. The Cherry and Whites arrested a six match losing streak with a win over Georgia’s Black Lion last Saturday, but it is safe to say that the 26-year-old has been sorely missed this past month after a barnstorming start to the season with Gloucester.
The former Montpellier star put the disappointment of missing out on Borthwick’s World Cup squad behind him with a great start to life at Kingsholm before his injury. But if he is able to regain that form, he will undoubtedly be in contention to make the Six Nations for England.
Mercer is not the only person to make a rapid return to action, as Saracens revealed this week that Earl too is set to return ahead of schedule before the end of the year.
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Gloucester XV
15. Louis Rees-Zammit*
14. Jony May*
13. Chris Harris
12. Max Llewellyn
11. Ollie Thorley*
10. Santi Carreras
9. Stephen Varney*
1. Harry Elrington
2. Santi Socino
3. Fraser Balmain
4. Freddie Clarke*
5. Matias Alemanno
6. Jack Clement*
7. Lewis Ludlow* (C)
8. Zach Mercer
Replacements
16. George McGuigan
17. Jamal Ford-Robinson
18. Kirill Gotovtsev
19. Cam Jordan*
20. Ben Donnell
21. Charlie Chapman*
22. Seb Atkinson*
23. Lloyd Evans*
For an overall England squad I would chose:
1. Genge (C)
2. Rodd
3. Marler
4. Obano
5. Sinkler
6. Heyes
7. Dan
8. George
9. Cowan-Dickie
10. Itoje
11. Chessum
12. Chessum
13. Martin
14. Underhill
15. Curry
16. Curry
17. Earl (VC)
18. Barberry
19. Ludlum
20. Dombrant
21. JVP
22. Mitchell
23. Smith
24. Ford
25. Lawrence
26. Freeman
27. Tuilangi
28. Daly
29. Hassell-Collins
30. Steward
31. Radwan
32. Randall
This brings some experience but also some new to the international stage, how would be trying to make a mark.
I’d like to see a slightly younger team for England this Six Nations, so we can start building for the for coming future.
If they were all fit, I would choose:
1. Genge (C)
2. Dan
3. Sinkler
4. Itoje
5. Martin
6. Curry
7. Earl (VC)
8. Barberry
9. JVP
10. (Marcus) Smith
11. Daly
12. Lawrence
13. Freeman
14. Hassell-Collins
15. Steward
I’d have both Curry’s and Chessum’s in my larger squad. Would be nice to see Ben and Lewis on the international stage with their prospective brothers. Daly and Freeman could interchange between centre and back three, and Lawrence could move to 13 if possible. Smith is younger than Ford and brings a bit more pace to the game.
I know you caveat it by saying if all were fit, but Tom Curry is out for the season.
I hope Mercer gets a shot, but he’s going to need to work really hard to play himself into contention. Dombrandt has never hit great form for England but he is a solid international player that could offer much needed experience given the current injury/retirement/moving to France crisis we have in the back row. Thinking more longterm Barbeary, and Cunningham-South and Fisilau are looking like they could be the future at the back of the scrum. Moreover Barbeary looks increasinly like a young Billy V; Fisilau is a sort of 7.5 type player; and Cunningham-South can also perform well as a “Big 6”, which are three archetypes that we know Borthwick has an affinity for.
If I was picking the six nations squad I’d have Ludlam, Underhill, and Dombrandt as shoe-ins, leaving 3 slots for some combination of Mercer, Barbeary, Cunningham-South, Ben Curry, Pearson, Dugdale, and Christie.
Fisilau played on both flanks for the U20s I believe, even if he’s broken through at 8. Think Martin’s bulk is too important for the scrum for him to move from lock, but I can see Borthwick picking Chessum at 6. Personally think you need a big bopping blindside to play if Underhill/Curry and Earl are your 7 and 8, ideally Ted Hill if he could stay fit.
For the Six Nations I would like to see 7. Underhill, 8. Earl and a big unit at 6. George Martin might fit the bill there, is he injured? Haven’t seen him since the South Africa game.
1. Marler 2. George 3. Heyes 4. Itoje 5. Chessum 6. Martin 7. Underhill 8. Earl
Genge, Dan, Cole, Launchbury, Barbeary for replacements.
Good mix of youth and experience in there.
Christie is a Scotland international