The Future of Rugby: England U23
We are beginning to approach the end of our Future of Rugby series and fresh on the heels of our examination of Ireland, we turn our attentions to beaten World Cup finalists England and their impressive array of U23 options. Having selected the youngest team in World Cup final history, England are not lacking for talented young players and the selection headaches that Eddie Jones will have to go through over this current cycle are only going to be exacerbated by the large English player pool.
We have put together our pick of the talent below, although with such a generous selection of players to call upon, there are plenty of decisions here that could easily have gone another way (for the purposes of this XV, only players aged 23 or younger on May 1, 2020, were considered eligible).
15. George Furbank, Northampton Saints
Having been Mike Brown’s jersey such a long period of time, there is now plenty of competition for Elliot Daly with Furbank having made his England debut earlier this year in the Guinness Six Nations. Riding in the wake of Furbank’s swift rise over the past few years are England apprentice Josh Hodge, emerging talent Freddie Steward and Saracens’ versatile Max Malins.
14. Joe Cokanasiga, Bath
Injuries and the form of Anthony Watson and Jonny May have prevented Cokanasiga from fully breaking through at the international level so far, but the glimpses of what he is capable of in an England jersey should have fans salivating. Ollie Thorley is also in the mix, as are the London Irish pair of Ben Loader and Ollie-Hassell-Collins, both of whom have held their own well following Irish’s splurge on internationals last summer.
13. Joe Marchant, Harlequins
Fraser Dingwall and Ollie Lawrence are both knocking on this door, although for now Marchant would seem to be the next man up thanks to his extra season or two of experience. It’s a shame that Marchant’s stint in Super Rugby with the Blues has been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, but he should still come back a more rounded and improved player as well as one of the few English players to have experienced such a different environment in the formative years of his career.
12. Cameron Redpath, Bath
Two of Redpath’s team-mates, Luke James from his days at Sale Sharks and Max Ojomoh at new club Bath, are hot on his heels. Redpath is coveted by both England and Scotland and were it not for an injury suffered in his final season at Sedbergh, he may well have England caps already. If England are looking to continue their selection policy of opting for a playmaker at twelve, Redpath would seem to fit the mould.
11. Gabriel Ibitoye, Harlequins
When Ibitoye gets his hands on the ball, good things invariably tend to happen. As an attacking option, his footwork, acceleration and eye for space are up there with any player that England can call upon. He continues to round out the other areas of his game and would seem to be next in line for an England cap. Team-mate Cadan Murley and Northampton Saints pair Ollie Sleightholme and Josh Gillespie are also worth keeping an eye on.
10. Marcus Smith, Harlequins
Another position where England don’t lack for options, although there is no pressing need to move on from the pair of George Ford and Owen Farrell. Exeter Chiefs’ Joe Simmonds rivals Smith, as does Wasps’ Jacob Umaga and Northampton’s James Grayson. Saracens have leant on Manu Vunipola already and Tom Curtis will be one to watch at Sale, as English clubs seem happy to rely on younger homegrown fly-halves. For now, Smith’s appreciation of space and ability to exploit it set him apart, not to mention an unerring accuracy kicking from the tee.
9. Jack Maunder, Exeter Chiefs
Maunder and Alex Mitchell will both hope that when incumbent scrum-halves leave Exeter and Northampton this summer, their opportunities to start increase moving into the 2020/21 season. With England’s senior options at the position heading into the twilight of their careers, there is a pathway there for Maunder and Mitchell, either of whom could move into pole position with the right continued development.
1. Lewis Boyce, Bath
England’s U23 options at the position aren’t overflowing, but Boyce has made an impressive start to his career at Bath and will be confident he can force his way into a group that already boasts Mako Vunipola, Ellis Genge and potentially Beno Obano moving forward. The ex-Yorkshire Carnegie prop does not lack for physicality and abrasiveness in the loose and as he matures as a scrummager, he should begin to exert pressure on the current senior group.
The winner of our RugbyPass FIFA Pros tournament could pick any charity to donate the $2000 prize to ? pic.twitter.com/9QLGgF60oo
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 20, 2020
2. Jack Singleton, Saracens
An England international already, Singleton sees off competition from the fast-rising Alfie Barbeary, while Jack Walker could also be in the mix if he can stay fit and Bristol Bears’ Will Capon is quietly and successfully acclimatising to senior rugby. If Singleton can become more consistent with his lineout throwing, he will present a potent challenge to Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie moving forward.
3. Will Stuart, Bath
Stuart made his England debut during the Six Nations and did not look out of place at all at that level. He has hit the ground running at Bath following his 2019 move from Wasps and has taken his game even higher than the potential he flashed in the midlands promised. He is cementing himself as Kyle Sinckler’s deputy, but England don’t lack for U23 tighthead options with Marcus Street, Joe Heyes and Ehren Painter all making their mark in the Premiership.
4. Joel Kpoku, Saracens
The giant lock was the subject of a tug of war between Saracens and Northampton this season, one that Saracens eventually won and something that will continue to pay off for them over the coming years. Though his size singled him out as a player of particular potential in the age-grades, it’s the technical refinement that he has gone through that is now allowing him to excel at the senior club level and begin to push a case for international involvement.
5. Alex Moon, Northampton Saints
Moon takes this spot for now, but his Northampton team-mate Alex Coles is breathing down his neck, with both having been shown faith by Chris Boyd. They are currently in the process of repaying that and the early signs have been very promising. Moon is an out and out lock, but Coles could yet flourish in the Pieter-Steph du Toit role on the blindside should he and Northampton want to continue down that route.
The England coach crystal balls a very different type of game will emerge post-pandemichttps://t.co/9JkrUnKTHU
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 21, 2020
6. Tom Curry, Sale Sharks
One of half of the “Kamikaze Twins”, Curry has consistently shown himself to be one of the most effective back rows in world rugby over the past twelve months and it is staggering that he is still just 21 years of age. Curry was an obvious pick here for numerous reasons, although if the aforementioned du Toit role is one they want to explore, Nick Isiekwe and Ted Hill are intriguing options, while Exeter’s Richard Capstick will begin to turn heads in the coming years.
7. Sam Underhill, Bath
The ‘Kamikaze Twins’ duo is completed with Underhill’s selection and given the performances the pair put in at the World Cup, they are the clear and obvious partnership here. Just as there was with Curry, however, there is plenty of competition here for Underhill, such as Ben Earl, Jack Willis and Curry’s twin brother, Ben. Keep an eye out for London Irish’s Izaiha Moore-Aino, too.
8. Zach Mercer, Bath
There are more like-for-like size options to push Billy Vunipola, such as Alex Dombrandt and Rus Tuima, but Mercer has consistently shown himself to be a difference-maker at the Premiership level. If he gets a run of games at the international level, it would not be surprising to see him emulate that effectiveness and give Jones pause for thought on the balance of his back row moving forward.
Comments on RugbyPass
> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to commentsThis is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?
35 Go to commentsWow, didn’t realise there was such apathy to URC in SA, or by Champions Cup teams. Just read Nick’s article on Crusaders, are Sharks a similar circumstance? I think SA rugby has been far more balanced than NZs, no?
2 Go to commentsBut here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.
28 Go to commentsIt could be coincidental or prescient that the All Blacks most dominant period under Steve Hansen was when the Crusaders had their least successful period under Todd Blackadder and then the positions reversed when Razor took over the Crusaders.
28 Go to commentsDefinitely sound read everybodyexpects immediate results these days, I don't think any team would travel well at all having lost three of the most important game changers in the game,compiled with the massive injury list they are now carrying, good to see a different more in depth perspective of a coaches history.
3 Go to commentsSinckler is a really big loss for English rugby.
1 Go to commentsThanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause
28 Go to commentsNo way. If you are trying to picture New Zealand rugby with an All Blacks mindset, there have been two factors instrumental to the decline of NZ rugby to date. Those are the horror that the Blues have become and, probably more so, the fixture that the Crusaders became. I don’t think it was healthy to have one team so dominant for so long, both for lack of proper representation of players from outside that environment and on the over reliance on players from within it. If you are another international side, like Ireland for example, sure. You can copy paste something succinct from one level to the next and experience a huge increase in standards, but ultimately you will not be maximizing it, which is what you need to perform to the level the ABs do. Added to that is the apathy that develops in the whole game as a result of one sides dominance. NZ, Super, and Championship rugby should all experience a boom as a result of things balancing out. That said, there is a lot of bad news happening in NZ rugby recently, and I’m not sure the game can be handled well enough here to postpone the always-there feeling of inevitable decline of rugby.
28 Go to commentsNo SA supporter miss Super Rugby - a product that is experiencing significant head wind in ANZ - the competition from rival codes are intense, match attendance figures are at a historical low and the negativity of commentators such as Kirwan and Wilson have accelerated the downward spiral in NZ. After the next RWC in 2027 sponsors will follow Qantas and start leaving in droves.
2 Go to commentsLike others, I am not seeing the connection between this edition of the Crusaders and the All Blacks future prospects under Razor. I think the analysis of the Crusaders attack recently is helpful because Razor and his coaching team used to be able to slot new guys in to their systems and see them succeed. Several of Razor’s coaches are still there so it would be surprising if the current attack and set piece has been overhauled to a great extent - but based on that analysis, it may have been. Whether it is too many new guys due to injuries or retirement or a failure of current Crusaders systems is the main question to be answered imo. It doesn’t seem relevant for the ABs.
28 Go to commentsharry potter is set in stone. he creates stability and finishes well. exactly what schmidt likes. he’s the ben smith of australian rugby. i think it could quite easily be potter toole and kellaway for the foreseeable future.
5 Go to commentsThis is short sighted from Clayton if you ask me, smacks of too much preseason planning and no adaptability. What if DMac is out for a must win match, are they still only going to bring their best first five and playmaker on late in the game? Trusting the game to someone who wasn’t even part of planning (they would have had Trask pinned in as Jacomb preseason). Perhaps if the Crusaders were better they would not have done this, but either way imo you take this opportunity to play a guy you might need starting in a final rather than having their 12th game getting comfortable coming off the bench.
1 Go to commentsThanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.
21 Go to commentsWhat a load of bollocks. The author has forgotten to mention the fact that the Crusaders have a huge injury toll with top world class players out. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously in a transition period. No this will not spark a slow death for NZ rugby, but it does mean there will be a new Super Rugby champion. Anyone who knows anything about NZ rugby knows that there is some serious talent here, it just isn’t all at the Crusaders.
28 Go to commentsI wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
5 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
55 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
7 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to comments