The inclusion of Jonny May and other key England team talking points
It’s been another arduous week for Steve Borthwick as the England boss, last Saturday’s abject loss to Ireland in Dublin being followed by the midweek double whammy of skipper Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola both getting suspended for their recent red cards.
All the while, wholesale criticism has surrounded the squad amid fears that the head coach has got preparations ahead of the September 9 Rugby World Cup start in Marseille versus Argentina horribly wrong.
None of the sharpness that was promised the longer the Summer Nations Series went on has yet materialised and there are concerns that struggling England are ripe for a Twickenham ambush by a more in-form Fiji.
Borthwick has made eight changes to his starting XV from last weekend, including the selection of Jonny May on the left wing who wasn’t picked in the official squad of 33 confirmed earlier in August for the World Cup. Here, RugbyPass takes a look at May’s inclusion along with other latest England XV talking points:
May selection confirms latest huge England blow
The naming of May on the England left wing at 12:45pm to take on Fiji was set to be the hot topic when coach Borthwick sat down with the media at Pennyhill on Thursday afternoon to discuss his latest XV. Including a player who wasn’t in the official squad for the World Cup wasn’t an unprecedented gambit.
For the final match ahead of the 2019 tournament in Japan, then-head coach Eddie Jones named the excluded Joe Marchant to start the warm-up win over Italy in Newcastle while forwards Charlie Ewels and Matt Kvesic also came off the bench even though all three weren’t part of the 31-strong squad selected to go to the Far East.
Now, May has made the cut to start even though he missed out on the squad of 33 for France 2023. What gives?
There was no indication at all in the England team media release as to what was going on in the background regarding the wingers that Borthwick had selected to head across the Channel.
Anthony Watson and Elliot Daly were the starting wingers in Dublin last weekend, but they were absent from the teamsheet on this occasion with Max Malins and May respectively handed the No14 and No11 shirts in a back three where Freddie Steward was exhaustively named as the starting full-back for the fourth successive Saturday.
Henry Arundell, the other specialist back three option in the RWC squad, was also missing, meaning he will head to the World Cup having played just one this August – an uninspired effort versus Wales on August 12 in London.
May’s naming suggested there must have been a niggle or two currently limiting the England options and the safest approach for Borthwick was to tread carefully by giving ‘extra man’ May what will be his first cap of 2023.
However, what instead emerged when Borthwick held his media briefing was a major bombshell. Watson has been ruled out for the entire World Cup with a calf injury he picked up in Ireland and will likely be replaced in the RWC squad by May.
Meanwhile, Daly is nursing a knee injury while Arundell has been struck down by what was described as a “freak back spasm”. Lock George Martin is also currently unavailable following a medical bulletin that was the latest grim picture in a grim month for England.
The brand-new Lawrence/Tuilagi 13/12 combo
It was August 7, with the dust settling on the official 33 that Borthwick has just confirmed to go to the World Cup, when the coach hinted that the untried partnership of Ollie Lawrence starting with Manu Tuilagi in midfield was a live possibility.
At the time, Borthwick summarised: “I thought Ollie Lawrence, that [2023] was his first proper Six Nations, he played games and he did really, really well until he had to go off in that France game with a hamstring injury. Ollie brings carry and he is also a very good defender.
“We have different systems across the league to rate performances and in our eyes, he rates exceptionally highly as a defender and he has defended at 13 or 12 in the Premiership, so he brings that. We know the strengths and experience Manu brings. I think they can play together if we want to play in a specific way.”
For the subsequent Summer Nations Series matches, Borthwick named starting midfield partnerships of Lawrence at 12 with Joe Marchant versus Wales and Tuilagi at 12 with Marchant against Ireland.
It was Tuilagi whom Lawrence replaced off the bench for the closing 19 minutes in Dublin, but the potential powerhouse pair now get the opportunity to show what they can do as a brand-new midfield combo.
In the nine starts that Lawrence has made in his short Test career, seven of those run-on appearances came with Henry Slade as his midfield partner, so what is in store with him running and defending the channel outside Tuilagi is intriguing. Could this be the gamble that suddenly cultivates some fresh optimism about struggling England?
Three forwards with just seven starts between them
The consensus regarding England this past month is that they have been in dire need of a shake-up, so tame and leggy have their performances been. Dan Cole’s selection for a first tighthead start since September 2019 in Kobe is a throwback to far happier times when the English were shifting through the gears en route to reaching the World Cup final.
His inclusion versus Fiji highlights how Borthwick has gambled the house on Kyle Sinckler, who has made just two sub appearances this August, will be fit as a fiddle come September 9 and the likely bruising scrum battle versus the Pumas.
Three selections elsewhere in the pack, though, as the very opposite of the veteran Cole inclusion. Between them, energetic trio Theo Dan (0), Ollie Chessum (5) and Ben Earl (2) have just seven starts between them, but could their lack of experience be just the thing to enliven the brutally lethargic England?
The ball-carrying ability of Dan and Earl was a potent factor in helping Saracens to win the Gallagher Premiership final last May at Twickenham, the rookie hooker coming off the bench after just 11 minutes to impress in place of the concussed Jamie George while Earl enjoyed himself in the No8 role with Vunipola injured.
With Vunipola now unavailable for England through suspension, the focus will be on Earl to see what he can bring to this position at Test level.
The word on the recuperating Tom Curry, by the way, was positive. England have insisted that the only player in their squad who will go to France without playing a single minute in August is poised to resume full training following his ankle injury setback.
As for the inclusion of Chessum in the second row versus Fiji, he was one of the rare few players not to damage his reputation last weekend in Dublin, firing into the battle with a carefree attitude in his first outing since an ankle dislocation 21 weeks ago.
Can he now help to re-ignite the labouring Itoje alongside him in the row and nail down a starting spot for the World Cup?
Comments on RugbyPass
Brilliant article! Harry of 8/9
1 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
4 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
4 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
8 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
8 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to comments