The most picked England XV of the Eddie Jones' era
With Eddie Jones signing a new contract with England this week to keep him at the helm until the 2023 Rugby World Cup, there has been a lot of reflection over his past four years in charge.
The Daily Mail’s Will Kelleher has provided a succinct summary on Twitter of some of the key stats of Jones’ reign, particularly in terms of the players he has selected, and the XV most players most picked in each position:
EDDIE’S MOST PICKED XV
15 Brown (24 starts)
14 Watson (19)
13 Joseph (25)
12 Farrell (23)
11 May (33)
10 Ford (41)
9 Youngs (39)
1 M Vunipola (24)
2 Hartley (28)
3 Cole (28)
4 Launchbury (24)
5 Kruis (25)
6 Robshaw (18)
7 Underhill (14)
8 B Vunipola (29)
It is worth noting that this list does not necessarily mean these were Jones’ most picked players. After all, Jamie George, Courtney Lawes, Elliot Daly and Maro Itoje were all one of Jones’ top eight most capped players under him.
However, their positional versatility (Daly across the back three, and Itoje and Lawes at blindside flanker as well as No.4 and No.5) means they did not start solidly in the same position, or in George’s case, he was often used from the bench. Kelleher also provided information on the most capped players:
Who're his favs?
TOP 10 MOST CAPS UNDER EDDIE (54 TESTS)
George Ford – 52
Owen Farrell – 48
Ben Youngs – 47
Jamie George – 46
Courtney Lawes – 43
Elliot Daly – 43
Dan Cole- 39
Maro Itoje – 38
Jonny May – 37
Joe Launchbury – 37#statcave7/n
— Will Kelleher (@willgkelleher) April 2, 2020
Nevertheless, this XV still helps unearth the strength of this England team, as well as some flaws. The first thing that is most noticeable is that many of these players played in the RWC final last year. Eight players started in the final, while George Kruis and Dan Cole both came off the bench.
Additionally, Joe Launchbury and Jonathan Joseph both were in the RWC squad in Japan. Given his time spent on the sidelines, Manu Tuilagi would not make this list, but is undeniably a vital cog in Jones’ team.
The three members of this XV that did not travel to Japan were Mike Brown, Chris Robshaw and Dylan Hartley, who are the eldest members of this squad. All three have served Jones well throughout his tenure, particularly in creating a bridge between the Stuart Lancaster era before, but the tournament may have been a step too far. Furthermore, Hartley would have been at the RWC if it was not for his injury woes.
Adding the likes of Daly, Itoje, Lawes and George to that XV shows that the Australian was building towards something during the four-year cycle and it was no fluke that they came so close to winning. The coach faced some criticism at times, but he had an outline of what he wanted his team to look like, and this XV shows he stuck to it. While there were still selection debates leading up to the final, it was amongst players that Jones had already embedded into the squad.
Kelleher’s XV also illuminates some of England’s weaknesses over the past four years, and indeed much longer. The lack of a natural openside has plagued England for years, and the inability to outgun the opposition at the breakdown was one of the major contributors to England’s annus horribilis in 2018. It is perhaps no surprise that the least capped player in this XV is Sam Underhill at No.7. The Bath man looks to be the incumbent openside in white now, but this team tells a tale of the journey Jones has been on to find someone suited to the role, although Tom Curry is a viable option as well.
This XV provided by Kelleher also highlights another problem that Jones has encountered, which is the over-reliance on Billy Vunipola. It may surprise some that a player who only played four Tests during 2017 and 2018 because of a slew of injuries still started the most matches for England in the forwards. This of course does not mean he was the most capped player in the pack, as we have already seen, but it does show that when he is available, it is more than likely that he will start.
That in itself is not necessarily a problem because he is arguably England’s most important player, and fundamental to gaining any momentum; it is no coincidence that Vunipola barely played during England’s troublesome 2018. What this stat does show is that England were never able to find a suitable replacement for him to allow Jones to rotate.
Nathan Hughes vied with the Saracen for the No.8 shirt, but ultimately fell off the pace and it culminated in Jones only taking Billy as the specialist No.8 to Japan.
This same problem has reared its head this year in Vunipola’s absence during the Six Nations, where Curry has been deployed at the back of the scrum. He grew into the role as the Championship developed, but one of England’s main criticisms was this lack of penetration that Vunipola is so often trusted to provide.
Conversely, this team also shows the abundance of locks that Jones has at his disposal, especially as the two in Kelleher’s team, Kruis and Launchbury, did not actually win more caps than Itoje and Lawes over four years. This is also one of the most compelling reasons as to why Jones, alongside Matt Proudfoot, is opting for a 6-2 split on the bench.
Ultimately, this squad shows that Jones did not simply stumble into the RWC final, and while he may still not know what his best XV is, he has a pool of experienced players to choose from.
Comments on RugbyPass
The greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
15 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
15 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
1 Go to comments00 😍 U
1 Go to commentsSabbaticals have helped keep NZ’s very best talent in the country on long term deals - this fact has been left out of this article. Much like the articles calling to allow overseas players to be selected, yet can only name one player currently not signed to NZR who would be selected for the ABs. And in the entire history of NZ players leaving to play overseas, literally only 4 or 5 have left in their prime as current ABs. (Piatau, Evans, Hayman, Mo’unga,?) Yes Carter got an injury while playing in France 16 years ago, but he also got a tournament ending injury at the 2011 World Cup while taking mid-week practice kicks at goal. Maybe Jordie gets a season-ending injury while playing in Ireland, maybe he gets one next week against the Brumbies. NZR have many shortcomings, but keeping the very best players in the country and/or available for ABs selection is not one of them. Likewise for workload management - players missing 2 games out of 14 is hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Again let’s use some facts - did it stop the Crusaders winning SR so many times consecutively when during any given week they would be missing 2 of their best players? The whole idea of the sabbatical is to reward your best players who are willing to sign very long term deals with some time to do whatever they want. They are not handed out willy-nilly, and at nowhere near the levels that would somehow devalue Super Rugby. In this particular example JB is locked in with NZR for what will probably (hopefully) be the best years of his career, hard to imagine him not sticking around for a couple more after for a Lions tour and one more world cup. He has the potential to become the most capped AB of all time. A much better outcome than him leaving NZ for a minimum of 3 years at the age of 27, unlikely to ever play for the ABs again, which would be the likely alternative.
3 Go to commentsJake White talks more sense than anything I've read in the last 5 years. Hope someone's listening.
15 Go to commentsThe 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.
15 Go to commentsExeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
39 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.
39 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to comments