1
The 'one-off selection' that England felt compelled to gamble on
Eddie Jones believes England fans will see a very different George Furbank in Paris this Saturday than the rookie who struggled on his Test debut in the same city 25 months ago. With Elliot Daly, the World Cup final No15, unavailable at that time, the Northampton player was just 23 when chosen at full-back for the 2020 Guinness Six Nations opener against France in England’s first match following their Yokohama final defeat to the Springboks.
ADVERTISEMENT
It didn’t start well, England trailing by 24 points early in the second half before rallying to only lose by seven – a comeback that ultimately proved decisive in them pipping the French to the title on points difference.
Furbank went on to also start at full-back against Scotland and Italy in that campaign but he has since had a truncated Test career, only getting selected twice in the last 18 England games and both of those appearances – a run off the bench versus Canada and a start against Tonga – were in the alternative position of out-half.
Now, though, he has been parachuted in to start at full-back this Saturday night against the Grand Slam-chasing France with Freddie Steward, the starting England No15 in the last nine matches, shunted out onto the right wing following the axing of Max Malins in the wake of the 32-15 loss to Ireland.
The plan is to counteract the French kicking game and while Jones has described his approach as a one-off selection, he has insisted he has made the right call concerning Furbank as he claims he is now a different player at the age of 25 than what was nervously seen on debut at Stade de France just over two years ago.
“It has been what he has done in his preparation,” said Jones when asked to outline what has impressed him so much about Furbank that he had to pick him as the England No15 for this closing game of the 2022 championship. “We see George as a very good player going forward. In the modern game in terms of full-back, he has got all the repertoire to be very successful. He can also fill in at ten which we saw against Tonga in the autumn and he has been doing that for his club.
“So the way that France play we feel that he is the best full-back and Freddie is the best winger for this game only, it’s a one-off selection and it’s funny how the cycle changes in two years. George went from being a debutant (against France) to now making the biggest game of his career up to this stage (back in Paris).”
ADVERTISEMENT
It has been an ordeal for Furbank to reclaim the No15 jersey 17 months after he last wore it versus Italy in Rome in the fixture that clinched the 2020 Six Nations title. “Most young players go through a fair bit of ups and downs and the ability to learn from the downs is just so important and the ability to use the resources around him is so important,” continued Jones.
“He is a young player that probably had a difficult debut and he has used his club game and has used his opportunities to come into England to keep improving himself, he has used the resources around him to be better prepared for Test rugby and what you will see on Saturday is a much better-prepared player than what you saw two years ago.”
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
60 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
60 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
60 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
60 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
60 Go to comments