The Unlucky England team of the decade
This has been a mixed decade for the English rugby team, filled with some great highs and all-time nadirs. Over the past ten years, England have had three coaches, Martin Johnson, Stuart Lancaster and currently Eddie Jones, which means there has been a high turnover of players.
As a result, there have been players that have been neglected and did not establish themselves on the international scene. Some faces have simply not fitted with some coaches, while some have suffered with injuries and some have not helped themselves. For whatever reason, this is England’s Unlucky XV of the decade:
15. Nick Abendanon
Mike Brown has dominated the No15 shirt for England for most of the past decade, but an unfortunate encounter on his first Test start with Sebastian Chabal in a RWC warm-up match in 2007 meant the then 20-year-old Abendanon never played for England again. The former Bath full-back earned his first cap on a June tour of South Africa 13 years ago and his second at Twickenham against France, but that was all at such a young age.
For years though he demonstrated what a mesmerising broken field runner he is with skill, pace and balance, but he never earned an England recall. While some players have been given multiple chances over the years in an England shirt, Abendanon was given just two at a very young age and written off thereafter.
With his England chances all over, he moved to Clermont in 2014 and was named the European player of the year at the end of his first season.
Honourable mention: Alex Goode
14. Chris Ashton
Like Steffon Armitage, Ashton was another player ineligible to play for England despite scoring a bucketload of tries with Toulon (albeit only for a season). He is a player that has also not been helped by his disciplinary record and was ostracised by Lancaster and Jones for that reason.
However, there are few players that have a natural try-scoring instinct equal to Ashton’s and after a move back to Sale Sharks in 2018, the former league man found his way back into the England set-up.
Although he pulled out of contention for the 2019 RWC, he is still open to making a return for his country. He has earned 44 caps, but the 32-year-old was expected to win many more when he first forced his way into the England team in 2010.
13. Henry Trinder
Another player that has never earned an England cap and another that has had a career marred by a litany of injuries. Despite playing for England against the Barbarians in 2014, the Gloucester centre has spent a lot of time on the sidelines, including two ACL surgeries, shoulder surgery and a current achilles injury ruined most of his 2019.
On his day, Trinder is the complete package at outside centre with brilliant hands, footwork and lines to slice through the best defences, but now at 30 years of age he has never been able to stay fit enough to force himself into the national reckoning.
Honourable mention: Mathew Tait
Once the most coveted 15 in Europe, @nick_abendanon is 33, without a club and facing a retirement he didn't see coming and doesn't want
The ex-England back talks to @JLyall93 about Clermont, leaving Bath, and why Stuart Lancaster was wrong in 2015 https://t.co/r7JFbhGyDn
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 19, 2020
12. Jordan Turner-Hall
Having made his debut in 2012 for England at the age of 24 in what looked to be a new era under Lancaster, the former Harlequins centre’s career was cut short in 2015 due to a hip injury. Although he only earned two caps, the powerful centre was always in and around England camps, and questions will remain as to whether he would have added more.
11. Christian Wade
It’s no surprise that the former Wasps winger has now left rugby to pursue a career in American football after years of being spurned by England coaches. One lone cap for England against Argentina during a Lions tour is staggering for a player that finished his rugby career at the age of 27 ranked third in the Premiership’s all-time try-scoring chart.
While his defence was always deemed his weakness and the reason for not being selected, many thought that his ball-carrying prowess negated that. For seven years he made defenders across Europe look foolish with his footwork and unparalleled acceleration. Capable of scoring tries anywhere on the field and in any situation, the American football running back was neglected in rugby, to the dismay of many.
10. Danny Cipriani
The first name on this team sheet, Cipriani has long been the outcast of English rugby. Hailed as a future world beater when he burst onto the scene for Wasps in 2007, but a slew of off-field misdemeanours, a devastating ankle injury in 2008 and a move to the Melbourne Rebels curtailed his Test career somewhat.
England coaches have toyed with the fly-half over the past decade, with Lancaster calling upon him in both 2014 and 2015, but failing to select him for the RWC. There has also been a seismic campaign over the past four years for Jones to pick the now 32-year-old.
While many fans’ wishes were answered in 2018 when he twice played against South Africa, they would be his only appearances under the Australian despite being named the RPA players’ player of the year in 2018/19. With only 16 caps, Cipriani is one that has always been in the limelight (not always for the right reasons) who could have offered England so much more.
The evolution of Danny Cipriani ? pic.twitter.com/QYaIwxcaGQ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 30, 2020
9. Joe Simpson
Simpson may be the form scrum-half in the Gallagher Premiership since his move to Gloucester last summer, but the 31-year-old has been a force for the past decade in England.
The former Wasps player’s pace and mazy running style has not only earned him a dazzling highlights reel, but appearances for both England and Britain sevens teams. However, he only has one solitary cap in the XV format (as a substitute against Georgia in the 2011 RWC) and many feel it could have been more.
1. Alex Corbisiero
Corbisiero’s England career was short and sweet between 2011 and 2015, but he was highly regarded as the ‘new generation’ of mobile props. He had some great moments in his Test career, namely his heroics after being called up to the British and Irish Lions in 2013, but he also struggled with knee, shoulder and back injuries throughout his career, missing the 2015 World Cup with the latter.
The loosehead took a break from rugby at the age of 27 in 2016 after knee surgery, which eventually became his retirement. One of many careers that were tragically blighted by injury.
Honourable mention: Alex Waller
2. Dylan Hartley
This may be a strange list for England’s second-most capped player with 97 caps to be on, but it could have been so much more for the recently retired hooker. While his accumulated 60 weeks of bans were his down to his own doing, the former Northampton Saints forward was infamously omitted from Lancaster’s 2015 RWC squad due to his poor discipline.
Although he did bounce back, becoming England captain in 2016, that exclusion, as well as a knee injury during the last year of his career, deprived him of becoming a centurion.
3. Henry Thomas
After making his debut for England in 2013 at the age of 21, the Bath prop has only amassed seven more caps, all from the bench, with his last being in 2014. He has made appearances in England training camps since then, but nothing else materialised as he has battled various injuries. The now 28-year-old’s 2019/20 season is already over due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury and he faces yet another fight to regain fitness.
How the tragic loss of two teammates has given Henry Thomas perspective on the 'dark side' of mental health issues – RugbyPass https://t.co/1uAMHrHlhI #SCI
— MD Hotline (@MDHotline) February 16, 2020
4. Dave Attwood
In a decade that has had Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury, George Kruis and Maro Itoje (for the past four years) vying for places, there have been some very good second rows that have simply fallen short in England’s strongest position. Attwood is in that category.
An imposing presence in the tight, the Bristol Bears lock did earn 24 caps between 2010 and 2016, but he missed out on more appearances behind a supreme generation of locks.
5. Ed Slater
While some players have been unlucky that their Test career didn’t blossom in the way that many expected, there are some that have never had the chance to pull on the white jersey. Slater is one of them.
Now in his third season with Gloucester, it was his time with Leicester at the beginning of the decade where the now 31-year-old made his name, ruling the airwaves for the Tigers and winning a Premiership title in the process. While he has made England squads, he never earned a Test cap, only captaining England in 2014 against the Canterbury Crusaders.
6. Tom Croft
The former Leicester flanker made his debut at the age of 22 in 2008 but truly announced himself to the world for the Lions in 2009 against the Springboks, earning a place on the world player of the year shortlist. The decade started well for him, going to the 2011 RWC and showing perhaps his best form in the 2012 Six Nations, including a sensational try at the Stade de France.
However, he would miss almost a year of international rugby due to injury, returning for two matches in the Six Nations. Although he was included for the 2013 Lions tour, he would only play two more games for England, both in the 2015 Six Nations. He retired from professional rugby two years ago and, on reflection, very few careers have been ravaged by injury in such a way.
7. Steffon Armitage
After moving to Toulon in 2011 from London Irish, Armitage was part of a well-documented standoff with the Rugby Football Union. The flanker tore up trees for four years in the south of France, winning three European Cups and being named the 2014 European player of the year.
However, as England would not pick foreign-based players, he remained in exile. As the 2015 RWC approached, there was much speculation that exceptions would be made, or that the loose forward would make a move back to England to facilitate his selection. Neither happened and he only ended up with five England caps.
8. Nick Easter
Banished from the England team after the 2011 RWC by new coach Lancaster, it looked to be the end of Easter’s career. But the No8 was instrumental in a Harlequins team that experienced a lot of success after 2011 and he was eventually recalled to the England team for 2015 Six Nations.
However, he again missed out on the RWC but he replaced Billy Vunipola midway through and scored a hat-trick in his final appearance against Uruguay at the age of 37.
Honourable mentions: Thomas Waldrom, Jackson Wray
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments