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'There was no hesitation about the fact that he wanted to play for England'
Eddie Jones has expressed his delight that Wales-qualified Harry Randall has instead declared for England, the Bristol scrum-half becoming one of three uncapped Test players included on Friday in the 28-strong squad that will assemble next Wednesday ahead of the February 6 championship opener at home to Scotland.
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The flow of uncapped players who have dual allegiance has gone against England in recent times. Callum Sheedy and Jonny Williams, who had played for England against the Barbarians in 2019, were capped by Wales in 2020, as was England age-grade pick Nick Tompkins.
It also emerged on Wednesday that Cameron Redpath, an England age-grade player who trained with Jones’ senior squad during last spring’s 2020 Six Nations, had declared for Scotland.
However, the selection of Wales-qualified Randall, 23, along with Italian-qualified Paolo Odogwu, also 23, in the England squad for the upcoming Six Nations gave Jones plenty reason to smile at his post-squad announcement media briefing.
Speaking over Zoom while in self-isolation following the recent positive test for Covid of forwards coach Matt Proudfoot, Jones said about Randall: “Look, he wants to play for England. We want guys who want to play for England.
EXCLUSIVE: The Welsh system told Harry Randall he was too small and his pass too slow, so his Llandovery College coach, Iestyn Thomas, went about proving them wrong in an ingenious manner.
– writes @chrisjonespress ???https://t.co/SlIb9Lnq2D
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 22, 2021
“There are a lot of players out there that have options to play for a number of countries. We want players that want to play for England. There was no hesitation about the fact that he wanted to play for England. He is a good young player. He will put pressure on Ben Youngs and Dan Robson, which is a good thing. But it is not so much the youth that is a factor, it’s the quality of his play that is the key thing for us.
“We have been watching Harry for a long time now, at least two seasons. He continues to develop his game, and his running and initiative in attack is the thing that has really caught the eye. I’m really pleased with his development.”
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Switching to Odogwu, who came to prominence in recent months as both a midfielder and winger at Wasps, Jones added: “Paolo is a guy we saw at the end of last season, he has got power, has got a bit of an X-factor and we are looking for another centre that has got that, another winger that has that. He has been consistently dynamic in that and able to break lines.
“His ball-carrying ability, he has got the ability to beat people. He has got a good sense for the line and just an enthusiastic player, a very enthusiastic player.”
Jones chose 33 players when he picked his squad for their last outing, the Nations Cup final win over France in December. That number has now been cut by five. In going from 15 down to 12 backs, Odogwu and Randell came in for Joe Cokanasiga, Joe Marchant, Alex Mitchell, Ollie Thorley and Jacob Umaga.
Also, in going from 18 to 16 forwards, Courtney Lawes, the uncapped Beno Obano and Mark Wilson were included instead of Alfie Barbeary, Charlie Ewels, Kyle Sinckler, Mako Vunipola and Jack Willis.
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The injured Vunipola will join with the squad to undertake rehab during the tournament, while the likes of Marchant, Mitchell, Umaga, Ewels and Willis are part of a twelve-strong shadow squad who will undertake the same testing procedures that are being used by England so that they can immediately come into camp if needed.
“The reason we have named the shadow squad is they will be under the same testing procedure as our 28 players and if we do have a difficulty with the squad we will be able to bring in players from the shadow squad because they will be on the same testing regime as our squad. “It is an easy fit for us, but otherwise they are with their clubs and they will continue to play and train with their clubs.”
Regarding Sinckler, his usual first-choice tighthead who has been excluded due to round one suspension, Jones said: “We’ll judge his selection when he becomes available. That is the judgement we will make when he becomes available.”
It's been quite the cull. https://t.co/OflR88N0MT
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 22, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe 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.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 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 comments