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Uncapped Barbeary chosen in 33-strong England squad but Joseph will miss Nations Cup final versus France

By Liam Heagney
Could a fit-again Alfie Barbeary be a bolter for a Lions jersey? (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

England boss Eddie Jones has assembled a 33-strong squad for the early-week preparation ahead of Sunday’s Autumn Nations Cup decider against France, a gathering that includes a first call-up for uncapped Wasps flanker Alfie Barbeary but Jonathan Joseph, a starter in all four recent games, misses out.  

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Joseph, who was chosen at outside centre for the Six Nations title-clinching win last month over Italy, had been picked at right wing for the November Nations Cup victories against Georgia, Ireland and Wales. 

While Jones claimed post-game on Saturday in Llanelli that there were no major injury worries coming out of the win over the Welsh, Joseph has now withdrawn from the squad to face the French at Twickenham with a calf injury. 

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Dylan Hartley and Ryan Wilson talk Autumn Nations Cup

Video Spacer

Dylan Hartley and Ryan Wilson talk Autumn Nations Cup

Jones initially assembled a squad of 35 at the start of last week to prepare for Wales but that has now been cut to 33 for France. With Joseph steeping out of the backs, fit-again Joe Marchant and Jacob Umaga are included in the 15 chosen.

Eighteen forwards – down from 21 last week – have been selected. Tom Dunn, Lewis Ludlam, Beno Obano and David Ribbans are all excluded while Barbeary, the 20-year-old Wasps hooker, makes the step-up.

The youngster excitingly turned heads in early September when he scored a Premiership try hat-trick in his first start for Wasps versus Leicester, a selection in his alternative position at flanker. 

ENGLAND SQUAD (v France, Sunday)  
Backs (15) 
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 9 caps)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 46 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 87 caps)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 71 caps)
Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors, 3 caps)
Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 2 caps)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 4 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 60 caps)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Dan Robson (Wasps, 6 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 33 caps)
Ollie Thorley (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap)
Jacob Umaga (Wasps, uncapped)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 45 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 103 caps)

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Forwards (18)
Alfie Barbeary (Wasps, uncapped)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 25 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 27 caps)
Ben Earl (Bristol Bears, 7 caps)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 17 caps)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 22 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 53 caps)
Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 3 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 42 caps)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 68 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 71 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 39 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 21 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 55 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 63 caps)
Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs, 18 caps)
Jack Willis (Wasps, 2 caps)

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J
Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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