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'We're trying to work out whether we have got Ben Curry or Tom Curry here'
Eddie Jones is revelling in the novelty of having a revamped England squad – including rookie Ben Curry, the identical twin of Lions pick Tom – at his disposal for the three-game summer series which gets started with this Sunday’s A team game versus Scotland in Leicester. Twenty-one uncapped players were named in the initial training squad of 34 and there are now 23 uncapped players in the squad after the numbers were increased to 36 at the start of this week.
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Of the capped players just four are in double figures, forwards Ellis Genge, Charlie Ewels and Sam Underhill along with scrum-half Dan Robson, so Jones and his fellow coaches have their hands full coaching a collection of players they are greatly unfamiliar with at international level.
Jones tried to see the lighthearted side of this situation on Thursday when quizzed by RugbyPass about the influx of so many newcomers for a series that will continue with July Test games at Twickenham versus the USA and Canada once the A team warm-up is out of the way after this weekend.
“There are so many new faces, when they have their masks on I have been scratching to work out who’s who. We’re trying to work out whether we have got Ben Curry or Tom Curry here,” quipped Jones about the lack of familiar faces in the England set-up.
“I used to play with the Ella brothers and they had little tricks. I remember when Mark was captain of the Wallabies he sent Glen up to a press conference and no one knew who it was. I don’t know whether I have got Ben or Tom Curry here, so we are trying to work that one out.
Another England rookie bites the dust https://t.co/tG1tYItH0W
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 24, 2021
“But no, there is a lot of guys here who have got an opportunity in front of them. The enthusiasm from the squad is first class. There is a run of three games here, which starts with Scotland A on the weekend, where they can really put themselves forward as genuine Test players for the World Cup in 2023. We are at a period now where we are two years away from the World Cup so the squad starts to take a bit of mould and we need fresh blood and need fresh energy. These guys have got one foot in the door and they have got to make sure they keep the door open.”
It was earlier this month when Jones defended his consultancy coaching at club level in Japan in the wake of the desultory fifth-place Guinness Six Nations finish by England. He insisted at the time that he needed to practise coaching elsewhere as his England job covered just a dozen hands-on weeks in a year. How then does he feel about suddenly having his work cut out with so many English rookies looking to him for instruction and guidance?
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“Yeah, it always is (refreshing) when you work with fresh talent. You want to see where you can take them. The less they have played at this level the more they tend to listen because experienced players tend to know what they need to do and your coaching is less when you have got experienced players.
“But these guys, we have got to guide and direct a bit more so the hands-on coaching has been more evident than it would be with a more experienced squad so we have enjoyed that. We like the look of where they are going. They train with enormous energy. We just need to execute a bit better, which we will get in the next few days, and we are looking forward to a strong performance on Sunday.”
A team games are a rarity in the modern era. It was 2016 when the Saxons, the old name given to the England understudy team, last played a match. However, as enthusiastic as Jones sounded about this Sunday’s clash with Scotland A, he doesn’t envisage this level of the international game enjoying a revival any time soon.
“What we have got to find is a few more weeks in the year,” he jibed. “These start-up companies can invent anything these days, so why can’t they invent a year with 58 weeks? If we have 58 weeks we could have six A games. Wouldn’t that be great? If you have got someone who has got some money who can do a bit of creative work on the calendar we can create a few more weeks.”
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The making of Maro Itoje ?
Jim Hamilton was lucky enough to spend some time with Vitality ambassador and former teammate @maroitoje before he heads to South Africa ? @Vitality_UK
EP 1 – https://t.co/CIOmpi9Q2K pic.twitter.com/tSUOl348QX— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 24, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe 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?
13 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?
44 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 comments