Why an ex-England 10 won't take issue with token Smith cap in Wales
Former England international Andy Goode has explained why there should be no criticism of the token cap given to Marcus Smith versus Wales last Saturday. The round three Guinness Six Nations match was already in the 80th minute when Steve Borthwick threw Smith, Henry Arundell and Jack Walker into the fray for the last play of a match where the 20-10 result had been decided.
The full-time whistle quickly blew after play restarted with a scrum as England knocked the ball on when they attempted to move it wide to the right of the set-piece and it meant that Smith and co headed back to the sidelines without having broken a sweat.
There was much debate in the aftermath as why Borthwick bothered with playing bench players for only a few seconds but ex-10 Goode was all for it as his Test career – during which at times he was a teammate of Borthwick’s – was pockmarked by internationals where he was left stewing unused on the bench and left feeling not part of the team.
“I’ve been there,” he said on the latest Rugby Pod, explaining that there was a positive to Smith getting on for only a few seconds at the Principality. “The one that always sticks with me, Andy Robinson was the head coach of England, absolute cowboy, we are playing Italy away, we are winning by 40 points and I was the only f***er on the bench that didn’t get on. Not even for a second.
“I was raging after the game. I reckon I have been there about 10 times where I was on the bench for England and not come on, so I would have had 10 more caps. The game is won, you empty the bench, you give them a cap.
“They’re not going to do anything because there is only a minute left but it just makes them feel part of it because I have been in a changing room where boys have had a win, and a comfortable win, and you have not got on and your kit is clean… He [Borthwick] wanted them to get on the field just to experience something. I don’t have a problem with it.”
Goode didn’t have a problem either that Borthwick kept his faith in skipper Owen Farrell despite his poor kicking off the tee keeping Wales in the contest on the scoreboard until the clinching 75h minute Ollie Lawrence try.
“People are moaning that Marcus Smith should have come on, all this stuff. The way the game was, it would have taken a ballsy call to take Owen Farrell off and bring Marcus Smith on to completely change the game. Yes, that is what England fans potentially wanted to see but I thought during the game Owen Farrell played pretty well.
“His goal kicking, listen he is a world-class goalkicker, you can’t question his ability over his career as a goal kicker. He was 33 per cent at the weekend. I think he is 56 per cent over the Six Nations, which isn’t great, so you then have to question does he deserve his place in the team if he is the sole goal kicker.
“If there was someone else in that backline that could kick goals you would have expected that to swap over during the game but Borthwick has backed himself into a corner by making Farrell captain because it makes him undroppable.
“Normally, kicking is a strength of his game and the attacking side of it is perhaps not a strength but I thought at the weekend it was the other way around – his goal kicking was poor but the way he managed the game and the way he controlled field position and setting up how England played against a poor Wales team, he played pretty well.”
While Farrell is now with England at their fallow week training camp in Brighton, Smith has been released to Harlequins in order to get some Gallagher Premiership game time this Saturday. That decision has resulted in George Ford getting called up to be the other out-half in this week’s training squad.
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to comments