'You destroy young people when you give them false hope'
Soon-to-depart Northampton boss Chris Boyd has taken a potshot at Eddie Jones’ penchant for calling up-and-coming prospects into the England set-up and then not capping them. Saints winger Tommy Freeman is the latest Franklin’s Gardens player to be courted by the Test coach, featuring in multiple training squads across the international season without making a debut.
It’s a pattern that Boyd knows well as numerous other Northampton players have been on the England fringes only to fall back into the shadows and be left waiting to get another call. Lewis Ludlam, George Furbank, Alex Mitchell and Piers Francis have all had fleeting caps under Jones without becoming regular picks, Paul Hill was waiting four years in between games until last summer, while Ollie Sleightholme, Fraser Dingwall and Dave Ribbans have all made training squads without getting capped.
It was something Boyd spoke about at the start of the 2021/22 Gallager Premiership season, telling RugbyPass at the time: “The trick now is we have had a number of guys out of our academy that have all had little snippets of opportunities to go into the England environment but in the back-end, none of those has really gone on to consolidate themselves.
“There is a group of youngsters here and it is probably time they started putting in some really consistent performances to see if they can really go to the next level.”
That next level came up for discussion this week when the UK Telegraph secured a round table interview at the PRL awards night with the four Premiership semi-final bosses – Northampton’s Boyd, Saracens’ McCall, Harlequins’ Tabai Matson and Leicester’s Steve Borthwick – and among the many questions posed was the invite for the DoRs to pick one player they would like to see play for England on next month’s tour to Australia.
Boyd replied: “I’m not sure I have got an answer for that.” When it was put to him that the 21-year-old Freeman, a rookie with 28 Premiership appearances, was perhaps someone the Saints would like to see in Test action, the DoR added: “I don’t think you want to go down my theory on that, but I would not pick anyone for England who has not played at least 50 games for their club. I think you destroy young people when you give them false hope.”
Have you seen evidence of that? “Plenty,” insisted Boyd. Meanwhile, Leicester boss Borthwick chose Ellis Genge. “He is our club captain and he has been a tremendous leader for us. I think he is growing into his role with England. I know he is going to play in an incredible Test series in Australia.”
Saracens boss McCall went with Mako Vunipola, the prop who hasn’t played for England since March 2021. “I’d say Mako, the same position, so hopefully he pushes Genge close. Obviously, Mako has had a year where he has not been required for international duty, which has been a hell of a test for him because he is used to being involved.
“He has been phenomenal for our club and particularly during the Six Nations period he took the captaincy of the club for ten weeks and was incredible, not just his playing ability but his influence within the group. He will be close again and I think he deserves it after the way he has played this season.”
Harlequins head coach Matson rounded off the topic. “I hope (Alex) Dombrandt gets on the tour. His journey has been really interesting and different compared to a lot of international players. He is still just finding his feet as a professional.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt 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.
26 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….
26 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….
84 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!
4 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?
45 Go to comments