With 3 matches down in the Premiership, Eddie Jones has named a 36-man training squad who will meet from 23rd September to 25th September ahead of their Autumn Internationals, where they will play against South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and Australia. The players announced in this squad are:
Forwards
Front Row: Jamie George, Dylan Hartley, Joe Marler, Nick Schonert, Kyle Sinckler, Mako Vunipola, Harry Williams
Back 5: Tom Curry, Nathan Hughes, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Zach Mercer, Michael Rhodes, Chris Robshaw, Brad Shields, Billy Vunipola, Mark Wilson
Backs
Scrum-halves: Danny Care, Dan Robson, Ben Youngs
Midfield: Owen Farrell, George Ford, Alex Lozowski, Henry Slade, Ben Te’o, Manu Tuilagi
Back 3: Chris Ashton, Mike Brown, Joe Cokanasiga, Elliot Daly, Nathan Earle, Jonny May, Jack Nowell
Notable Absentees
It appears that the Gloucester curse continues as once again the club have no representation in the training squad (newly-promoted Bristol are the only other team not to be supplying a player). Though I may be biased, I would argue that Ed Slater, Jason Woodward Lewis Ludlow and Henry Trinder could all feel hard done by for not being selected on their form last season and since the summer. One person who will feel absolutely gutted to miss out though is Danny Cipriani, who turned down more lucrative offers to come to Gloucester and stay eligible for England. After the incident in Jersey during preseason, Eddie Jones said that Cips would be judged on his rugby, yet despite leading Glaws to 3rd place, unbeaten in 3 games, with 2 Man of the Match awards, he has missed out yet again. Jones has said that it was 100% a rugby decision but I call bollocks on that as this means he has suddenly decided that Owen Farrell is a 10 again, despite having barely any options in the centre, while it was Cipriani who was at 10 when England finally remembered how to win in South Africa. Not just that, but if these selections were based purely on the rugby they’re playing, how are Ben Te’o and Chris Ashton (who have not appeared in a squad this season through injury and suspension respectively) involved? Jones is playing a very dangerous game by continuing to rely on George Ford – who has still not fully won me over – and Farrell, if one of them were to get injured on the eve of the World Cup, how much will he regret not getting Cipriani in in the squad more often? With the mixed response to John Mitchell being brought in as defence coach, leaving out Cipriani will not help get the fans enthused about the team after a disastrous 2017/18 season.
It’s not just Gloucester players that I feel have been hard done by though, as 2 of the best players in the Premiership last season (Sam Simmonds and Don Armand) have been left out. Armand especially seems to be one of those players like Cipriani or Alex Goode that could be the best in their position and still left out, while I can only imagine Eddie Jones is looking at Simmonds as a number 8, where he already has Billy Vunipola and Nathan Hughes. However Simmonds could easily feature on the flank and with Robshaw’s struggles last season, I can’t fathom how Simmonds brings less to this team the former captain or Mark Wilson. Brad Shields is selected and he’s injured at the moment, how does that make sense?! But even if Jones wants to just consider Simmonds at 8, I would have him in there. He offers something different to Hughes and Vunipola with extra pace while still being strong enough to hold his own. Vunipola has only just returned from injury while Hughes may have started the season well, but has never really lived up to his Wasps form when he pulls on the red rose. Once again it feels like Eddie Jones is sticking very much to his favourites and I worry that if they get injured or a loss of form makes them unselectable, he will have to look at players with just a handful of caps.
He’s Back!
Given his injury history, I don’t want to get carried away, but it is so great to see Manu Tuilagi back in the squad. He has had the worst time with injuries (he hasn’t played for England since the 2016 6 Nations) but has been looking good this season for Leicester. When on form, it is hard not to consider him one of the best centres in the world and his combination of pace and power will help England get the balance that has been sorely missing in their midfield. Now we just need to cross our fingers and hope his injury worries are behind him – though I wouldn’t mind if a little niggle made him conveniently miss matches against Gloucester.
The Back 3
Looking at the options available in the back 3 if Eddie Jones were to pick on form, I think Mike Brown will struggle to make a matchday squad. Elliot Daly may not have had the best summer at 15, but he has been looking much more comfortable there recently for Wasps. Joe Cokasaniga is in top form in a struggling Bath team. Jonny May is a shoe-in for one of the wing spots after his recent England and Leicester performances. Jack Nowell is a Lion and in my opinion possibly England’s best overall winger when on form. Add to that Nathan Earle’s speed and Chris Ashton’s top-quality support lines and it’s hard to see how Mike Brown will be able to get much time on the pitch.
The scary thing is the quality of options that haven’t been picked too. Anthony Watson may be down my pecking order but he is still a British & Irish Lion, but he is currently out injured. Denny Solomona and Christian Wade will always be looking to get on the scoresheet, while Matt Banahan and Jason Woodward have started the season strongly for Gloucester. And let’s not forget Alex Goode, who has consistently been one of the best 15s in the Premiership over recent seasons but can’t get a shot under Eddie Jones! If Jones can get the right team and they can play near the best of their ability, they have the players out wide to cut teams to shreds.
Eyes on the Ball 