Jack’s the lad again
JACK NOWELL is in line for a return to England’s starting XV against Ireland – and that could spell bad news for Jonny May.
Gloucester wing May wasted a gilt- edged chance against Italy on Saturday, a howler Stuart Lancaster highlighted in his review with the team yesterday.
“I made a point about it, saying we have to take those opportunities,” the England coach said.
Nowell is one of 17 players Lancaster has retained in the England camp and the Exeter wing, who won the Under- 20 World Cup alongside Anthony Watson in 2013, could now renew his partnership with the Bath man against the Irish in Dublin on Sunday week.
Nowell won fi ve caps in last year’s Six Nations before missing the summer tour to New Zealand with shoulder and knee trouble.
“Jack had his best game of the season for Exeter at the weekend,” said Lancaster. “He has the tendinitis in his knee sorted and that has helped his power and pace. He has got more now than he had last year.
“He is just a very good footballer. He is very good under the high ball, fi nds his way to get in the game and beats players one- on- one.
“In the Ireland game last year, the kicking game of Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton was excellent and Jack dealt very well with the things thrown at him. He has just got a very good temperament.”
But full- back Mike Brown faces a race to be fi t following the crunching knock that led to him being carried off at Twickenham.
Brown had not even started the return- to- play concussion protocols yesterday after suffering a head injury 13 minutes into the 47- 17 win over the Italians.
Once he has been symptomfree for 24 hours, Brown can start the schedule of recovery that will take six days before he is able to train fully.
Lancaster said: “We will have to see how he comes through the protocols. You have to do what is right for the player fi rst. We’ll be guided by the medics’ advice and opinion.”
If Brown does not make it, Alex Goode is the most likely replacement, with Lancaster hinting he is next cab off the rank after impressing in Saracens’ 34- 24 win over Bath on Sunday.
Lancaster has retained the starting XV from the Italy game as well as centre Billy Twelvetrees and Nowell, letting the rest of his bench return to Premiership action. Northampton’s Tom Wood and Courtney Lawes, and Leicester lock Geoff Parling are still not in full training and are unlikely to feature for their clubs.
They could, however, be in contention for Dublin if they train next week.
Ireland hooker Damien Varley has confi rmed he will retire because of a foot injury that has plagued him for two years.