Owen at 10 is key to glory at World Cup
Looking at social media, some people seem a bit underwhelmed by Eddie’s first selection of the autumn — but i like it a lot.
it includes some really encouraging trends, not least Eddie is selecting the team he wants and not being swayed by public or media pressure.
First, the unambiguous selection of owen Farrell at fly-half, which i have been advocating for a while now. Farrell has done an excellent job for England and the Lions at no 12 but he is a fly-half by instinct and that is where he plays on a weekly basis for Saracens.
That is the position where he can have the biggest influence on England and the bottom line is, if England are to win the World Cup, i believe he must start at no 10.
it’s a big call but, at the start of an incredibly demanding year, Eddie has made it and people can start learning how to work around Farrell in that position. other selections can start falling into place. While the accent on winning matches never lessens, there is a window now for the England back division to begin to configure around Farrell.
The selection of Ben Te’o at 12 is a big pointer as well. That position will now be occupied by a more direct runner than in recent seasons, presumably Te’o or Manu Tuilagi.
The knock- on effect is that the versatile Henry Slade now has to make his case at 13 where he has been going well for Exeter. Tomorrow is a huge game for everybody in the England set-up but it is, i would suggest, particularly important for Slade’s long-term future
i applaud the selection of Mark Wilson at no 8 for such a big game. it’s a bit of a cliche and indeed an insult but the truth is that clubs such as newcastle, Sale and indeed Exeter for a while seemed to miss out on England selection by either not being fashionable or not always being involved in the carve-up for silverware.
Selection is such an art and it remains the main tool of the successful coach. The ability to judge the performance of a player who is in a winning club team and plays on the front foot, against a player in the same position operating in a less dominant side when there is less opportunity to shine offensively.
knowing exactly what you are seeing and making the right call is a massive skill and although newcastle made a slow start in the Premiership, Wilson’s form was good. Then, when it finally clicked for Dean Richards’s men in Europe last month, we saw the other side to Wilson’s game.
He is part of what looks like a pretty mobile back row, which offers a clue that England want to play at pace and raise the tempo generally, something they badly need to do. i’m not talking about headlesschicken rugby but doing things quickly and efficiently, making yards quickly, getting to the breakdown ahead of your opposite number. giving kyle Sinckler a start in the front row is also a strong pointer in that respect.
Elsewhere, although i am keen to see Maro itoje at flanker again, the second-row larder is diminished a little, with both Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes now absent injured and that experiment clearly has to be put on hold.
The Boks are always formidable in the second row and England need to match fire with fire. george kruis and itoje in their own right are a very powerful unit well used to packing down together.
Chris Ashton has been made to wait a bit longer for his return to starting colours and there is logic in that decision after just one comeback game with Sale. He needs to earn his England spurs again but i have no doubt he will feature prominently before the autumn is over.
Manu could possibly have started — i would probably have gone with him — but equally everybody acknowledges that his game-time needs to be managed. He’s on the bench and he is one bench player you would always look to involve. South Africa will know he will be arriving on the scene at some stage.
SIR CLIVE WOODWARD