BEN KEEPS ON BATTLING TO BE GRANTED AN EARL-Y START
BEN EARL has been drawing on Jamie George’s experience as a regular replacement while he waits patiently to make his first England start.
Earl’s six caps have all been won off the bench, with Eddie Jones seeing his value as a versatile replacement capable of covering the back row, centre and even wing.
Flankers Tom Curry and Sam Underhill and number eight Billy Vunipola are blocking his route into the starting XV, similar to the experience of Saracens team-mate George’s whose first 19 caps were as a substitute while Jones preferred captain Dylan Hartley. He has since become a starting regular with 52 caps.
‘I’m well aware I haven’t started a Test match yet,’ said Earl, 22, who is on loan at Bristol. ‘It’s something I’ve got a burning desire to do, so fingers crossed it’s not far around the corner.
‘I have spoken to Jamie a lot. The way he sees it is that you’ve got to get excited about the job you’re doing at the moment. I know my job and Eddie makes that very clear when I’m on the bench. You’d be frustrated if people weren’t playing as well as yourself and getting a chance, but everyone’s playing fantastically.’
Earl is the poster boy for Jones’ hybrid player theory and spent time at inside centre and on the wing in training yesterday.
But he said: ‘First and foremost I’m an openside flanker and I’ve got to keep pushing my skills on that position.’
ENGLAND will finish their Autumn Nations Cup pool campaign without Ollie Lawrence after the Worcester centre was ruled out of Saturday’s trip to Wales with a hip injury.