I’m backing Brad Jones is ready to gamble on Kiwi
Coach stands by call-up for Kiwi-born flanker Player on bench after two training sessions
Eddie Jones insisted that Brad Shields was genuine about his commitment to England after he fast-tracked the New Zealand-born forward into his squad for tomorrow’s first Test against South Africa.
Shields qualifies via English parents who emigrated to New Zealand as children. He met his new team-mates for the first time on Sunday after flying about 7,000 miles from Wellington to Durban.
With a calf injury ruling Joe Launchbury out of the Test, Shields has been named on the bench as cover for the second row, despite playing almost all his rugby for the Hurricanes at blindside flanker. He has been preferred to Exeter lock Jonny Hill.
Nick Isiekwe, 20, the Saracens forward, will make his first start as Launchbury’s replacement.
Shields’s contentious decision to pledge his international future to England, despite playing all his domestic rugby in New Zealand and playing for their under-20s in their World Championship victory over England in 2011, has been criticised by Agustin Pichot, the vicechairman of World Rugby.
Jones said he had a “great comment” as a response to Pichot’s intervention, but declined to share it. The England head coach, however, was adamant that Shields had been worthy of his selection.
“He was undoubtedly nervous about coming into the squad,” said Jones. “It is difficult when you come to a different team. Particularly when you have been playing your domestic rugby in another country. But he has fitted in extremely well and everyone knows he is genuine about wanting to play for England.
“He’s a serious, driven player. He’s obviously done his apprenticeship in New Zealand and because of his parentage is eligible to play for England, and he is determined to make a fist of playing for England.
“He understands that he gave it his all in New Zealand and they didn’t select him. You don’t want players who carry around baggage, you want players who see opportunity and want to take them.”
Shields was not even allowed to train with the squad on Monday as he had to undergo jet-lag protocol, and has had only two full training sessions to assimilate himself.
George Ford, one of six in the squad who played against Shields in the Under-20 World Championship when England lost to New Zealand in Padova in 2011, said it had been “mind-blowing” how Shields had been able to immerse himself in England’s playbook and calls.
“He turned up on Sunday and I just let him settle in, then had a good chat with him on Monday. He actually said, ‘Were you part of that 2011 team?’ I said, ‘Yeah, yeah,’ and we were just checking whether we did actually play against each other because it’s a long time ago now.
“He’s come in and, honestly, he’s been brilliant. I’ve been so impressed with the way he has just learnt everything from top to bottom. Then he’s gone out and trained at the intensity we see him playing at every week for the Hurricanes.
“It’s mind-blowing in a way that he’s been able to pick everything up that quickly. He seems to be a nononsense guy who works as hard as he can and he’s really physical, so he’ll be a great addition for us.”
Such praise brings with it expectation in equal measure and, on that front, Jones is particularly enthusiastic about the selection of Tom Curry, the 20-year-old Sale Sharks flanker, who has just one cap to his name – against Argentina last June – at openside flanker.
Injury stalled his progression since, but Jones believes he is the “real deal” as an answer to the long search for a genuine openside.
“A hundred per cent,” said Jones. “A lot of the players didn’t know him. The Lions boys haven’t had an opportunity to train or play with him. He’s been injured for most of the season so he’s a bit of an unknown, but the general comment from the senior players has been, ‘This kid could be the real thing.’”
“In the first Test [against Argentina last June], he was absolutely outstanding. It’s good for us that we’ve had guys who went to Argentina: Isiekwe, Harry Williams, Denny (Solomona), Piers Francis, Curry, and have all come through from what was basically a development tour.”
The search for more attacking options since the Six Nations also prompted Jones to make interesting selections in the back line. Henry Slade, the Exeter Chiefs centre, is preferred to Alex Lozowski at outside centre to partner captain Owen Farrell in the midfield.
The decision to retain Mike Brown on the left wing after the defeat by the Barbarians at Twickenham will allow Elliot Daly more freedom to roam at full-back.
The only other marginal call was at tighthead prop, where Kyle Sinckler was preferred to Harry Williams. The prospect of Danny
Cipriani being involved on the tour now look less likely after Francis was preferred on the bench, along with the uncapped Saracens scrum-half, Ben Spencer, and Solomona.
“He’s done well, Danny,” Jones added. “I’m quite impressed by his maturity and his desire to get better.
“There are a couple of areas of his game we’ve found since he’s been in camp that he needs to work on, we’ve spoken to him about that and he’s on the job.”