England ready to plot way forward ahead of historic Ireland test
ENGLAND will today wrestle with the quandary of how many World Cup heroes they can afford to rest before they name a scratch squad for their inaugural Test against Ireland. The selectors will meet in Canterbury today as attention quickly switches from the sensational culmination of the white-ball season to the redball challenges that begin with an Ashes training camp this weekend and then the historic date with Ireland. It looks certain that three members of what could be England’s first-choice Ashes attack will all be missing, with Mark Wood’s injury likely to rule him out of at least the first Test against Australia as well as next week’s fourday Test against Ireland at Lord’s. Jofra Archer (pictured) will head to Barbados for a week of rest and recuperation after the World Cup and may also not be seen again until the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.
And even though Jimmy Anderson is making good progress after his calf injury, it seems unlikely England will risk him against Ireland and instead will keep him with them at Lord’s to carry on working on his fitness.
That means Stuart Broad, who suddenly faces a big threat to his Test place because of the emergence of Archer and the consistent pace of Wood, will get a chance against Ireland to prove he still has another big Ashes series in him. Sam Curran, who made such a big impression last summer before struggling in overseas conditions, looks certain to join him after returning to form and fitness with England Lions against an Australia XI this week.
BILLY VUNIPOLA has refused to back down after speaking out in support of disgraced Australia rugby star Israel Folau, who was sacked by his union for a series of homophobic outbursts. Despite being warned by Saracens and the RFU, the England No 8 said at a pre-World Cup training camp in Bristol: ‘I have made my position clear and I don’t want to become a distraction to the players around me.’ Vunipola confirmed his Instagram post has not been deleted, adding: ‘I think social media is a positive tool.’
GERAINT THOMAS is expecting to come under intense pressure to perform in the Pyrenees later this week when he and his Ineos teammates battle to wrestle the yellow jersey ofTour de France leadership from current race leader, Julian Alaphilippe. Thomas, now in second place overall, with Colombian teammate Egan Bernal only four seconds behind him, is ideally poised to take control of the race from Alaphilippe over the next few days, potentially on tomorrow’s first mountain stage or on Friday’s individual time trial in Pau. ‘Iwouldn’t say we were happy [with Alaphilippe leading the Tour] but we didn’t mind him gaining a few seconds here and there in that first week because he’s never really ridden for the overall standings over three weeks before,’ said Thomas.