END OF WORLD FOR ROBSHAW?
Ex-skipper won’t make Eddie’s squad for Dublin
CHRIS ROBSHAW’S World Cup prospects will suffer a fresh setback today when he is expected to be left out of England’s Six Nations squad.
The 32- year- old Harlequins flanker and former national captain has been out since having knee surgery in October.
He had hoped to be back by mid-December, but as revealed by Sportsmail, Robshaw’s recovery stalled and he pushed back his comeback date.
There is a possibility the veteran will be cleareded for a return away to Agengen in the Europeann Challenge Cupp tomorrow.
In his absence, Wa s p s ’ Kiwi recruit Brad Shields rapidly established himself as England’s first- choice blindside flanker duringg the autumn. He noww has a prime opportunityy to reinforce rein his grip on that place, despite the emergence of Newcastle’s Mark Wilson.
It is thought that Eddie Jones will unveil a squad solely for the opening game against Ireland in Dublin on February 2.
However, as the home game against France follows only eight days later, the squad will effectively prepare for that first block of two matches.
Dylan Hartley will be included even though the Northampton hooker is likely to miss the Saints’ low-key Challenge Cup encounter with Timisoara Saracens tomorrow as he attempts to recover from a ‘grumbly knee’.
Hartley is expected to be fit for the trip to Dublin, so the cocaptaincy arrangement with Owen Farrell will carry on.
Jones is set to recall Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson, who was on course for a Test debut in the autumn until being ruled out wwith an ankle injury. SouSources were indicating inindicating last night that QQuins scrum- half DDanny Care is likely to miss out but that his club-mate, full- back Mike Brown, should be iincluded. England will face a popowerful line- up in DubDublin. Joe Schmidt has bebeen able to include Iain Henderson after the Ulster lock’s rapid recovery from a thumb injury, along with veteran Leinster and Lions flanker Sean O’Brien, who broke an arm in the victory over Argentina in November.
Another of the Leinster contingent, centre Robbie Henshaw, has shaken off a hamstring strain but the Dublin-based province’s openside sensation, Dan Leavy, is unavailable due to injury and Leinster fly-half Ross Byrne has been omitted. Schmidt has called up three uncapped Connacht players — scrum- half Caolin Blade, fly-half Jack Carty and centre Tom Farrell.
Schmidt said: ‘There have been a number of tight calls across almost every position.’
Ireland’s management are optimistic that World Player of the Year Johnny Sexton will have overcome a slight knee injury in time to face England.
Leicester rookie Jake Kerr is one of three uncapped hookers called up by Gregor Townsend ahead of Scotland’s opener against Italy at Murrayfield on February 2. The 22-year-old has been included along with Dave Cherry of Edinburgh and Glasgow’s Grant Stewart, in the absence of the injured Fraser Brown and George Turner.
Newcastle flanker Gary Graham, who trained with England before switching allegiance to the land of his birth, has been selected. Another Falcons flanker, New Zealand-born John Hardie, is back in the squad after being banned for three months and released by Edinburgh following a charge of gross misconduct for alleged cocaine use.