Tigers prop Genge in contention for a place in England’s scrum against Wales
TIGERS STAR COULD FILL ONE OF THE LOOSEHEAD SLOTS
LEICESTER TIGERS prop Ellis Genge is in contention for a starting place in the England team to take on Wales on Saturday, writes Duncan Bech of PA Sport.
Head coach Eddie Jones will choose between Genge, Mako Vunipola and Joe Marler for the two loosehead slots when he names his team today.
Tigers duo Ben Youngs and George Ford could also be included in the team for the Autumn Nations Cup clash in Llanelli.
Marler is in contention to make his Test comeback against Wales in what would be his first England appearance since grabbing Alun Wyn Jones’ testicles.
Marler has yet to play this autumn because of a troublesome knee injury but the colourful Harlequins prop was retained in a 25-man training squad for the Parc y Scarlets showdown.
Eight months ago, the 30-year-old caused outrage when he groped Jones’ groin in a 33-30 victory at Twickenham, resulting in a 10-week ban.
The timing of the coronavirus pandemic meant he did not miss a single game and now his first opportunity to reclaim the England number one jersey is against Wales in the final match of the Autumn Nations Cup group phase.
But England defence coach John Mitchell insists the fixture’s past history will be ignored when it comes to picking the team.
“I wouldn’t say it influences selection,” he said. “But the great thing about this game is you always have memories!”
One player who will definitely be missing against Wales is Ollie Lawrence after the powerful Worcester centre was ruled out by a hip injury.
The 21-year completed his debut in the Six Nations title-clinching win against Italy at the start of the autumn and then started against Georgia and Ireland, showing evidence of his ball-carrying prowess against the latter.
In the injury-enforced absence of ex-Tigers centre Manu Tuilagi, England have been looking to Lawrence to make hard yards in midfield where he has shown raw potential.
“Ollie has a little niggle around his abductor and hip area, nothing major but it is a niggle that is concerning him,” Mitchell said.
“Ollie has huge potential as a centre. He is very talented in terms of running onto the ball and he has got exceptional ability to line-break.
“What he’s learning are the nuances which are required at this level, which is things like your effort and ability to stay alive in all situations and your effort off the ball, post- defensively.
“Like anything, you don’t expect a young international to pick up all of that immediately. It is more about getting competence and learning in along the way through th experiences.”
Among the 10 backs remaining in camp ca is Anthony Watson, who has recovered re from an ankle injury sustained ta in the rearranged match against ag Italy.
Watson could be immediately re restored to the right wing, th thereby ending the experiment o of playing Jonathan Joseph out w wide, while George Ford is li likely to profit from Lawre rence’s injury by being reinst stated at fly-half with Owen F Farrell and Henry Slade formin ing the centres.