Rise of Sam Simmonds shows why tier two is so important
THE vapour trail left by Sam Simmonds on his Six Nations debut in Rome was a sign that neither England’s World Cup rivals, nor the RFU, can afford to ignore. Where England’s opponents have to find ways of stopping a player who could become the Red Rose answer to the best No.7s that New Zealand and Australia can produce, the RFU have to ensure that young players of Simmonds calibre – for whom the Championship has kept their dreams of top tier rugby alive – do not get stranded by Premiership-ring fencing.
Simmons has the same fast-twitch dynamism that makes Michael Hooper such a telling force at openside for Australia, and the similarities do not end there.
They both have pace and power to burn, and compact physiques which at 6ft, with Simmonds just over 16 stone and Hooper just under, is classic openside DNA. They are both fast enough to play at centre and it is why the Exeter back rower does a lot of his training with the England backs.
The 78-cap Hooper is more of a breakdown limpet than Simmonds, but both have the soft hands and footballing instincts that separate the best linking 7s from the 6.5 utilities favoured over the last decade by most Premiership coaches.
Simmonds may have been playing No.8 in Rome in the absence of Billy Vunipola and Nathan Hughes, but his natural home is – without a doubt – openside. It’s early days, but there are clear signs that he is chiselled from the same block as Hooper when it comes to linking and support/strike running.
What illustrated this against Italy was not only the two fizzing tries the Exeter man marked his first England start with, but also the way he set up his club-mate Jack Nowell’s touchdown three minutes from time.
When Simmonds caught George Ford’s long pass five metres from touch he stayed straight to square-up Italian defender Jayden Hayward before delivering a deft no-look short pass to Nowell on the outside. By not sliding across he gave Nowell the crucial time and space to get over in the corner.
Simmonds arrival posted notice that England may be within sight of the back row ‘magic matrix’ that has eluded them since the 2003 world champion trio of Richard Hill, Neil Back and Lawrence Dallaglio hung up their boots.
Since then England’s missing link has always been openside, the preserve of the ball-winning, ball-playing marauders without which no great side is complete. Readers of this column will know that I have forever been at loggerheads with coaches who have dispensed with 7 as one of the great specialist roles in favour of blinkered muscle-bound bangers.
That’s why the magic matrix includes an athletic blindside who is a line-out target and a big physical force in attack and defence, a powerhouse No.8 with great hands and a sharp tactical head, and a quicksilver openside who is both a dynamic linkrunner in the loose and a hunter-destroyer in the tackle.
A back row of Courtney Lawes (6), Billy Vunipola (8) and Simmonds (7) fits the description perfectly.
There are multiple other permutations for Eddie Jones to consider – with Lawes, Chris Robshaw, Don Armand, or Michael Rhodes (who is England-qualified this summer) at blindside, and Billy Vunipola, Hughes or Jack Clifford at No.8. However, the only component that gives England genuine back row balance is fielding a true openside like Simmonds.
As for the RFU, the Simmonds story should help to stiffen their sinews against those attempting to end promotion-relegation. Before Jones pulled a masterstroke by bringing Simmonds into the England squad for the Autumn Internationals he had played just 12 Premiership games for the Chiefs in five seasons.
In the interim the 23-year-old had been playing in the Championship, enjoying spells with Plymouth Albion and Cornish Pirates – for whom he was available on a £300 match fee at the start of this season.
The Torquay-born breakaway was also surplus to requirements at England U20 level, coming through the Championship, and the Singha Sevens, to press his case.
Without those opportunities Simmonds, and other talented young players like him, would in all likelihood be lost not just to England but probably to the game – especially as the next stop for the Exeter flanker was working with his dad on the family fishing boat.
No-one illustrates the importance of having a vibrant, properly-funded second tier like the Championship better than a Test bolter like Sam Simmonds.
“Simmonds’ story should stiffen RFU sinews against those attempting to end promotionrelegation”