Eddie’s got balance right but Daly still looks shaky
Ilike the 31-man England World Cup squad that Eddie Jones has picked. I like the balance, and I like the way that players have played, or trained, their way into the squad this season.
Lewis Ludlam is a prime example. remember watching him in the Premiership semi-final for Northampton at Exeter, and while I saw that he was very busy at the breakdown, and in tackling and carrying, my main impression was of him trying to bash his way through – and not being all that successful.
He could have been a bit smarter, so I was not sure how he would do when he came into the side to make his debut last week against Wales. This time Ludlam brought an urgency which was infectious, and his England team-mates seemed to feed off his energy.
If that’s the worst game that the Northampton flanker plays from here on then who knows how far he could go. The way he dropped out of sight after playing in a Junior World Championship final for England U20 and has fought his way back to rejoin former team-mates like Ellis Genge and Charlie Ewels in the senior side is a great story, and I hope he continues to grow.
Ruaridh McConnochie’s inclusion was less of a shock to me, because he has impressed for Bath every time he’s gone out there for them this season. His worst game has been a 7.5 out of 10, and that sort of consistency means that you cannot go unnoticed by international coaches.
McConnochie is another good story, because if Anthony Watson and Semesa Rokoduguni had been fit for Bath he would not have got much game-time this season. He is a smart rugby player rather than a flash one, and he reminds me a bit of Ben Smith, because, like the All Black wing/full-back he has a high skill set, a low error count, and he always seems to have time on the ball.
Piers Francis is another picked by Jones who has come from the leftfield. The Northampton utility back does not have many caps, but is included in the midfield ahead of Ben Te’o. I’m not all that hung up on how many caps people have because you know if you’re good enough to play international rugby as soon as you get the experience for the first time. After that, the only difference between getting one cap and 60 caps is experience.
I don’t remember reading much about Francis, but he put in a couple of good defensive hits in the warmup opener against Wales, and I understand his value in terms of versatility, as well as the natural leadership involved in calling midfield moves and seeing space.
I’m looking forward to when he really catches my eye, because readers of this column will know that I like it when England have directness in midfield. I believe the England forwards thrive on having a target in front of them, and that is what they get with Manu Tuilagi and Te’o – who I would have taken, because I would see the England pack playing off him as a good option. It is less evident when either Owen Farrell or Francis are at 12.
There’s been a lot of talk about those, like Te’o, who have been left out. But the reality is that they have not been good enough to get ahead of those mentioned here. When it comes to World Cup selection you have to leave the coach in no doubt, and that usually comes down to the season you have had.
Jones has talked about the importance of having kickers in the backline, and although Henry Slade is a 13 who can kick the ball, I don’t think we are at the stage where it is paramount. I believe he’s in the side more for his reading of the game and defence than his tactical kicking.
With Slade currently on the sidelines, Jonathan Joseph is back at outside-centre, and although he’s not a renowned kicker he can do it if he needs to – and Elliot Daly can also come into the line from full-back if that option is required.
As for the forwards, I think the aggression of Mako Vunipola and Kyle Sinckler, along with the ability of Jamie George makes for a commanding, threatening front row. Dan Cole has also done well to be selected again, and it will have helped that he did well in the opening game against Wales, although reserve hooker Jack Singleton is another who is a bit of an unknown.
Of the starters over the course of last season season I guess Ben Moon could consider himself a bit unlucky at loose-head, given that Joe Marler had retired, and then came back. He must be building an extension! At blindside Brad Shields can also count himself unlucky to get an injury at exactly the wrong time, putting him out of contention and giving Ludlam his chance.
There’s no mystery about the class of England’s second row options, and I’m glad that the four locks from the last three and a half years have been picked. Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury are all very good players, and there is also the option of moving Lawes or Itoje to 6.
While I also like the back row, I don’t want to see Tom Curry bashing into people. He should be used as an openside link-man who runs into space, and passes it on. That’s why I’m quite astounded that Nathan Hughes’ ability as a power carrier did not push him into the back row. It was probably because he was at his best a couple of seasons ago, and I guess he paid the price because we have not seen him at the same level since.
The decision to take only two scrum-halves is a gamble, and I’d be very surprised if another scrum-half is not called out to Japan during the World Cup, because the amount of running these guys do is massive.
I’m sure it’s not been done on a whim, and that there’s science behind it, but I don’t take the suggestion that George Ford can cover at scrum-half seriously. You couldn’t see him starting at 9 – and if he did, that’s not so much a contingency as a potential disaster!
My only reservation in the back three is that Daly still looks a bit messy and bitty at full-back, and is not commanding in the air all the time. He is a work in progress, who doesn’t always get his timing quite right – and he was too easily beaten by Gareth Davies for his try at Twickenham.
However, I’d be very surprised if Daly is left out of the starting line-up because he is a match-winner, can kick a ball half the length of the pitch, and what he is capable of at his best far outweighs the areas where he has to improve.
With big Joe Cokanasiga, the more game time he gets the better. He is big enough and strong enough to either blast through, or to wait for support, but already, even though he’s still learning his trade, he looks international quality. There were also good signs from Anthony Watson, who was busy, energetic, and not often sloppy.
On balance, Eddie Jones has got a lot right with this squad – so let’s hope the feelgood factor grows.