George Furbank eyes England debut after Anthony Watson injury blow
England have been handed a major blow before the start of their Six Nations campaign after Anthony Watson was ruled out of Sunday’s match against France, with Eddie Jones leaning towards handing a debut to George Furbank in his place.
Watson was a late withdrawal on Thursday, leaving Jones with a selection headache before he names his team on Friday but the latest indications are that Furbank is set for a debut at full-back.
Watson was one of England’s standout performers at the World Cup and Jones was hopeful he would be fit to start in Paris despite the calf injury picked up while on Champions Cup duty for Bath this month. It is understood that as late as Wednesday Watson was pencilled into England’s starting lineup before it was ultimately decided he would not be risked.
Jones could opt to keep Elliot Daly at full-back and select Ollie Thorley on the wing but it is believed he has been impressed by Furbank, who won his first call-up earlier this month, and looks poised to give the 23-year-old his chance.
Selecting the uncapped Furbank would be a risk given France have named a side with one of the most explosive backlines in recent memory but he has enjoyed a fine season with Northampton so far. Ollie Devoto has also been retained in the 25-man squad but is more likely to be a bench option if he survives Friday’s cut when Jones will release one forward and one back.
It is believed Watson will be fit to face Scotland on Saturday week and the Rugby Football Union was at pains to highlight the fact that he picked up the injury before joining England. The RFU has repeatedly clashed with Bath over injured players in the past.
In better news for the head coach, Luke Cowan-Dickie will rejoin the squad and take his place in the matchday 23. The in-form Exeter hooker flew home from England’s training camp in Portugal on Wednesday for family reasons. The Bath tighthead Will Stuart is also set for his England debut, having been preferred to Harry Williams to provide tighthead prop cover to Kyle Sinckler.
Mako Vunipola has travelled to Paris despite sitting out the training session on Wednesday because of an eye problem.
Joe Marler and Ellis Genge have both also been retained with the latter expected to be cut on Friday assuming Vunipola is passed fit. In the second row Maro Itoje and George Kruis look set to start, with Courtney Lawes expected to join Sam Underhill and Tom Curry in the back row. Lewis Ludlam is the other back-row retained.
In the backs, Ben Youngs is favourite to continue in the No 9 jersey with George Ford, Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi in midfield and Jonny May on the wing. Jonathan Joseph has also been retained and is likely to feature on the bench, though he is a possible option on the wing if Jones decides neither Thorley nor Furbank are ready to start.
Meanwhile the France team manager, Raphael Ibanez, has hit back at Jones’s claim that England will unleash a “brutal physicality” against their youthful opponents. “The concept of physical violence is interesting but it’s easier to talk about it when you know you’ll be in the stands,” said Ibanez.
The new France head coach, Fabien Galthié, has named an eye-catching side featuring two debutants – the tighthead Mohamed Haouas and the full-back Anthony Bouthier – with the 20-year-old Romain Ntamack at fly-half. England’s 25-man squad
Forwards L Cowan-Dickie, T Curry, C Ewels, E Genge, J George, M Itoje, G Kruis, C Lawes, L Ludlam, J Marler, K Sinckler, W Stuart, S Underhill, M Vunipola.
Backs E Daly, O Devoto, O Farrell, G Ford, G Furbank, W Heinz, J Joseph, J May, O Thorley, M Tuilagi, B Youngs.