My England Captain 2016

There has been lots of pundits saying who should or shouldn’t be England Captain so I thought I’d give you my answer. Eddie Jones has said that the most important thing to be chosen is that you must be a guaranteed starter and play every game, injuries permitting.

So I think it is incredibly simple, Chris Robshaw should stay as captain. Let me explain why by discussing two things, “Why Chris Robshaw” and “if not Robshaw  who else”. Let’s start with the second of those first. So who are the other contenders?

Mike Brown

Going on the guaranteed starter base’s I think that there is only one guaranteed starter for England at the minute, Mike Brown, and some pundits are even questioning him to start. In my book because Mike Brown is the only guaranteed starter that would mean Eddie Jones he should be Captain. But let me ask you a question. “Would you have Mike Brown as your England Captain?” I didn’t think so and me neither. He may be a leader by example and a inspiration to watch play but their is a reason he is known as “Mr Angry” on the pitch which means he is not right for the armband. Yes maybe he would chill out on the pitch if he was given the armband, but do you really want him to do that, I want and like that angry side of him, it’s what I think gives him the edge. Brown will always be my Full back for club and country but sorry Mike I don’t want you to lose that angry side so you don’t fit the captains role.

Dylan Hartley

There has been a lot talk that Hartley is going to be given the Captains armband this week. For me this a monumental error, if Hartley is given the armband then I would have lost all respect for Jones before he has even played a game. I won’t be able to trust Jones to do the right thing because he wouldn’t have started with a huge mistake.

Jones said that everyone has a clean slate from when he started which is great but you can not over look their pasts as if they weren’t ever there. Hartley have over a years worth of suspensions in his career and he is only 28 years old. He has had three great honours taken away from him because of his discipline and behavior is so bad. He was removed from the Lions squad to tour Australia, not considered for the home World Cup and had the Saints captaincy all taken off him because of his discipline and the way you deal with that is make him Captain. No, no, no. What message does this give to every kid at grass roots growing up wanting to play for England. It gives the message that if you don’t play by the rules and treat the game/players/refs with respect, then you have a shot at being England Captain. I don’t care if he may be right for the role, his discipline trumps that. All of that is said with the assumption that he will be a guaranteed starter which at the moment his far from. At the moment I would start Tom Youngs at Hooker. Rant over.

Mario Itoje

I am huge fan of Itoje and think that he is a future England captain, just not yet. He isn’t currently an England starter in my estimate and even though he may become that over the next few years he still has to much to learn. I would like him to gain more experience and be around the England camp to understand the way it works and get stuck into the international set up before being given the armband. Maybe after Japan 2019.

Joe Launchbury

I think Joe is a contender. He needs to cement his place and become a guaranteed starter with his work ethic and power play being used as a weapon for England. There are rumors that a lot of opposing players across Europe really don’t like playing against him. He has the experience and gaining more day by day, he has the skills and he has the bright future without being to young to captain. The thing is that I never see him take charge, he always seems quite and just one of the team not being a leader. He never takes in huddles or at the end of the game. He also seems to have become a bit injury prone over the past year so that could be an issue. I think that the best he can hope for is vice captain but is definitely worth a consideration.

Ben Youngs

Youngs has been in terrific form for the past year and seems to be getting better as the months pass. He is clearly a leader for Tigers and almost seems to run both the backs and the forwards. He controls the game and has a eye for open space that he can fly through and he has game changing ability. All this shows he is a man that can lead through example. The way he has up’d his game over the last year shows his hunger and gives inspiration to others and grass roots kids because he was already a England international with  over 30 caps before 2015 so could have just settle with that. But no himself back up to the level need to be the best scrum half in the country.

He will be pushed by Care and Simpson for his place but I think the 9 shirt is his to lose and he is close to being a guaranteed starter. I think that the scrum half is a good position to be a captain from, as you see both sides of the game and call the shots between the back and forwards. With the way that his commands at Leicester Tigers you can certainly see him being England captain. Youngs is the only one that I think is right to replace Robshaw.

Chris Robshaw

Now onto “why Robshaw”. Ok so I will address the World Cup first. Yes he did make one huge mistake against Wales. At the time of the kick for the corner, I was sat in my lounge on my own and shouted at the screen “big call, big call, come lads drive it over”, at the time I was 100% behind the decision. I wanted to beat Wales, I wasn’t interested in a draw. In hind sight both him and I were wrong, in hind sight he should of gone for the posts, even I admit that. But we are all human, aren’t we, mistakes happen, so no need to grill him to death about it.

Robshaw has been knocked down by the whole country and his dog, but at Quins he has quietly got back to business, got back to doing what he does best. Robshaw is the best flanker in the country, yes play him at Blindside, his work rate and tackles are always higher than anyone else. He can carry and he is always encouraging and organizing the team, in particular the defence when we are under the cosh. An England captain needs to be able to take the hits, stand up take it, admit your mistake and get back to work, doing everything possible to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Robshaw does all of this.

Is he a guaranteed starter? I hear you say, What do you think? Who would you have instead, a flanker has to do a lot of the unseen work and he does. If you look back over all the games since the World Cup and tell me there is an English flanker that has been better than him then I’ll listen but you’ve never convince me that Fraser, Haskell, Wood, O’Connor, Gibson, Kvesic and even Wallace or Clifford have been better than Robshaw. If you think they have been then we must not have been watching different games. Robshaw and Youngs are the only ones that I think could probably join Brown on the guaranteed starters list so are the only contenders

Robshaw to retain the captains armband.

My Six Nations England Squad 2016

So Eddie Jones is about to make his first England EPS and I think that it could be an interesting selection. Not only for the players he changes but to see what style he picks, which we may well be able to determine through what players he select. My selection below is only based on the players and I am not going for a particular style.

Forwards (17)

Props – Marler, Vunipola, Cole, Mullen, Thomas,

Hookers – Youngs, George, Hartley

Second Row – Lawes, Launchbury, Kruis, Itoje

Flankers – Robshaw, Wallace, Haskell, Kvesic

Number 8 – Vunipola, Waldrom

Backs (15)

Scrum Halfs – Youngs, Care, Simpson

Fly Halfs – Farrell, Ford

Centre – Joesphs, Daly, Burrell, Twelvetrees,

Wingers – Ashton, Watson, Yarde, Nowell

Full back – Brown, Goode

People that would be in if now injured – Slade, Brookes, May, Tuilagi, Ewers

People that would be in if they could pick anyone – Armitage, Strettle

Right so having read that, I bet there are several names you don’t agree with and some you think are missing. With  Bath and Saints struggling this year and teams like Quins, Gloucester, Exeter and Wasps playing some great rugby and Saracens dominating anything they touch (except Quins), my EPS reflects all of this. So I’ll explain each position.

Front Row

The props pretty much picked themselves. I think Thomas was lucky to get in and only did so due to Brookes injury who has been great so far this year. I don’t think that Marler and Cole should be the starters though with Vunipola definitely being in the 1st XV and I would probably give Mullan a run at Scotland. If he can’t hack it then go straight back to Cole, same with Marler.

With the Hookers and I would start with Youngs, Hartley isn’t starting for Saints so can’t be starting for England, he needs more games to be match fit and build his form before he starts for England. George plays in rotation at Sarries so that can be of benefit for being in the EPS as an impact sub.

Second Row

In the Second rows you can’t ignore the strength and devastating power of the Saracens front five and this means that Kruis and Itoje are in the squad. They are both young and have a lot they can add to the team both now and after developing further. Itoje might not get much game time except if players are rested against Italy, but he is a future England captain and we need to have him learning the ropes now. Lawes has been a bit out of sorts for the last 6 months so I would start with the work horse that is Launchbury and Kruis. I don’t think Parling can last for 80 minutes so for me can’t be picked.

Back Row

I think Robshaw is still the stand out flanker in the country and since the World Cup he has proven that, except now at blindside. His tackle count, work rate, carries, off loading and general open play is better than anyone else’s. Haskell is 2nd to that at blindside with his defence and breakdown work but just please don’t let him do any carries coz he never gets past the gain line.

Now with Robshaw at blindside means openside has become an even bigger question mark. Yes I know Armitage would be my first choice too, however that is a none starter. So, being a Quins fan I lean heavily towards them and have been very impressed with Clifford over the past year however it is Wallace that has been stealing the ball and being a general menace at the break down this year and it is him I have put in the squad. Since Kvesic got his first 2 England caps in 2013, I don’t think he has done anything worthy of playing for England until now. This season he has stepped it up and is making a serious claim to that 7 shirt. For me he would start. Will Fraser is clapping at both of their heals while Callum Clark is to much of a liability at the moment and also is part of an under performing Saints team so is not considered with the same going for Wood.

As much as I would like to pick Easter for number 8, he would be my 3rd choice behind Waldrom and Vunipola. If Jones clean slate rule really applies then Waldrom should start, he has been wonderful for the Chiefs while Vunipola seems like he still has some learning to do. I don’t think Morgan has done enough for me so far this season and needs to up his game. Beaumont is a long shot but could be a future start.

Half Backs

Ben Youngs influence and control of the games for Tigers has helped that to become a force again from the start of a season for once. His play and ability to read the game makes him my starter. Care has to be part of the squad for his sheer game changing ability and ever increasing form. While Joe Simpson has been fantastic so far this season and fully deserves a run out for England against Italy at the very least because his flair and speed  can really open up games. I think we are now seeing signs of Wigglesworth and Dickson being on the wrong side of the hill so are counted out.

Owen Farrell is by a country mile the best fly half in the country at the minute and other than Dan Carter at Racing 92 is the best fly half in Europe at the moment. So is a “shoe in” to start. I would have liked to have include Cipriani as back up because he has played well so far this season and his game management and territorial play is spot on and would work well for the England way but he has not been great off the tee and is only in the 60’s, percentage wise, for his goal kicking which is not good enough for International rugby. That means Ford just about makes it even with Bath being so poor this season. What is encouraging is that he did have a very good game against Toulon this weekend.

Centres

This position has brought about so many taking points over the last 5 years and I don’t see that changing this year. Starting with not including Tuilagi, he just isn’t fit enough to be thought of for the 6 nations. He just needs game time and to prove he is still up at “beast level” for the next 4 months before being considered. The most in form player is Elliot Daly who just seems like he can do it all and is lighting up any game for Wasps. Joseph is another that can see a gap that no-one else sees and both Joseph and Daly have pace to burn but are 13 with going defence. Also I would like to see Lowe from Quins name being thrown into the mix. At 12 Burrell has up’d his game since being left out of the World Cup but still isn’t consistent enough, however I think Twelvetrees in the most in form 12 this season and also brings another creative passing game and kicking option that is needed at 12, something that Slade would also have done. Barritt is a serious contender but his offence is not good enough and that is shocking to hear coming from me because his defence is amazing and normally that is a focal point for me.

Back 3

The wingers still seem like a weak point. May would be in the squad but wouldn’t be a guaranteed started as he has shown a few poor decision making moments this season. The best winger in England right now is Chris Ashton, he is so deadly and his club try record is second to none, as is his support play. He has worked on his defence and I think should start against Scotland. I would also have picked Strettle if he stayed in England. Watson should be the other wing but he has been playing at full back for Bath so needs to get back into the winger mentality. Nowell has been playing great as Exeter and is one of the reasons they are on the rise as well as being able to cover centre. Lastly Yarde has sorted out his bad start to his Quins career and is playing some wonderful counter attacking and offloading rugby at the Stoop while his kicking and positional play has come on leaps and bounds. His doesn’t start for one reason only and that is he try scoring tally is low and he needs to be more clinical in front of the line. Bath’s Rokoduguni is the next to jump in if an injury occurs but is still that one step behind the above players.

Brown is Brown and even with Goode breathing right down his neck is still the best 15 in the country. The clean slate comment could work against him with Jones because Brown was the best player for England at the World Cup and over the previous 2 years so would have a lot in the bank with England. Goode is a formidable player and brings another creative style of play if required, so Jones could chose him, whereas I would go for Brown. Foden does get an honorable mention but there is no need for a 3rd full back when Watson can cover.

So any arguments to this selection.

 

England sign off with a big win

England are out of the World Cup but they signed off with a expected fans pleasing win. We beat Uruguay convincingly on the scorecard 60-3 by the end of the game and the result was never in question. However the performance even though it was pleasing to the eye, could have been better.

England scored 10 tries including hat tricks from Easter & Norwell followed by a brace from Watson. This will show that this was an easy victory especially if a 37 years old can get a hat trick in what has got to be his last England international. However England never really got into the high gears and never needed to.

The team was much changed which I was pleased to see so everyone that didn’t get a run out in the other games got some good game time in this match. This will give them the World Cup buzz and hopefully the desire to work hard to make sure they are in the squad for Japan in four years. The players that were given a run out looked good and those players in the backs had a lot of freedom to throw the ball around and did well when give the chance.

I thought that there was still things that would cause me concern. The big concern for me is still the same old thing that I have been saying for months now and that is turnovers. A team that only has four full time professional’s managed to get more turnovers than a team that was second favourites going into this World Cup. That figure is disgraceful.

As much as I haven’t really decided on what England should do next I do believe that Lancaster will go, as to whether you like him or not, how can the manager of a host nation and supposed superpower in World Rugby survive being knocked out of their home World Cup in the group stages. So whoever comes in after him has to be so hot on discipline and the breakdown. The turnovers was the worse thing against Uruguay by far but I didn’t feel that the penalties conceded were much better. These are two key areas of the game that at the moment we suck at.

Something that was nice to see though, was to see that the lineouts seems to be on the mead. Youngs who has been dodgy for so long on the international stage with his throwing does seem to have connected with Parling and the lineout has started to become a strength again.

Ok so I am going to be brutally honest her. I am not sure about this 10-12 Ford – Farrell partnerships works. But then at the moment I am not sure that Ford works for England at all. Yes I know this is going to be controversial but I don’t think Ford has worked in the last two months, warms up matches included. He has added nothing for me and I would seriously drop him altogether and make Farrell my number for the next few years and build him into a England 10 that can compete with the World best just like they did with Jonny. My back up and game changer off the bench would be Cipriani.  Ford is a great club player but for me he hasn’t work internationally.

What about the Six nations I can hear you say. Well yes he was better but the Six nation is different kettle of fish as it is not knock out rugby like our group was, nor was their the pressure of that a World Cup brings and it is rugby with a set of teams that are not the best teams in the world. If England were suppose to be the best in the Northern Hemisphere why were we 2nd again.

However this game was a good performance by England overall. There were smiles from everyone again and a feel good factor. The stand out positive from the World Cup from the English point of view though has been the unyielding support that the team has had from the country. Even though England were out of their own World Cup the fans came out in force and were singing and cheering the whole way through the game. The fans have worn the rose and will always support this team. So bring on the World Cup in 2019. But before that we have to achieve success over the next four Six Nations.