[ad_1]
The tricky thing about having a conveyor belt of outstanding young talent in one area — and England are unquestionably blessed in the back row at present — is that it puts a higher premium on getting the selection right.
Being the England coach is primarily about selecting the correct players and that perversely can be more difficult when you have more options. There is more opportunity to get it wrong!
When I was coaching England I was similarly blessed. I had top-quality back-rowers coming out of the woodwork with different physical attributes and skillsets but that didn’t alter the fact that you pretty soon have to settle on your Gun XV. Don’t relax and think you have the luxury of selecting from so many players
England coach Eddie Jones has been blessed with an embarrassment of riches in the back row
After a season or so I settled on my top backrow combination — Richard Hill at six, Neil Back at seven and Lawrence Dallaglio at No 8. That was pretty tough on my ‘second’ choices — Joe Worsley at six, Lewis Moody at seven and Martin Corry 8. That last trio in their own right were a top-class Test combo.
By establishing your first-choice players, though, you create a pecking order and that is vital if you are going to make the correct selections. You don’t start from scratch every time and wonder which combination of your many terrific back-row players might work the best.
The onus is on the ‘contenders’ to make a compelling case to be selected above those in the Gun XV. Only then do you drop somebody and introduce a new player into the mix, unless you are using a specific game to experiment and gain more information about a player
When I was England coach I was similarly blessed with stars of Lawrence Dallaglio’s quality
Wasps young gun Jack Willis is another one of the talented players at Jones’ disposal
The other important factor here is that when assessing the contenders you must not just rank them on domestic form. You have to step out of that bubble.
The criterion with England — because they are blessed with so many talented professionals — is which of the contenders either commands a place in a World XV or is closest to your imaginary World XV. Who among your back row would get in a South Africa or New Zealand team?
For me, Tom Curry is the one England back-row player who currently fits that bill, but only at flanker. That is why I would not consider moving him to No 8 which is what England did last season.
Obviously he can play No 8 because he is an extremely talented player but he is infinitely better as a tearaway, first-to-the-breakdown flanker.
Having made that call you work backwards from that. Curry is the openside flanker even though he often wears six which adds a little to the confusion. England essentially play two opensides at present with Sam Underhill as the other wing forward. And there you have your pecking order despite all the noise and strong claims for the inclusion of others.
Sale forward Tom Curry would be one of the first names on my England teamsheet right now
So then you make your next set of assessments. Who is the next cab off the rank for Curry? Who has the same skillset and physical presence? Ditto Underhill. Who is next in line to challenge him? Who among the contenders shares the same, or nearly the same, attributes as him? Where exactly do Jack Willis, Lewis Ludlum, Ben Earl and Ted Hill sit in the pecking order and in which position?
Do all that and life becomes a bit easier. You still have the No 8 position to consider which, for me, requires Billy Vunipola to be challenged by a specialist No 8. The leading contenders are Alex Dombrandt, Sam Simmonds and Zach Mercer.
Dombrandt shares Billy’s physicality, while Simmonds and Mercer are different kinds of athletes. Eddie Jones will have to really work out what he wants from his No 8s going forward as he sorts out the talent available.
MY SUPER SIX
1 SAM UNDERHILL (BATH)
Pound for pound, possibly the best tackler in world rugby with his low hitting technique close to perfection, which also means he concedes very few needless penalties. A better runner with the ball than some give him credit for. Underhill and Curry are almost interchangeable at six and seven. The only downside is that neither is really a force at the lineout.
Pound for pound, Bath’s Sam Underhill is possibly the best tackler in world rugby
2 JACK WILLIS (WASPS)
Another young gun who is giving Eddie Jones selection options. His career was derailed for a year or more by a serious knee injury but now he’s back and making up for lost time. An interesting talent, Willis has the solid build of a six — 6ft 3in and 17 stone — but the instincts, pace and jackal skills of a tearaway openside. The new breakdown interpretations suit him perfectly. Provides great cover and will soon be looking to rise in the pecking order.
3 TED HILL (WORCESTER)
Appointed Worcester captain during lockdown at the age of 21, Hill is a more traditional six. He is 6ft 5in, 18 stone, rangy, very physical, a tough customer and also a lineout presence. He is progressing well and unquestionably will be in contention if and when England decide they want that bigger unit at six. There will be sides against whom that might be the preferred gameplan, but for the time being England seem set on using the double openside option at flanker, or at least two out-and-out speed merchants who can boss the breakdown.
The physical Ted Hill will prove a very useful option for Jones when the going gets tough
4 SAM SIMMONDS (EXETER)
I’m including Sam Simmonds because he is arguably the quickest young back row in England and clearly has the ability to play at flanker as well as No 8, which is the position he currently occupies for Exeter. He is unquestionably part of the back row equation for England both this autumn and going forward. Short, solid, explosive, very fit and, like Ben Earl, has great try-scoring instincts. Did pretty well with England a couple of years back before a big injury intervened. A key man at Exeter where his all-round game progresses week on week.
Exeter Chiefs star Sam Simmonds is arguably the quickest young back row in England
5 BEN EARL (BRISTOL, LOAN FROM SARACENS)
Yet another superb talent who has played all across the back row for England age group sides and Saracens before joining Bristol on loan. Very solid build, he feels like a six to me and his great strengths are his immense power as a ball-carrier and try-scoring instincts. He is joint top scorer in the Premiership with Louis Rees-Zammit on eight tries and that ability to get over the line is priceless.
I suspect he could be a Test No 8 but if that’s what he and England want he should commit to that position sooner rather than later.
Ben Earl’s try-scoring instinct is a priceless strength, but he needs to commit to a position
6 TOM CURRY (SALE)
He’s just 22 but Curry has already won 23 caps and appeared in a World Cup final. Brilliant at the breakdown and a strong, technically-correct tackler with pace and strength. I see him as England’s leading openside flanker. I am uneasy at this attempt to switch him to No8 which is a very specialist position. I would want my No8 playing there every week for his club. For No8, behind Billy Vunipola, England need to groom a young specialist like Alex Dombrandt or Zach Mercer.
[ad_2]
Source link
Have something to say? Leave a comment: