With less than six weeks until their opening game against Fiji, England’s World Cup preparations intensified this week as Stuart Lancaster trimmed his training squad and named his side ahead of the first QBE International against France this weekend.
Lancaster cut seven players, prop Matt Mullan, flanker Matt Kvesic, scrum half Lee Dickson, centre Kyle Eastmond and wingers Chris Ashton, Semesa Rokoduguni and Marland Yarde to bring the overall squad number down to 39. The most surprising of these names Rokoduguni, who despite being a late addition to the squad due to David Strettle’s move to France, had reportedly been performing well in training camp. With Ashton and Yarde also cut, Lancaster seems to have settled on which wingers to take into the Rugby World Cup, with only Anthony Watson, Johnny May and Jack Nowell still in the squad, although centre Jonathan Joseph can also play on the wing.
With eight names still to be cut from the squad before the final 31 head to the tournament, the upcoming QBE Internationals against France and Ireland will be crucial to those battling for the last few spots in the squad, as well as those looking to push for a place in Stuart Lancaster’s starting XV against Fiji.
The England side for this weekend’s game against France highlights this. With centres, Henry Slade and Sam Burgess named in the starting line up and Billy Twelvetrees on the bench, the fight will be on for what is thought to be one remaining centre slot, with Lancaster indicating Brad Barritt, Jonathan Joseph and Luther Burrell will all make the final 31. Twelvetrees would be Lancaster’s safe option, with 20 caps under his belt Lancaster knows exactly what Twelvetrees can do and what he will be getting. However Twelvetrees has yet to prove he can make the difference against the top nations like New Zealand or South Africa. Burgess and Slade are the risks at this point as they are untested at this level, but both could offer something different to the squad and will be looking to put in a big performance at Twickenham to push their claims.
The back row selection of the uncapped Calum Clark, the returning Ben Morgan and Saturday’s captain Tom Wood, offers all three men the opportunity to stake their claim. Clark will be looking to show he can perform at this level and is deserving of a place in the final 31 man squad. Morgan will be looking to show that he is fully recovered from his knee injury and back to the level he was at before, when he was competing for the starting number eight spot with Billy Vunipola, in order to beat Nick Easter to a place in the squad. Wood is very likely to make the squad and will be looking to push his claims for a starting spot opposite regular captain Chris Robshaw.
Rob Webber and Luke Cowan-Dickie will both be looking to push their claims for the starting hooker spot, as they battle Jamie George and Tom Youngs, due to the absence of the suspended Dylan Hartley. The key to this battle could well be efficiency at the set piece. Winning your own ball at the lineout and scrum is key against the top nations, and given England have two of those in their pool, they will be looking at which of the hookers can throw most effectively, as all four have good skills in the loose.
Performance will be the key factor for Stuart Lancaster more than the result. He will be looking for players to step up and show that they deserve to be in the final 31 man squad. They will have to show both their individual skills and their ability to form part of the cohesive unit of a team.
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