Bath’s free-running midfield backs would cause major problems for all England’s opponents if they were selected en bloc for this autumn’s Rugby World Cup, according to one of South Africa’s top forwards. Francois Louw, set to be part of the Springboks squad at the tournament, also believes his club-mates George Ford, Kyle Eastmond and Jonathan Joseph will pose a huge threat to Saracens in Saturday’s Premiership final.
“The World Cup is a long, long way away but, if those guys donned 10-12-13 for a Test match, I think they would be devastating against any team,” said Louw, reflecting on Bath’s 47-10 semi-final win over Leicester. “There’s a reason they all made the England squad. You can’t exclude them for one second. Those guys are absolutely electric.
“Being a loose forward with the backs we have, it can sometimes be quite scary. They are very unpredictable and they just let loose. You know you are going to have to run 50 metres to clean a ruck on the wing and then get up and clean a ruck on the other wing. It is a very high-tempo game but the impact those guys have had has been monumental for us. A lot of the games we have won have been because of their outstanding individual ability.”
Ford, Eastmond and Joseph have all played for England but have yet to feature in the same Test side. With Anthony Watson also offering blistering pace from full-back, Louw’s view is that even Saracens’ high-class defence will struggle to contain them. “They are clever players. It is not just individual brilliance. They will play according to the flow of the game. When the time is right, they will rein it in; when the time is right they will kick it. It will be a tough centre-pairing and 10 to play against. We will see what happens.”
Wasps, meanwhile, have announced the signing of the former Wallabies flanker George Smith for next season. The 34-year-old Smith, capped 111 times by Australia, will make the switch from Lyon, who have just been relegated from the French Top 14 and Dai Young, Wasps’ director of rugby, believes he will prove a shrewd acquisition.
“George Smith is one of the greats of his generation,” said Young. “To be able to add a player of his international experience and quality is a real coup for Wasps. He is still one of the sharpest operators in the game, he is in tremendous shape and his reading of the game and winning mentality should benefit Wasps hugely next season.”
Reports from France also confirm Clermont Auvergne are hoping to sign David Strettle from Saracens in the coming days. Strettle has not played for England since 2013 but has been included in their 50-man World Cup training squad.
