The landscape of English rugby is changing so rapidly that those who react slowly risk being left behind. This weekend’s European Champions Cup fixtures are significant in their own right but the installation of Eddie Jones as England’s head coach has added an extra edge for certain individuals looking to press their Six Nations claims.
Look no further than Saturday’s matches in Bath and Glasgow, where two of the more international-heavy Premiership clubs face games that in effect qualify as Test trials. The Bath starting XV to face Leinster at the Recreation Ground, for example, will contain George Ford, Kyle Eastmond, Semesa Rokoduguni, Anthony Watson, Dave Attwood, Rob Webber and Henry Thomas, all of whom will be hoping to give Jones a timely nudge.
It is much the same for Northampton, whose capped England contingent of Tom Wood, Lee Dickson, Stephen Myler, Luther Burrell and Ben Foden will not lack personal incentive when they face the Warriors, the current Pro12 champions. “Have I ever said how much I like Eddie Jones as a coach,” tweeted Foden this week, attempting to inject a little humour into the stampede for recognition that Jones’s arrival will inevitably spark.
That goal will not be entirely straightforward, given Gregor Townsend’s Glasgow boast their own raft of Scottish internationals and hammered Bath 37-10 in their first home game last season. Their opening European pool fixture against Racing 92 last weekend was postponed because of the terrorist attacks in Paris but Townsend, a Saints player himself two decades ago, says the mood within his unchanged side has not been deflated.
“We were in Paris but we weren’t affected at all directly. The players have been very professional. Our concern was mainly for our supporters, friends and family who had come out for the game … it was horrifying hearing what happened but thankfully none of them were caught up in it.”
Saints kicked off their campaign with a narrow home win over the Scarlets but history would suggest that away form in Europe is the most reliable of guides to international readiness.
While Leicester’s trip to lowly-ranked Treviso may not necessarily fall into that category, the Tigers will be rather more concerned with securing a bonus point win at Stadio Monigo to add to the five points they claimed against Stade Français last weekend. Tom Croft returns to the starting XV as they seek the victory that would give them early control in Pool 4.
The most instructive game of the weekend as far as Jones is concerned, however, may well be Toulon’s visit to Coventry to face Wasps. Steffon Armitage up against James Haskell, George Smith and Nathan Hughes will be just one of several interesting collisions, while the performances of Elliot Daly, Joe Simpson, Christian Wade, Joe Launchbury, Matt Mullan and Jake Cooper-Woolley may also go some way to determining the make-up of England’s Six Nations squad.
If Wasps defend as well as they did during their 33-6 win against Leinster last weekend a famous result may yet materialise, with Toulon not having played last weekend after their fixture with Bath was called off. European rugby officials say discussions are continuing about rescheduling the affected games but have confirmed they will not take place either next weekend or the week after.
The Barbarians, meanwhile, will face Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday, with Michael Cheika revisiting the venue where he coached the Wallabies in last month’s World Cup final. It is another Australian coach, however, who will dominate the thoughts of England’s leading players this weekend.
