Slowly but surely, Stuart Lancaster’s starting XV to face New Zealand in just over a fortnight is taking shape. It may not be the same side he ends up picking at next year’s World Cup but, amid the ever-present injuries, a recurrent theme is emerging. Lancaster, first and foremost, wants reliable competitors who make consistently good decisions. The flighty and mercurial can pack their bags.
So farewell, then, to the era of “daisy” performers: as in “Some days ’e does, some days ’e don’t”. Compare and contrast, in particular, the playing characteristics of those left out – Danny Cipriani, Freddie Burns, Chris Ashton, Ben Foden – with the 33-man squad named at the headquarters of the autumn series sponsors QBE in the City of London. Stephen Myler, Calum Clark and George Kruis may not be the type of players who regularly hog headlines but Lancaster clearly feels he can trust them, if required, to deliver week-in week-out.
If that invites the perception that Lancaster’s England are a team of solid rather than spectacular players, that is fine by the management. Above all else, Lancaster’s team to face the All Blacks will be full of players who do the right things at the right times and keep on coming regardless of the scoreboard. “When we first started [selecting] a couple of years ago we always went on execution so the players understood that continuity and not turning the ball over is an important part of the game,” explained Andy Farrell, Lancaster’s assistant.
“But once they understood that, we’ve gone the other way and focussed on decision making. We want them to be able to express themselves but they have to make the right decision first.”
It is for this reason that Brad Barritt is poised to re-emerge as one of the first names on Lancaster’s teamsheet, albeit potentially at outside centre now Manu Tuilagi has been sidelined with a groin injury. The head coach could scarcely have been more complimentary about the Saracen, describing him as “probably the best defensive centre in the league”. He also clearly sees him as the kind of unselfish character every good side needs, whether he happens to be wearing 12 or 13. “He can defend equally well in either position and probably even more effectively at 13. That’s a key defensive position,” stressed Lancaster.
Alongside Barritt against New Zealand – sore ribs permitting – is likely to be Bath’s Kyle Eastmond, whose club form has been good enough to persuade the management to forget about the defensive organisation problems that beset him and his team-mates against New Zealand in Hamilton in June. “The way Kyle has bounced back from the third Test in New Zealand has been exceptional,” confirmed Lancaster. “For me, he’s been the best attacking inside centre this season. What he’s shown in the Premiership – and for us in training – is his ability to take the ball to the line and make good decisions off the back of it. It’s made us sit up and take notice in terms of his potential to start for us against the All Blacks.”
Assuming Eastmond does find himself deployed between Barritt and Owen Farrell, however, it means England will also need to inject some strong attacking ball-carriers into the mix. That will improve the chances of the uncapped Semesa Rokoduguni, a lance-corporal in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, being deployed on the right wing with the similarly solid, swift Marland Yarde on the other flank. On paper, at least, that would give Lancaster his desired balance of power, pace and footballing ability that which, for a host of reasons, has tended to prove hard to find. With George Ford on the bench and Farrell, if fit, potentially able to move to inside centre in the second half of games, there is also a degree of tactical flexibility. “It’s something we’ve discussed and we did it in the Italy game when we brought George on and switched Owen to 12,” confirmed Lancaster.
In a perfect world the head coach would also have liked to unveil a 40-man squad but the unsatisfactory, pedantic terms of the elite-player agreement have meant that Henry Slade, Anthony Watson, Matt Kvesic, Richard Wigglesworth and David Paice, plus an extra prop and lock, cannot formally be added to the squad until Sunday. The 24-year-old Kruis, who was born in Guildford, can officially celebrate, however, having served a lengthy apprenticeship with the Saxons. Clark, whom Lancaster has known since his teens, will also be suitably grateful for another chance to forge a senior Test career ahead of deserving rivals such as Exeter’s Dave Ewers. Jonathan Joseph is also back, although England are resigned to the fact that Tuilagi, along with Dan Cole, Alex Corbisiero, Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola, Tom Croft and Geoff Parling, will play no part next month.
England squad Backs M Brown (Harlequins), A Goode (Saracens), J May (Gloucester), J Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), S Rokoduguni (Bath), M Yarde (Harlequins), B Barritt (Saracens), L Burrell (Northampton), J Joseph (Bath), K Eastmond (Bath), B Twelvetrees (Gloucester), O Farrell (Saracens), G Ford (Bath), S Myler (Northampton), D Care (Harlequins), B Youngs (Leicester), L Dickson (Northampton).
Forwards J Marler (Harlequins), M Mullan (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), R Webber (Bath), D Wilson (Bath), K Brookes (Newcastle), D Attwood (Bath), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), G Kruis (Saracens), C Clark (Northampton), J Haskell (Wasps), T Wood (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Vunipola (Saracens), B Morgan (Gloucester).
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Lancaster’s possible Eng XV v NZ: M Brown (Harlequins); S Rokoduguni (Bath), B Barritt (Saracens), K Eastmond (Bath), M Yarde (Harlequins); O Farrell (Saracens), D Care (Harlequins); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), T Wood (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Vunipola (Saracens).
Owen Farrell has barely played in the last month but, assuming he is fit, a midfield trio also comprising his Saracens’ colleague Brad Barritt and Bath’s Kyle Eastmond is now looking likely. Wing is an increasingly competitive position but the uncapped Semesa Rokoduguni will get his chance at some stage next month.
