England will select the Fiji-raised Nathan Hughes and Zimbabwe-born Mike Williams in their preparatory squad on Friday for this autumn’s internationals despite high-level support within the Rugby Football Union for stricter qualification criteria to deter players from switching allegiance to other countries.
Hughes, who qualifies under the three-year residency rule having relocated to England in 2013 to join Wasps, and Leicester’s Williams, born and bred in Bulawayo but eligible via a grandfather from Sussex, are physical back-row forwards keen to slot in alongside the Tonga-reared Vunipola brothers, the former Samoa league international Ben Te’o and, possibly, Bath’s Fijian soldier Semesa Rokoduguni in an increasingly cosmopolitan England dressing room.
There are discussions taking place within World Rugby, however, aimed at extending the residency period to five years, with the RFU’s chief executive, Ian Ritchie, and professional rugby director, Nigel Melville, expressing support for the proposal championed by the former Argentina captain Agustín Pichot. “I know Gus’s view is to lengthen it a bit and I think probably that is a good idea,” Ritchie said. “If you ask my view I think it should be increased.”
Melville, who has taken over Rob Andrew’s old role, feels similarly: “I don’t see a problem in extending the residency period. I think it will get extended.”
Ritchie has no objection to Eddie Jones, picking Hughes under the regulations as they stand: “If the rule is there, then why wouldn’t you pick someone if you think he will add to your competitiveness? I can’t disagree with Eddie. He picks the team on merit and, as long as he picks somebody who is qualified, I have no issue at all.”
The upshot is the 25-year-old Hughes, who took up rugby aged 16 because his school team needed someone to make up the numbers, is set to be involved in England’s training camp in Brighton next week, having already featured in the 45-man preliminary squad named in the summer. England play South Africa on 12 November before facing Fiji (19 Nov), Argentina (26 Nov) and Australia (3 Dec).
As Hughes explained to the Guardian earlier this year he wants to play Test rugby and feels he has the support of his team-mates. “They keep asking me: ‘When are you going to come and join us?’ They’re not saying: ‘Go and play for your own country.’ It makes you feel like you’d be welcomed.”
Williams, 24, might have featured before now had he not broken an arm twice last season. The physicality and work rate he has shown for Leicester have long since caught the England coach’s eye and his club director of rugby, Richard Cockerill, is also a fan. “Mike gives us something different; he is very big and very physical,” Cockerill said. “He is a typical South African or Zimbabwean back-row forward. He’s very tough with ball in hand and without the ball.
“Some of his skill-sets still need to improve; he dropped the ball two or three times at the weekend, which you might not get away with in Test matches. But if you picked him against South Africa he would certainly do the job. He’s a very good player and he’s only going to get better. I could see him getting an opportunity during the autumn Tests, whether that is first up or against Fiji or Argentina. I think he is the type of six who would suit that England team, along with two very big No8s who could be involved.”
The Leicester captain, Tom Youngs, is another who reckons Williams, a good lineout operator, could make an instant impact if selected. “He had a tough time with injuries last season but he’s come back into the team and just grown and grown. You would want him in your side because he brings a presence to the team.”
With James Haskell and Jack Clifford injured there is also a space to be filled at openside, unless Jones changes his mind about switching Chris Robshaw back across the scrum. With Owen Farrell’s fitness up in the air there is further uncertainty at inside-centre. Jones, either way, likes to keep everyone on their toes. Even if players such as Guy Thompson, Will Evans, Sam Jones, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Mike Haley, Dan Robson, Ben Spencer, Alex Lozowski and Ellis Genge miss out, they are not a million miles away.
