Harry Mallinder, one of the eight uncapped members of England’s Six Nations squad, risks having his career “destroyed” if he is not allowed to concentrate on a specific position, according to the Northampton interim coach Alan Gaffney.
Mallinder started Northampton’s 62-14 thrashing by Saracens at fly‑half on Saturday but was withdrawn at half-time after a torrid opening 40 minutes. The 21-year-old began the season in the No 10 shirt before moving to full‑back – which he considers to be his best position – but returned to fly-half after Piers Francis was sidelined through concussion, while he spent long parts of last season at inside-centre.
He has also had to deal with the sacking of his father, Jim, after 10 years at the club but Eddie Jones, who considers Mallinder a full‑back, has included him in England’s Six Nations squad, having watched him orchestrate the victory against Clermont eight days ago.
“The one thing we can’t do is keep swapping him between these positions,” Gaffney said. “I’ve been guilty of that in the past and probably destroyed people’s careers by using them as utility players and not concentrating on one slot. I think Eddie will decide what he wants to do with the English side. We’re happy to talk with Eddie about that but we’ve got to work out what is best for us and at the same time what’s best for Harry.
“He’s only a lad, he’s only a kid. He’s got a lot of learning to do. He’s a boy whose got potential who I think will go on with it. It’s a case of Harry and the coaches working out the best place for him to play, whether it be at 15 or 12 or at 10. Harry’s got a huge future in the game and it’s a question of us looking after him.”
Mallinder was part of the England party who left for a training camp in Portugal on Sunday but it remains to be seen what involvement Henry Slade has on the Algarve after he was taken off during Exeter’s defeat by Glasgow on Saturday with a shoulder injury. Kyle Sinckler, meanwhile, pulled out of Harlequins’ defeat against La Rochelle before kick‑off after failing a late fitness test.
Manu Tuilagi endured a minor setback in his comeback from his latest long injury lay-off after sitting out Leicester’s defeat by Racing 92 with a tight calf. The Leicester head coach, Matt O’Connor, decided not to risk Tuilagi in dreadful weather conditions. Tuilagi was not named in England’s Six Nations squad last week but Jones said he would be considered later in the championship if he could rediscover his “sharpness”.
