Eddie Jones has labelled some of England’s British & Irish Lions contingent “off the pace” in the opening weeks of the season and said he will be sending them to the beach next week before deciding how many will play in the autumn international series.
Jones has selected all eight available English Lions who appeared in the New Zealand Test series in his 34-man squad but has not been entirely impressed with their club form. He singled out Courtney Lawes as someone who has “fallen off a bit lately” and said there will be “movement in and out of the squad” across the series next month.
Maro Itoje heads the queue of players who deserve a breather, having started all eight of Saracens’ matches, after 34 games last season, and his director of rugby, Mark McCall has repeatedly stressed “Itoje will get plenty of rest”.
As well as Itoje, Owen Farrell, Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Elliot Daly and Anthony Watson all appeared in three Tests in New Zealand while Lawes and Kruis featured in two and three respectively. Dan Cole and the recalled Jonathan Joseph also toured New Zealand but failed to make any Test squads.
“You just have to watch them play for their clubs to see what condition they are in. Some are definitely off the pace,” Jones said. “This isn’t a black or white thing and we have to balance it against the needs of the team but generally speaking it is about the individuals. There are a couple of players that we’ve had a pretty good idea about how we are going to look after them. There are a couple of players we’ve changed our ideas on.”
Jones takes his squad, who include the uncapped Exeter back-row Sam Simmonds, with James Haskell the highest-profile absentee, to Portugal for a training camp before the week leading up to the first autumn international against Argentina on 11 November.
“Next week we are running three different programmes in Portugal,” the England head coach said. “There will be a normal programme for the bulk of the squad, a beach programme for selected Lions players and a semi-beach programme for other selected Lions players. Then we will assess where each player is and work out who is going to play.
“We feel that physically and mentally a number of the players need to be freshened up – some more than others. We have a pretty good idea who is going to be where but we haven’t finalised that as yet.”
The 18-year-old Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith and the Bath back-row Zach Mercer, two years his senior, are also included as “apprentice players”. Jones says they are not in contention to play any of the Tests but the message was clear to the other 32 as he builds towards the 2019 World Cup.
“We want the players to be uncomfortable for the next two years,” he said. “We want them to get to the World Cup and think: ‘Goodness me, I’ve made it and I’m prepared for anything. Prepared for North Korea to fire a missile, an earthquake, bad sushi, bad refereeing – it doesn’t matter what happens.’ They will be ready for it. We want to become tactically flexible. We want to be set up so we’re prepared for anything that can happen. We’re a long way from that but that’s part of the challenge.”
Jones said Exeter’s Don Armand and Bath’s Semesa Rokoduguni were among the players unlucky to miss out but Haskell is the biggest omission from the squad. The 32-year-old has 75 caps but has not played for England since the Six Nations, after he was seconded to the Lions to replace the injured Billy Vunipola.
Haskell was named England’s standout performer on the 2016 Australia tour but has failed to recreate that form following a long-term toe injury. He was hampered by a hand injury at the start of the season and has since been usurped by Simmonds, Sam Underhill and Tom Curry.
“He’s just not playing well enough at the moment but the door is never shut on him,” Jones said. “We know he’s a great player and has been a great servant to English rugby for several years and close to 80 years. I am sure he can regain his form.”
Marland Yarde is also conspicuous by his absence, having been dropped by Harlequins last weekend for disciplinary reasons. Denny Solomona gets the nod in his place, despite being left out of the most recent training squad, having been sent home disgrace from the August get‑together following a drunken night out with Manu Tuilagi. Jones said: “He is very contrite about it. He knows he made a serious mistake and he knows that if he makes it again things won’t be looking so good.”
Jones said that Sherylle Calder, the vision awareness coach, will again be working with England in Portugal as well as Jason Ryles, the Australian rugby league defence coach who fulfilled a similar role last autumn. In addition, Neil Craig, a former AFL player and coach, will also be joining Jones’s staff for November.
England squad for the autumn internationals
Backs Mike Brown (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Jonny May (Leicester), Denny Solomona (Sale), Anthony Watson (Bath), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester), Piers Francis (Northampton), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Henry Slade (Exeter), Marcus Smith (Harlequins; training only), Ben Youngs (Leicester).
Forwards Tom Curry (Sale), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Zach Mercer (Bath; training only), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter), Sam Underhill (Bath), Dan Cole (Leicester), Tom Dunn (Bath), Ellis Genge (Leicester), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter).
Ireland call up newly qualified Bundee Aki
The Connacht centre Bundee Aki has won his first Ireland call-up for the November internationals after completing his residency qualification. The New Zealand-born midfielder with Samoan parents has impressed consistently since joining Connacht in 2014, helping the Galway province lift the 2016 Pro12 title.
The 27-year-old’s timely qualification will offset a clutch of midfield injuries for Joe Schmidt, who has named three other uncapped players in a 38-man squad for the Tests against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina.
Joining Aki are Leinster’s Adam Byrne and Munster duo Chris Farrell and Darren Sweetnam for next month’s Tests, while the fit-again Rory Best retaining the captaincy.
“In what we anticipate will be an incredibly physical Guinness Series plenty will be demanded of the squad,” said Schmidt. “We have retained a core of experienced players but have also included a number of promising players that we hope will acquit themselves well.”
Aki’s inclusion will help Schmidt cope with the injury absence of the star Leinster centre Garry Ringrose, and also aid in the continued absence of the Ulster duo Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding because of off-field reasons.
Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale step into the squad to bolster the midfield options as well. PA
