England head coach Steve Borthwick has been traveling around the country to meet players who will be announced in mid-January for his Six Nations squad announcement or for the senior squad that will play Portugal next month. wing.
Johnny May, the country’s second-highest scorer, retired after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and with Jack Nowell, Henry Arundell and Joe Marchand banned from playing in France, the team will wear the numbers 11 and 14 shirts. Six’s early career nations in Italy are just around the corner.
There are at least a dozen strong candidates, from the very experienced Anthony Watson of Leicester Tigers to the likes of Cadan Murley and Louis Lina of Harlequins, who have only occasionally made the England training squad.
Some of the wide players are specialists, such as Bath’s Joe Cocanasiga, who scored six tries in December alone (something the 26-year-old has long promised but has struggled to deliver during periods of injury), and Newcastle’s speedy Adam Radwan Falcons and Manny Fahey-Waboso to Exeter Chiefs.
Others can do more than one job, like Max Malins, a serial goalscorer at Premier League level but who lost his England place under Borthwick in 2023 and has played exclusively at full-back for his club Bristol this season.
Borthwick’s approach to the World Cup was a chase, with promising Arundell not receiving a single pass in an hour of play in the third-place play-off win over Argentina.
The versatile Marchant, Elliot Daly and Freddie Steward have done their duty on the wing, while Northampton Saints’ Tommy Freeman is among the candidates who fit the bill.
I Asked for the opinion of Tom Varndell – the former England, Leicester and Bristol player whose 92 Premier League appearances put him second on the all-time list – and he says Borthwick’s fixture list for 2024 and beyond will undoubtedly decide which the attacker will receive the hook.
“I like Daly as a striker and Steward has proven to be good value for money on the main channels,” says Varndell, who is now head of sports management as well as a reviewer for BBC Radio.
“But when England select these players on the wing, you know what style they will play – a tight game where winning tight battles is important.” And maybe that makes it a little predictable.
“I prefer radical pace and a player who can add sparkle to the game, like South Africa did with Cheslin Kolbe.”
“Joe Cocanasiga should be a leader with his form. He plays well for Bath and seems to really enjoy rugby. Adam Radwan’s Newcastle side have had a difficult season but I think he has the makings of a very good striker. His footwork and top speed are exceptional and it would be deadly if he ended up at the end of the top line.
“Ollie Hassell-Collins and Anthony Watson could be options for England if they can stay fit and develop at Leicester. And Will Muir is another Bath boy flying this year.
When Borthwick visited Sale, he held an “induction meeting” with three Sharks players who had not played in a match but were fit: Tom Roebuck, Arron Reid and defender Joe Carpenter. They will all be paraded in Northampton on Saturday, alongside possible England midfielder George Ford.
Sales are booming thanks to a striking strategy aimed at putting pressure on the opposition, and their specialist back three is former Scotland defender Byron McGuigan, who is managing the rising stars who were, until recently, his teammates. Despite their conservative style, Reed and Roebuck have nine tries between them this season.
“Tom Roebuck is, in my opinion, one of the best defensive forwards in England,” McGuigan said. I.
“He gets in front of the strikers and forces them back inside, which is vital in the modern game. And he has the ability to dominate the game in the air, whether chasing a shot into the box or hitting a high ball. There is a lot of kicking in test rugby matches and the ability to win the ball is huge.
“He has a bright future ahead of him, possibly in the Six Nations or certainly down the road. The challenge for him at Sale is that our hitting strategy doesn’t allow too many touches of the ball. But because he is very dynamic with the ball in his hands, I encourage him: the more he can touch the ball, the better for the team.”
Robeck is an impressive 1.90m tall, while Reed is shorter, fatter and “always plays better than he should”, as Christian Day, the Rugby Players’ Association secretary, described him in recent television commentary.
McGuigan says Reed is Sale’s fastest player and would love to see him in the 100m with any Premier League striker. Both he and Roebuck are dual qualified for Scotland.
“Defensively, Arron has made huge strides this season,” he added.
“He’s good at getting the ball in the air, but it’s a matter of work and he knows that and because he’s so coachable, he’ll get there.” “Both guys are so coachable.
“Arron’s superpowers are his speed, agility and ability to control the ball in attack. He’s definitely fast – give him half the advantage and he’ll get there. Many international teams are showing interest in him. I know Scotland and England are definitely interested.”
Let’s go to you, Mr. Borthwick.
Source: I News
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.