A DOZEN
BOLTERS
Twelve players who would dazzle
at the World Cup in Japan if Eddie
Jones dared to choose them...Mark Atkinson (Gloucester)
Fraser Balmain(Gloucester)
Ben Curry(Sale)
Simon Hammersley(Sale)
Matt Kvesic(Exeter)
Ruaridh McConnochie(Bath)
Beno Obano(Bath)
Ehren Painter(Northampton)
Val Rapava Ruskin(Gloucester)
Jack Singleton(Saracens)
Ben Spencer(Saracens)
Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester)Class of Saracens
Goode and Lozowskisaw last season. Ben Spencer, whose
kicking game alone demolished Leinster
in the European Champions Cup final,
came very close to our squad. Robson
and Wigglesworth are in completely
on merit and form and excellence.
PROP Joe Marler (Harlequins),
Ben Moon (Exeter), NickSchonert
(Worcester), KyleSinckler (Harlequins),
MakoVunipola (Saracens)
It is very competitive up front and it’s
a big welcome back to Marler now
he has gone back on his decision to
retire from international rugby.
The likes of Harry Williams and Alec
Hepburn have been excellent for Exeter,
but we have gone outside the normal
cycle of props and opted for Schonert
of Worcester Warriors as the second
tighthead. I have to admit to suppressing
only narrowly the urge to throw in Bath’s
Beno Obano as a barrelling bolter too.
Ellis Genge is still way too much of
an enigma for me. England are strong
here. But not dominant.
HOOKER LukeCowan-Dickie
(Exeter), JamieGeorge (Saracens),
TommyTaylor (Wasps)
Our squad is named on the basis that
Dylan Hartley will not have recovered
from the grim succession of injuries he
has suffered. He may just have been
a back-up for his experience had he
declared himself fit before our selection- but George had a brilliant season and
Taylor, now recovered from injury, has
an electricity about his play.
Cowan-Dickie’s progress has been
slowed by the fact that Jack Yeandle,
the Exeter Chiefs captain, has been
the first choice for some time. And
why not? Yeandle is one of the great
unsung heroes in English rugby. But
Cowan-Dickie is tenacious, and he can
carry. Jack Singleton, leaving Worcester
for Saracens, also came very close.
LOCKGeorgeKruis (Saracens),
CourtneyLawes (Northampton),
ElliottStooke (Bath)There is something missing in the
boilerhouse in the England team, which
has cost them in scrum power and in
their efforts to drive a maul more than
their average 10mm a time last season.
Now that Maro Itoje has dynamited
the Eddie Jones theory that he is a
lock and not a blindside, we have put
him down in the back row to allow
our team to choose another big lock.
But who would that be?
Kruis is on career form for Saracens,
ditto Lawes for Northampton, but with
more than a passing glance towards
the wholehearted Joe Launchbury, we
have gone for Stooke, who Gloucester
allowed to depart but who has come
through powerfully for Bath.
You wonder if there really is enough
power around in the England game, but
our trio can make a start. This should
have been a World Cup made for
players like Graham Kitchener and
Will Spencer, both of Leicester Tigers
last season, but they have not quite
been able to reach the top class.FLANKERTo mCurry (Sale),
DaveEwers (Exeter), MaroItoje
(Saracens), SamUnderhill (Bath)No shortage of fine flankers and our
squad can field different combinationsdepending on conditions, the opposition
or the state of the match.
Ewers had a monumental game in the
Premiership final and is included here
so that the back row has a powerhouse
on the side of the scrum should Itoje
have to go back up into the second row.
Curry has been in fantastic form.
Underhill was the man in possession
on the openside, but now he and
Curry could have a tremendous battle
in our own World Cup dreams.
Sam Simmonds came very close to
making it, too, because he has what
is (rather drearily) called X-factor.No 8NathanHughes (Bristol),
BillyVunipola (Saracens)Hughes was well out of favour as
we went to press. He has not always
impressed with Wasps this year, has
not always been seen to be fully
concentrating, but if England are really
to take their best side and the best foil
for Vunipola, then Hughes for us is still
the man. At his very best he is simply
outstanding, he is gymnastic and
dextrous and very strong, and you
would hope that Jones changes his
mind and recalls him to the fold.
Vunipola’s recent record with injury
suggests that England should back him
up with a like-for-like player, in a position
where England do not have a galaxy of
choice. Zach Mercer of Bath is a longish
shot but it’s time to wake up, Nathan. nStephen Jones