Henry Arundell is a rising star heading to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Photo: Getty Images/Dan Mullan. For individual players, depending on the previous domestic campaign for their clubs, Steve Borthwick needed to mess around with his training team this summer for the World Cup.
Now, however, there are less than two weeks left before England's first warm-up against Wales. Two days after that, the last group of 33 people will be named in Twickenham. In short, we are approaching a decisive moment.
Protection blankets or bolters?
There is no reason to believe that Borthwick will deviate too much from the positional division that England used in 2019 with the extra push and pull. extra half scrum to make 33; compared to 31 players allowed four years ago.
This will likely mean nine rowers in the front rowers will be evenly distributed across each role, with four lockouts, five rowers in the back and three scrum halfbacks. One or two defensemen, five forwards – perhaps George Martin, Ollie Chessum and Courtney Lowes – could switch places. Things get a little smoother after that.
Eddie Jones has selected Owen Farrell, George Ford and Pierce Francis as a third potential linebacker in 2019. This year, Marcus Smith is likely to join Farrell and Ford, leaving three centres, and the defenders to be covered by nine players.
In Elliot Daley, Henry Slade, Guy Porter and Joe Marchand, Borthwick has four men capable of operating both in the centre, on the flanks or full-backs. One would assume that at least two of the quartet made the list, as well as a couple of line runners in Manu Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence.
Then you are in the background – three specialists. Depending on how many of the above centers are on board, four or five of Henry Arundell, Joe Kokanashigi, Max Malins, Johnny May, Anthony Watson and Freddie Steward will be in France. Four of them are capable full-backs, giving England vital interchangeability.
Including Mako Vunipolu, 20 players from the 2019 team are in contention for 2023, as well as another veteran Danny Care. Know-how comforts coaches. But there is an opportunity to infuse the team with experience to cheer on more recent faces like Theo Dan, Martin, Chessum and Arundell. Tom Pearson and Tom Willis are two rookies looking to break into the last row payback.
What are the last five's plans?
Courtney Lowes, Tom Curry and Jack Willis need to be as close as possible to winning England 33, leaving little room for a flotilla of hungry long-range paddlers. Even after Sam Underhill returned to Bath, shocking the whole team, fierce competition remains and good players will remain disappointed.
Billy Vunipola has long been slated for the World Championship; Borthwick keeps the 30-year-old close to the group even as he recovers from knee surgery. Vunipola grinned widely as he finally joined the team on Monday.
Steve Borthwick. although England needs more muscle to grow. Tom Willis, outliving Zach Mercer in preseason, seems to confirm this. Willis Jr. has had to deal with heavy traffic during his season at Bordeaux and is more edgy than Alex Dombrandt.
Lewis Ludlam was an outstanding Six Nations player, while Tom Pearson and Ben Earl had great seasons in the Premier League. All of them can move around the back row, which may encourage Borthwick to take one Specialist No. 8 with him. Martin, 22, but belligerent and dominating in contact, can always flanker blind.
Chessum is another person who has been granted patience, earned by the excellent performances of the Six Nations team. However, it works in Johnny Hill and David Ribbans' favor that Maro Itoha probably needs a hefty partner in the second row, especially with England focused on fighting and fighting.
Who will support Jamie George in prostitution?
Speaking of scrimmages and brawls, England are undoubtedly playing green in the middle of the front row. Jamie George, who now has 77 caps, is one of the most important figures given the absence of Luke Cowan-Dickey.
Jack Walker, who is in rehab after suffering a calf injury in the first week of preseason, operated shuttles at Pennyhill Park on Monday. Borthwick did not give Harlequin much action during the Six Nations, with George twice playing the full 80 minutes and twice lasting over 70 minutes. However, the fact that Walker was left around indicates that he is appreciated.
Two newcomers, Jamie Blamir and Theo Dan, are ready to replace George. 25 and 22 years respectively, not a single finished article. Both, however, bring energy and explosive running. Blamir's record of five tries in six caps is a testament to his mobility, and Newcastle Falcon will not be left behind in the intense exchanges.
Dan interned with George at the Saracens, which paid off in the Premier league. the final, when the latter was forced to leave the field after 10 minutes. The presence of veterans like Joe Marler and Dan Cole, with their off-pitch signposts and influence on the pitch, should ensure a solid England squad regardless of inexperienced prostitutes.
Sticking or spinning in midfield? From a quartet of Farrell, Ford, Tuilagi and Slade, England can assemble the front midfield configurations that graced the 2019 FIFA World Cup. Tuilagi was deployed outside of the Ford-Farrell axis at this tournament and also finished 12th in partnership with Slade. England must cover all bases – variety of kicks, passing width and direct kick.
As with a number of positions on the team, Borthwick faces the challenge of sticking with a familiar combination or trying something new. Any Smith-Farrell venture, as one might imagine, would be sidelined after a hasty exit during Six Nations. But it will still be an in-game option.
Otherwise, placing Daly at 13 next to Tuilagi represents something else to defend an opponent. Lawrence had an impressive Six Nations before being defeated by France; a game that England couldn't really benefit from.
Ollie Lawrence was named Man of the Match in England's win over Italy with a score of 31:14. Photo: PA/Adam Davy. center, and the best chance of deploying it there is either outside of the Ford-Farrell double action or in harness with Tuilagi.
To field the latest, Lawrence-Tuilagi system, Borthwick will likely need the help of his soul mate with a wing distributor such as Daly or Malins. Warm-up midfield lineups to be eagerly awaited.
One wing to be played?
Five games and seven months as England manager Borthwick is still figuring out his best side. There is nothing to be ashamed of, and Six Nations has shown that it is dangerous to doubt his choice. Leicester Tigers fans will confirm this with more evidence.
However, we can say with a fair amount of certainty that Steward and Watson are likely to make up two-thirds of England's three favorite defenders, full-backs and one wing. Another wide role will be to balance the back line as a whole.
With a distribution center close to the midfield, England could opt for the dynamism of Arundell or Kokanashigi. The latter seems to have benefited from a lengthy pre-season and looks particularly well prepared. He, like all wingers, will be forced to hunt for touches all over the field.
As said above, placing Malins or Daly as roaming playmakers can benefit more from a back line with direct threats like Tuilagi and Lawrence. Malins and Daley, especially the latter, have an acrimonious relationship with Farrell.
Mae, brilliant in 2020 but quiet since then, is a person who can provide experience. In this respect, the Gloucester player epitomizes the choice headache Borthwick has for the next 12 days or so. Will England return to the future or try to create a new mixture? As a rule, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.
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