A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME
Iam pleased to see both James Haskell and Danny Cipriani have found Premiership clubs in Northampton and Gloucester respectively, to give them the chance of being able to fulfil their England ambitions, even if it may come to nothing.
For Cipriani, his dream is in his own hands because he is in the squad for South Africa and despite the fact that there are four, possibly five other players who can play fly-half, Jones has said he doesn’t see Danny as a ‘bit part’ player – he is either there as first choice or not in the squad.
What that tells me is that Eddie Jones thinks Cipriani is a starter, not as he calls them, a finisher, making Cipriani the favourite to start the first Test. There is no doubt that Cipriani has talent and has had ever since he emerged at Wasps, but that is very different from being an international player as his early exploits on the pitch with England have shown.
One thing is clear, Jones must give Cipriani the chance to prove whether or not he now has the temperament to play to international standard which, as there are only three games, may be difficult.
However, Jones does have the advantage of the Barbarians game two weeks before the first Test and that will give him the chance to give his Test side a run against a side of international quality.
With a number of new combinations potentially in the mix for Test selection, it would make sense to try at least one combination in that game rather than putting out a weaker side with few if any of the touring party. Even if they just play the first half it will give Jones and his coaches a better idea of who is rising to the challenge rather than just what they see on the training pitch.
For Haskell, it is a different matter, which explains to me why he has signed for just one season with Northampton. Jones has given Haskell the worst news a player ever hears and that is you don’t have to tour because we already know your game. That is usually a sign your international career is all but finished.
At this moment Haskell’s ambitions of making the World cup squad and finishing his illustrious career at the end of the season are hanging by a tread.
Not being selected for the squad while a number of young up and coming players are given their chance to make the shirt their own is worrying enough, but the inclusion of the man who is to take Haskell’s place at Wasps, Brad Shields, despite never having played in England, suggests sadly that the end is probably nigh.
It reminds me of when Geoff Cooke told Paul Rendall he didn’t have to tour Argentina as he was the best loose-head prop in the world and then selected three young up-and-coming props to tour with me on the tight-head.
By the end of the tour I knew Paul’s international career was over as the young 22-year-old Jason Leonard, not as good as 36-year-old Rendall, but the best of the bunch and getting better, had made the position his.
Sadly, like Rendall, Haskell has just two hopes of making the World Cup. First is his ability as a utility player could be seen by Jones as covering for any potential injuries in the squad if time doesn’t allow for a replacement to be flown in.
Second, they all fail to impress Jones in South Africa or are injured between now and the World Cup.
Unfortunately for James, the chance of the second option are pretty small so he will have to rely on putting in big game performances for Northampton to ensure that if Jones is looking for a utility back row, he is the one picked.
Why is it that whenever a decision is made by World rugby it appears to be contrived just to save face? When Spain lost the World Cup qualifier to Belgium (under dubious circumstances involving Romanian match officials appointed by FIRA, whose head is Romanian) and Romania were awarded automatic World Cup qualification, it was clear World Rugby would have to act.
First, they opted to replay the disputed game but then also decided to investigate claims of fielding ineligible players during the many games in the long qualifying period, and surprise, surprise, they found that all three teams – Romania, Spain and Belgium – had done just that.
I know I sound rather cynical but I think it is a little convenient that all three countries involved in this affair breeched rules on eligibility, allowing all to effectively be removed from the tournament saving World Rugby from possibly having to single out one country.
“It’s a little convenient that all three countries breeched rules on eligibility”
It makes me wonder, if WR were to investigate all the nations competing in the qualifying matches for the tournament and perhaps those seeded, how many others would also be found to be in breech of fielding ineligible players?
The advance of Russia in taking the last automatic qualification practically ensures Samoa a World Cup spot.
Samoa, ranked 16th in world rugby’s list, now face a two leg play-off against either Germany ranked 28th, who won just two of their eight qualifying games, or Portugal, ranked 23rd, for the final place in Pool A.
None of this really matters in the bigger picture, as I doubt very much that any of these teams will be featuring in the final, even if they survive the pool games.
The best betting sites
