Lawes gets my nod but Eddie has a tough call – Dean Richards
FORMER ENGLAND No.8
‘Big boys don't cry' sang Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons (I know it's girls really but just go with it), which is why I'm backing Courtney Lawes starting for England in the World Cup next year, although my preference would be as a lock.
Not many boys come as big and as athletic as Courtney and as I've never seen him take a backward step, and with his reading and presence at the lineout, lock would be my preference. Having said that, England are blessed with exceptional talent in the engine room, with the likes of Maro Itoje, Jonny Hill, Charlie Ewels and Ollie Chessum all staking a claim for the other spot.
Lawes has started 13 Tests since lining up as lock in the 2019 World Cup final, and all of them have been as a flanker, which is obviously Eddie Jones's choice and it may even be that Lawes himself has taken a liking for the back row (it's understandable considering the best position on the field is No.8!). He has captained England seven times in that run of games (five have been wins), and the responsibility seems to sit well with him in terms of his own performance.
Some players thrive when given responsibility, others not so much. Personally, I don't know how I'd have handled it at international level, I was never given the opportunity, but either way, it is a huge honour and anyone given the opportunity would be foolish to turn it down. He certainly seems to have matured with the responsibility and keeps raising the bar time and time again, always seemingly making those crucial interventions.
Who would play alongside him is an interesting choice. Balance is everything and even though the game is changing, with there being more of an athletic requirement in the ‘engine room', there's still room for an old fashioned ‘enforcer', a la Eben Etzebeth, Brodie Retallick or even Paul Willemse in France (the French always seem to go for two of this type
and one invariably gets sent off !). Hill will only get better, Itoje has something to prove this year and with Joe Launchbury getting strapped up and wheeled out and Ewels and Chessum getting exposure, we're in a good place.
However, Jones's attacking philosophy requires physical intimidation in every section of the pack. Billy Vunipola, at 29, has still a number of quality years in him and at the moment would be my starting eight, Tom Curry has gone from strength to strength at seven and has cemented his reputation as one of the best opensides in world rugby much to the annoyance of Sam Underhill who has struggled to string a number of games together, so it really just leaves the six spot. Again, Sam Simmonds seems to have been hard done by, but coming off the bench, he is a game changer. I would have no problems starting
Underhill normally at eight, it's just unfortunate Vunipola is around at the same time as him. So the question has to be, can we accommodate both Vunipola and Underhill at the same time and who else comes into the frame? Alex Dombrandt, Callum Chick, Ruan Ackermann, Lewis Ludlum, Jack Willis and Underhill have all had opportunities over the last few years. But have we got an outand-out six and what is a six?
Have we the mongrel that frightens people, has great hands and carries at six? Is Willis the boy or even Ted Hill from Worcester? So to answer my question, I'll put it another way, it should probably be a horses for courses scenario based upon your opposition.
Against the All Blacks, Australia, Wales, Scotland and possibly Ireland, I'd play Simmonds at six (if our lineout is strong enough to accommodate it) yet against South Africa or France I'd start Willis or Hill with Sam Simmonds to come off the bench. Oh, and against both of these, I'd pick our best scrummaging front row, which goes a little against what I am about to say, but you cannot win a game without a set piece and guaranteed possession. One of the interesting features about the Irish win over the All Blacks other than their outstandingly effective tactics, was the ability for each of their front five forwards to play the ball, whether it be small tips, pushing it across a player or even playing it out the back when asked.
To enable Eddie's game plan to function, holding defences is key and that is where the intimidation comes in, but when the space is on and we need to play around the opposition, who out of the rest of the players has that sleight of hand, the deftest of touches that can make it happen? In the second row, Hill certainly has, although he needs reigning in slightly from a temperament perspective, Itoje can do everything but I haven't seen him pass the ball enough.
From a front row perspective, both leading hookers have that ability, and as for the props, Kyle Sinckler has it in spades and I believe Ellis Genge has it too. One of the pleasing performances of the summer was the way Will Stuart exceeded all expectations. But as I said earlier, in the scrum they need to be able to at least hold their own against the best and dominate the rest.
The Autumn Internationals will give us more clues as to where teams are at. I am a firm believer in taking it one game at a time and England have got Argentina first up, followed by Japan, New Zealand and finally South Africa. Argentina is not going to be easy, presuming they come with a full side, and Japan will challenge our skillset because the tempo of the game will be higher.
That as a build-up leading into the New Zealand game, will be really good because it should prepare us well for what is to come. South Africa have Ireland, France, Italy and then us, so that's a hard set of matches for them as well. Bring on the autumn!
