England's direction needs a re-think

England’s direction needs a re-think

England’s selection headaches are giving me a headache; and not only the conundrum that is the No. 10 jersey. 

All across the squad there are players that I never thought would be given places in the English team.  After the New Zealand debacle last year, despite the two big losses, I thought that the team might be going in the right direction; blooding talented young players like Danny Care, Topsy Ojo, and David Paice.  However, with Martin Johnson taking control, we have seen the re-inclusion of Andy Goode, Mark Cueto, and recently, Joe Worsley.

Now, some of these players deserve their call-ups and have performed well, but surely this isn’t the direction that England needs to be taking towards 2011?

There are plenty of players that are hanging around the Saxons squad and the reserves of the EPS that are stars at the club and European Cup level.  Many of them haven’t even been given a chance, or if they have, haven’t been given time to prove themselves. 

Johnson has given plenty of time to Riki Flutey (and that faith is starting to be repaid), yet a player like Shane Geraghty made one mistake and has been kept out ever since.

Martin Johnson’s England team is full of youth, but by the time 2011 comes around, it should be full of experience. He must start blooding players like flank Chris Robshaw and lock Alex Brown particularly. 

Robshaw has been outstanding for Harlequins this season and it’s about time that he gets a call from England.  His performances against Stade Francais along with Nick Easter were examples of his ability to play with the best players in the world.  Brown has been flying under the radar for Gloucester this year, and is strongly deserving of recognition.

Elsewhere, in the backs, young superstars Toby Flood and Geraghty are equally adept at both 10 and 12 and the inclusion of both of them along with Matt Banahan would increase England’s ability to play a varied, attacking style of rugby. 

By selecting players who do not appear to figure in 2011, Johnson is only setting his squad back.  The longer that his squad has to gel as a unit, the stronger that it will be both short and long term. 

And really, who in the England set-up would be upset over a few more marks in the win column?

by Andrew Shaw