Injuries disrupt England's November build-up
England's preparations for the opening November Test, due on Sunday week, have been complicated by fitness problems at the very point when Steve Borthwick needs firm answers on selection. Fin Smith, pencilled in as the starting fly-half, has not been able to train because of a calf problem. The two leading midfield contenders for the Australia match, Seb Atkinson and Bernhard Janse van Rensburg, have also been unable to take part this week. Bath flanker Guy Pepper, who limped off against Gloucester last Friday, adds to the sense of gloom.[S1]
The wider picture offers little comfort. Borthwick has at different times been encouraged to build his side around the strongest clubs at Northampton, Bath and Saracens, yet all three lost at the weekend in wet and windy conditions. England also cannot call on the two most lively back-rowers qualified for the country this season, Jack and Tom Willis, because they play their club rugby in France.[S1]
Derby tension adds a squad-management test
Borthwick must additionally handle a growing number of players who are eager to confront Henry Pollock. Ollie Chessum and other Leicester players clashed with the Northampton back-rower during Saturday's East Midlands derby, and their displeasure with their England buddy was considerable. Competitive friction is part of rugby, but a split between club groups inside the national camp would be damaging for the head coach.[S1]
The long view: finding a settled World Cup XV
The central question is how England can win the World Cup next year, which pushes week-to-week contingencies aside in favour of longer-term planning. This next month is effectively Borthwick's last chance to settle on preferred combinations before the tournament. England will want to avoid the disruption that marked their build-up to the last World Cup, when only seven starters survived from the semi-final against South Africa and 10 of the matchday 23 had featured in Eddie Jones's final match against the Springboks less than a year earlier.[S1]
Understand this article deeper
The contrast with 2003 is instructive. Only Josh Lewsey and Trevor Woodman were absent from a Twickenham win over Australia 11 months before that World Cup, and 17 of Sir Clive Woodward's 22-man squad from November 2002 appeared at the tournament. That is why this autumn matters for nailing down positions. Theo Dan, Ben Spencer, Ollie Lawrence, Elliot Daly and Charlie Ewels are out of the picture, while Kepu Tuipulotu, Noah Caluori and Arthur Clark have been called up and Cadan Murley and Ben Curry have won their selection battles against George Hendy and Fitz Harding.[S1]
Tom Pearson has benefited from Chandler Cunningham-South's injury and from Borthwick's current reluctance to call on Max Hicks, Courtney Lawes, Hoskins Sotutu, Ethan Roots or Jack Clement. Jack and Charlie Bracken may also be close. An A international offers encouragement to such players, but those not required at Bagshot this week know they must produce something exceptional. Borthwick needs to decide who fills six, seven, eight, nine, 12 and 13 next year, choosing players who can lift a side that has lost five of its past seven Tests rather than merely promising ones.[S1]
Ideally Borthwick will treat the Australia and Japan weekends as one package, involving all 36 players in training and then picking a 23 for New Zealand that resembles the side he wants for the World Cup knockout rounds. That becomes harder if Smith, Atkinson, Janse van Rensburg and Pepper remain unavailable, though Marcus Smith is back in form and Sale's Joe Marchant offers experience. Gloucester's Will Joseph could answer the midfield question, especially alongside clubmate Atkinson. Archie McParland's alert attacking for Northampton makes him a candidate at scrum-half, and with Maro Itoje, Chessum, George Martin and Alex Coles competing at lock and Pollock, Ben Earl, Tom Curry and Greg Fisilau contesting the back row, England could be well stocked. The time for experimentation, however, is nearly gone.[S1]
