SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: England have better wingers than Jonny May and Joe Cokanasiga. So why aren’t we picking them?
- England’s preparations for the World Cup continue to suffer several heavy blows
- Saturday’s game with Fiji is the start of a big fortnight for Steve Borthwick’s side
- They desperately need a win so they go to the tournament with some positivity
England’s World Cup preparations have gone from bad to worse after Thursday’s news that Anthony Watson has been ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury.
The problems keep on coming and there could be more around the corner with a dangerous Fiji side arriving at Twickenham on Saturday and an underwhelming crowd expected.
Watson is one player capable of bringing the pace England desperately need to play with — so to lose him for France is a big blow.
It comes on the back of three poor displays in the warm-up matches we’ve had to date and the suspensions handed out to Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola.
There is not much to be positive about right now, but somehow England need to lift themselves and the nation going into this World Cup.
There is no denying England are in a very tough place, but there is no use in them feeling sorry for themselves. A phrase that my England team would rally around was: ‘England Expects’.
The news Anthony Watson will miss the World Cup with injury is another big blow to England
Major problems keep on coming for head coach Steve Borthwick and his struggling outfit
The World Cup is coming. It is the opportunity of a lifetime. And England still have superb players.
Now is the time to circle the wagons and come out fighting, or more importantly — come out playing. Play the sort of game which will get the fans off their feet.
A lot has happened over the last month. But as difficult as things seem right now, August will be a distant memory if England can beat Argentina. That is how quickly momentum changes in sport.
I cannot remember a bigger opening game for England at a World Cup. A win against Argentina right now would be some accomplishment. If they win, they’re at the races. Lose and they face oblivion at the hands of the Japanese. Fiji represent the start of a huge fortnight.
Fiji are a very dangerous team. They perhaps lack a bit of structure, but their attacking game is a big weapon for them and they have the potential to cause England all sorts of problems.
Twickenham is unlikely to be sold out for the match with an attendance in the region of 50,000 expected. That must be a huge concern to English rugby and the bosses at the RFU.
I could have never imagined England not playing in front of close to a full house.
The big question is why?
I’m sure the country’s cost of living crisis and Saturday’s train strikes are contributing factors, but it is still a sorry reflection of how England have played over the last four years. This is proven by the fact that Twickenham will be sold out for New Zealand against South Africa on Friday . People are still willing to part with their hard-earned cash to watch teams like that.
The England side went backwards under Eddie Jones after the 2019 World Cup final defeat by South Africa and Steve Borthwick has not been able to resurrect things. Not yet, anyway.
I read with interest the statistics about England in Mail Sport at the start of this week. Unfortunately, they showed England to be top of all the areas you don’t want to be! They paint a plain picture of playing too slowly and kicking too much.
Fans might tolerate that if the team are winning. But if you couple boring rugby with defeats, then it’s a nightmare combination.
With Watson and Elliot Daly — who is also a World Cup injury doubt — out of the Fiji game as well as Farrell and Vunipola, Jonny May has been brought in to start on the wing.
May and Joe Cokanasiga have joined the squad after injuries to Watson, Daly and Henry Arundell but I’m surprised by that as I think England have better wingers.
Ollie Hassell-Collins, Adam Radwan and Cadan Murley must surely be disappointed not to be getting an opportunity.
Jonny May (left) and Joe Cokanasiga (right) have joined the squad after injuries to Watson, Daly and Henry Arundell but I’m surprised by that as I think England have better wingers
England desperately need to beat Fiji to gain some momentum heading into the World Cup
England keep picking guys who have been around for a long time. With the exception of Freddie Steward, no player has really broken through as a nailed-on starter since the last World Cup.
The lack of options at scrum-half has been concerning for a long time and even Marcus Smith now looks a long way from starting. That is a big disappointment.
Any team would run England close at the moment and I expect Fiji to cause Borthwick and his players a fright. England could badly do with a win to at least go to France with some momentum behind them and I’m looking forward to seeing Alex Mitchell at scrum-half.
Skipper Courtney Lawes will play his 100th game, which is a great milestone for a great player. Hopefully, he will have a game to remember and England can turn a corner.
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