England World Cup Squad

[Rugbyfan564]

The squad is apparently
Forwards Ellis Genge, Joe Marler, Bevan Rodd, Jamie George, Jack Walker, Theo Dan, Kyle Sinckler, Dan Cole, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, George Martin, David Ribbans, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Tom Curry, Jack Willis, Ben Earl, Billy Vunipola.

Backs Ben Youngs, Danny Care, Jack van Poortvliet, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Marcus Smith, Manu Tuilagi, Ollie Lawrence, Joe Marchant, Anthony Watson, Elliot Daly, Max Malins, Henry Arundell, Freddie Steward

Tom Willis reported to be seen as one of the first in line standby's.

Slade apparently devastated which is the type of reporting someone who is not on standby gets.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Times says Slade out, Marchand in. Arundell and Earl also in,
Dombrandt May and Cokanasiga also out.

England's probable World Cup squad

Forwards E Genge, J Marler, B Rodd, J George, J Walker, T Dan, K Sinckler, D Cole, W Stuart, M Itoje, O Chessum, G Martin, D Ribbans, C Lawes, L Ludlam, T Curry, J Willis, B Earl, B Vunipola.
Backs B Youngs, D Care, J van Poortvliet, O Farrell, G Ford, M Smith, M Tuilagi, O Lawrence, J Marchant, A Watson, E Daly, M Malins, H Arundell, F Steward

Walker, Chessum and Binny all recovering from injury while Arundell is supposed to be a doubt. I'm sure the medics are on top of this, but feels a lot of risk.

Those wing options are horrible and give fuel to the prioritising flexibility argument:

Marchant's a centre who can cover wing.

Daly's a jack of all trades. Decent, but defensively average, on the wing but arguably better at 13. As long as he's not at 15.

Malins is probably better at 15 but just isn't an international quality wing.

Arundell's currently more of a FB.

Watson's the closest we have to an out and out international standard winger and arguably even he's better at 15. Can't even be arsed to make club jokes.

Steward's an out and out 15 who'll probably end up on the wing chasing high kicks.

I know May's best days are behind him but he'll still have the muscle memory of having been one of the world's best wings for a period. Even if his gas is going I can't see too many of the others outgunning him.

 

[Saintjay]

Reported Mako V not recovered from injury so definitely out. Some players not in squad still to be on stand by for calling up for the Fiji game.

 

[LIONSxv]

The squad is apparently
Forwards Ellis Genge, Joe Marler, Bevan Rodd, Jamie George, Jack Walker, Theo Dan, Kyle Sinckler, Dan Cole, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, George Martin, David Ribbans, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Tom Curry, Jack Willis, Ben Earl, Billy Vunipola.

Backs Ben Youngs, Danny Care, Jack van Poortvliet, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Marcus Smith, Manu Tuilagi, Ollie Lawrence, Joe Marchant, Anthony Watson, Elliot Daly, Max Malins, Henry Arundell, Freddie Steward

Tom Willis reported to be seen as one of the first in line standby's.

Slade apparently devastated which is the type of reporting someone who is not on standby gets.

Old, drab and slow. We will be lucky to get out of the group.
Borthwick was a mistake, he was out of depth as a player/captain and is a coach and selector

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Henry Slade set to be biggest omission from England World Cup squad

The England coach Steve Borthwick is set to drop the skilful Exeter centre Henry Slade, with Alex Dombrandt and Tom Willis also likely to miss out

www.theguardian.com

The Grauniad also corroborates the Times article.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

I can't see Slade or May being very interested in being on standby. Often experienced players who have been before are not that keen to be standby options

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Reported Mako V not recovered from injury so definitely out. Some players not in squad still to be on stand by for calling up for the Fiji game.

That should only be for options who have a strong change of being involved for 2027.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Times says Slade out, Marchand in. Arundell and Earl also in,
Dombrandt May and Cokanasiga also out.

England's probable World Cup squad

Forwards E Genge, J Marler, B Rodd, J George, J Walker, T Dan, K Sinckler, D Cole, W Stuart, M Itoje, O Chessum, G Martin, D Ribbans, C Lawes, L Ludlam, T Curry, J Willis, B Earl, B Vunipola.
Backs B Youngs, D Care, J van Poortvliet, O Farrell, G Ford, M Smith, M Tuilagi, O Lawrence, J Marchant, A Watson, E Daly, M Malins, H Arundell, F Steward

No8 is a specialist position. At one point we had 4 of them in the squad.

We're seemingly taking one - whose best years are behind him, is recovering from injury and who'd previously been ditched by Borthwick.

Ludlam, Curry and Earl can all cover to varying degrees but none are specialists.

Whatever.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

No8 is a specialist position. At one point we had 4 of them in the squad.

We're seemingly taking one - whose best years are behind him, is recovering from injury and who'd previously been ditched by Borthwick.

Ludlam, Curry and Earl can all cover to varying degrees but none are specialists.

Whatever.

Tend to agree but given the current situation I could definitely get on board with 6. Lawes 7. Curry 8. Ludlam. Ludlam playing fantastic rugby and has all the attributes necessary for the position. Not like he's a complete stranger to the position either; he played plenty there for Saints this season.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

To bring in Willis and Mercer but end up with a one legged Billy is something that if we'd joked about it 6months ago it would've been seen as too far fetched

 

[Rugbyfan564]

No8 is a specialist position. At one point we had 4 of them in the squad.

We're seemingly taking one - whose best years are behind him, is recovering from injury and who'd previously been ditched by Borthwick.

Ludlam, Curry and Earl can all cover to varying degrees but none are specialists.

Whatever.

I can see at least one of the players being selected but currently still recovering fitness will end up dropping out a
sometime after FijI, Tom Willis specifically being being mentioned as being on standby hints of a obvious feeling of concern about Vunipola,

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Also it's odd optics selecting four players who next season are likely to be ineligible

 

[Geordie]

So a team from that?

1 Genge
2 George
3 Sinkler / Stuart ??
4 Itoje
5 Ribbans / Martin / Chessum)??
6 Lawes
7 Curry
8 Billy V

9 JVP
10 Ford
11 Daly
12 Farrell
13 Manu
14 Watson
15 Steward

 

[Saintjay]

So a team from that?

1 Genge
2 George
3 Sinkler / Stuart ??
4 Itoje
5 Ribbans / Martin / Chessum)??
6 Lawes
7 Curry
8 Billy V

9 JVP
10 Ford
11 Daly
12 Farrell
13 Manu
14 Watson
15 Steward

Probably more Faz, Lawrence, Manu but Ford and Farrell wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Tend to agree but given the current situation I could definitely get on board with 6. Lawes 7. Curry 8. Ludlam. Ludlam playing fantastic rugby and has all the attributes necessary for the position. Not like he's a complete stranger to the position either; he played plenty there for Saints this season.

Fair points. Even so I think it's a very influential position where I much prefer to see an out and out specialist.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Every article I've read says Malians is included in the squad.

Blorp

 

[Lé Ddanno]

I don't understand why No. 8 isn't being seen as a specialist position. We're taking a doubtful at best specialist that only plays one way (and hasn't done that very well since ~2017) and 2 guys that can cover if you close one eye.

 

[Geordie]

I wonder if he just doesn't rate the 8s we have.

It's an odd one though as Both Mercer and Willis have played well in France.

Dombrandt I can understand...i thoght the camp might have helped him but alas he's just poor at this level.

Ludlum may well find himself there...

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Fair points. Even so I think it's a very influential position where I much prefer to see an out and out specialist.

I did not read this before I posted

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Borthwick needed more time away from Eddie.
All these moves just scream Eddie Jones tbh.

Difference is tbh I do think Eddie had a RWC squad in mind roughly, Borthwick doesn't