A bunch of English stars are at Toulon. If I was coach, i wouldn't rule out overseas players.
No, please god no.
If we take a quick look at the Toulon squad's English component I don't see anyone worth a recall.
Jonny Wilkinson: Obviously a legend of the English game etc etc. Admittedly has been in fine form in recent years, since the 2011 World Cup at least, and on a pure skill and form basis was good enough to make the Lions. However he is in his last season of professional rugby and one has to ask if he would do anything more in the England environment than be a much much much better version of Farrell. He strengths are, and always have been, his tactical kicking, goal kicking and defensive play and even though he has become a more rounded player through his career has always been most effective with a top quality 12 (Greenwood or Giteau) outside him to do the attacking. No recall.
Andrew Sheradin: Still a top quality loosie and young enough by prop standards to make it to 2015 (just). Stupidly powerful and experienced, arguably one of the best props in Europe although I am not sure how he is doing under the new laws. IMO the only one of Toulon's English players who could sensibly be recalled, except that we have one of the world's best loose heads playing for us now and two younger, up and coming talents to deputise.
Simon Shaw: Was a world class lock, the last real enforcer England have had and if he hadn't existed in the shadow of Johno for a good chunk of his early career would probably have 100 caps. He is, however, fourty years old and almost certainly in his last professional season.
Delon Armitage:Talented but lacking anything between the ears. A bit of a thug really and when we have a plethora of full backs to chose from anyway there is no need for him to come back and trouble us all.
Steffon Armitage: A lot of people got very angry he wasn't recalled for the South Africa tour, conveniently ignoring the fact he was almost certain to miss the start of it. I've never been convinced he is as good as people say or as fit as people say. Interestingly he is apparently considering a return to the premiership when his contract expires. Could potentially play for England again but I don't think he is special enough for us to pull him back from France.
The other Armitages: I think there are two other brothers, Guy and another younger one who were both at Toulon. I think Guy may be back at Irish permanently now, having been loaned their before, but I am unsure. Either way, not England standard.
None of these players are either essential for England or play in a position we don't already have good, Premiership based options for. If there was an excellent English scum half playing at Toulon that might be different, but there isn't. There is also the wider point that players in the Top 14 have a stupidly bust schedule. The Reunion Rugby Show this week had a piece on the France/All Blacks game where it was rightly pointed out that the French players, owing to the gruelling match schedule in the Top 14, are arriving in camp late, already tired and in many cases injured. Do we want to be flying players in from this kind of environment, especially when Top 14 clubs don't have an obligation to release players as early as Premiership clubs do.
Meanwhile there is a host of talented players, a lot of them young, such as Daly, Watson, JJ, Eastmond, May, Wade, Tait, in the backs alone that we should be exploring. As I've said before, it amazes me that some of these guys aren't being given the recognition for their excellent Premiership form and in some cases, very good showing on the Argentina tour. I know injuries have played a part but can it really be true that with Yarde carrying an injury Lancaster's response was to have Ben Foden run as a winger in training and not call on May or even Watson, who was already in camp to gain experience of the environment? According to the papers yesterday that is exactly what he did.
Rant over.
