England World Cup Squad

[TRF_Olyy]

First training squad is up!

28 players, does not include any from the Premiership semi-finals

Forwards
Jamie Blamire
Alex Dombrandt
Tom Dunn
Charlie Ewels
Ellis Genge
Ted Hill (Bath Rugby)
Joe Marler
Zach Mercer (Montpellier Hérault Rugby)
Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)
Tom Pearson (London Irish)
Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester Rugby)
Kyle Sinckler
Will Stuart
Sam Underhill
Jack Walker (Harlequins)

Backs
Henry Arundell
Danny Care
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby)
Ollie Hassell-Collins
Will Joseph (London Irish)
Ollie Lawrence
Joe Marchant
Jonny May
Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
Harry Randall
Henry Slade
Marcus Smith
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)

RFU

www.englandrugby.com

 

[BPM]

Some surprises there! Marler and Will Joseph are both interesting calls (and good surprises). Good VRR is back too.

I flipping knew Ewels would be back

 

[TRF_Olyy]

By position:
Loosehead (4): Genge, Obano, VRR, Marler
Hooker (3): Blamire, Dunn, Walker
Tighthead (2): Stuart, Sinckler
Lock (1): Ewels
Falnkers (3): Hill, Pearson, Underhill
No. 8 (2): Dombrandt, Mercer
Scrumhalf (3): Care, Randall, Spencer
Flyhalf (1): Smith
Centre (4): Joseph, Lawrence, Marchent, Slade
Back three (4): Arundell, Cokanasiga, May, Murley


Weird makeup of the squad, but I guess a lot of players missing from the semifinalists and this'll probably be fitness testing as much as anything else - Hill being looked at as a lock/6 hybrid? VRR looked at as a 1/3 hybrid? (hope not, but that's how EJ saw him for some reason)

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Weirdly Quins put up a post that congratulated Launchbury on his inclusion as one of 7 from Quins, and immediately deleted it?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Weirdly Quins put up a post that congratulated Launchbury on his inclusion as one of 7 from Quins, and immediately deleted it?

That is weird - also odd that it was said last week it was going to be a 30man squad and now it's 28 - wonder if they've got some walking wounded that they're including as trainers but not official call ups?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Notable omissions:
- McGuigan
- Launchbury
- Rogerson
- Simmonds

Pleasantly surprised to see Marler and Rapava-Ruskin in there. As much as I don't love some of his exploits Marler is probably our best loosehead when he actually makes himself available. Good to see that the rumoured beef between Borthwick and VRR was likely false.

McGuigan not being included is odd. Would take him above all 3 hookers selected.

No Launchbury is disappointing. Think he could have made a late push for the squad. I'm no fan of Ewels but ultimately with so many locks unavailable I guess it makes some sense to see where he's at post-injury. Would hope he doesn't go much further than this squad though.

No Simmonds makes sense really. Surprised that Rogerson hasn't been included for this squad after the media noise around him the last couple of weeks. Very happy to see that Underhill is available.

After that it's all more or less as expected really. Would have liked to see S. Atkinson ahead of W. Joseph as he offers 12 cover and IMO is just a better player, but I don't think either would be anywhere near the 33 so it's a bit irrelevant.

Overall I quite like it, but there are some things I'd change.

 

[Geordie]

What do these coaches all see in Ewels??

Tell you what..that back row alone with out the Semi finalists would be fun.

6 Ted Hill
7 Underhill / Pearson
8 Mercer

 

[Geordie]

Would have liked to see S. Atkinson ahead of W. Joseph as he offers 12 cover and IMO is just a better player, but I don't think either would be anywhere near the 33 so it's a bit irrelevant.

Ive been impressed with Atkinson. Think we've finally got a few young 12's coming through to give us the 12 we've all been crying out for. But i think this world cup might just be a bit early for him.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Ive been impressed with Atkinson. Think we've finally got a few young 12's coming through to give us the 12 we've all been crying out for. But i think this world cup might just be a bit early for him.

Agree it's a bit too early for him, but I'd say it's even earlier for Joseph. Sure Joseph is already capped and has potential but Atkinson looks significantly more developed than him at Prem level.

Edit: or even Ojomoh, for that matter. All 4 of the centres in the squad are 13s, even if Lawrence and Slade can cover 12. Ojomoh or Atkinson over Joseph would have made a lot of sense IMO.

 

[BPM]

Notable omissions:
- McGuigan
- Launchbury
- Rogerson
- Simmonds

Pleasantly surprised to see Marler and Rapava-Ruskin in there. As much as I don't love some of his exploits Marler is probably our best loosehead when he actually makes himself available. Good to see that the rumoured beef between Borthwick and VRR was likely false.

McGuigan not being included is odd. Would take him above all 3 hookers selected.

No Launchbury is disappointing. Think he could have made a late push for the squad. I'm no fan of Ewels but ultimately with so many locks unavailable I guess it makes some sense to see where he's at post-injury. Would hope he doesn't go much further than this squad though.

No Simmonds makes sense really. Surprised that Rogerson hasn't been included for this squad after the media noise around him the last couple of weeks. Very happy to see that Underhill is available.

After that it's all more or less as expected really. Would have liked to see S. Atkinson ahead of W. Joseph as he offers 12 cover and IMO is just a better player, but I don't think either would be anywhere near the 33 so it's a bit irrelevant.

Overall I quite like it, but there are some things I'd change.

Spot on with all of the above.

I wonder whether Launch is carrying a knock and was a last minute withdrawal?

I feel a bit sorry for Rogerson after all of the talk (and the situation with Irish), but a bit like Atkinson, he was always unlikely to get much further than this squad anyway.

 

[Geordie]

Agree it's a bit too early for him, but I'd say it's even earlier for Joseph. Sure Joseph is already capped and has potential but Atkinson looks significantly more developed than him at Prem level.

Edit: or even Ojomoh, for that matter. All 4 of the centres in the squad are 13s, even if Lawrence and Slade can cover 12. Ojomoh or Atkinson over Joseph would have made a lot of sense IMO.

Yeah im with you there.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd have loved to have seen Ojomoh in there but with Manu and Kelly, and maybe Dingwall (and maybe even Lozowski/Porter, who can play there) to be available in the next squad it makes sense to concentrate on 13s/see which can cover 12

 

[Geordie]

i see Sam Simmonds actually ruled himself out of the squad / WC.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

i see Sam Simmonds actually ruled himself out of the squad / WC.

Ties in to what Nowell said about the French clubs offering more money if you're available during the RWC

Will be interesting to see if Ribbans is named in a week or two now...

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Bit more surprised by Simmonds. Nowell had gotten no contact from Borthwick and was never going to make the 33, but I don't think it would've taken a huge amount for Simmonds to take the second 8 slot. Money talks though.

After this I reckon Ribbans won't be available. When the news of his contract came out he was still behind Itoje, Chessum and Isiekwe, and it's not like he's going to have any great allegiance to England. Think he's almost certainly signed a contract that makes him unavailable.

 

[Saintjay]

Spot on with all of the above.

I wonder whether Launch is carrying a knock and was a last minute withdrawal?

I feel a bit sorry for Rogerson after all of the talk (and the situation with Irish), but a bit like Atkinson, he was always unlikely to get much further than this squad anyway.

According to Chris Jones and the Bbc, Launch not considered due to a slight injury.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Forwards
Charlie Ewels

 

[Wasps92]

Delighted to see Underhill in there.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Delighted to see Underhill in there.

Me when I see both Kamikaze Twins fit at the same time

 

[Which Tyler]

Me when I see both Kamikaze Twins fit at the same time

View attachment 16840

Only because he's extending his stay in France.
Otherwise, I'd all 3 of them to fight for their places and push each other on