Pragmatism outgunned idealism as England manager
Martin Johnson named four France-based players in his 32-man
squad for the forthcoming November internationals.
Jonny
Wilkinson (Toulon), Andy Goode (Brive), James
Haskell (Stade Francais) and Steve Thompson
(Brive) were all named by Johnson on Monday, finally ending
speculation that playing in Top 14 would mean an end to your
international career.
Only
Riki Flutey’s injury prevented a fifth player from
France being included, with Johnson accepting that it is an
individual’s form and quality that really counts, not in
which country he is plying his trade.
Wilkinson’s inclusion is no surprise with the England World
Cup winner enjoying the best form of his career since
helping his country to rugby’s summit in 2003. He is
currently the leading scorer in Top 14 and had also been
included in Johnson’s earlier EPS squad – along with Flutey.
Brive’s
Andy Goode was also a logical inclusion given the string of
injuries affecting other possible fly-halves such as Toby
Flood and Danny Cipriani. Goode was involved with England
throughout last season’s Six Nations campaign and offers
Johnson further experience in the crucial No 10 position.
Club
colleague Steve Thompson has also been called up, with the
former World Cup winner clearly having impressed Johnson
with his form this season, despite Brive’s ongoing
struggles.
Thompson, 32, was called up by England during the summer –
when injuries and the British Lions deprived them of many
first-choice players – but his inclusion now hints at a
desire by Johnson to mix youth with experience as he seeks a
path forward.
Haskell’s recall caps an excellent start to
his new season for the former London Wasps flanker. Haskell
has generally earned good reviews for his form since joining
Stade Francais – a move which prompted much hand-wringing at
the time from the RFU.
The
24-year-old has knuckled down and let his rugby do his
talking, with the result that he is now back in the England
squad after a dismal end to last season when he even lost
his club place.
The move
across the Channel has clearly revitalised Haskell, and in
itself shows the folly of suggesting that players not
appearing in the Guinness Premiership will be harming their
international prospects.
But
French club rugby is on the up - as the recent two rounds of
Heineken Cup showed – so why wouldn’t Johnson want to pick
players flourishing in a strong and internationally eclectic
league?
So,
after all the bluff and bluster – most of which emanated
from the mouth of Rob Andrew - it seems that an injury list
from hell has left England with no choice but to broaden
their horizons.
England
play Australia on November 7th, Argentina on November 14th
and New Zealand on November 21st.
England squad:
Forwards:
Steffon Armitage (London
Irish), David Barnes (Bath Rugby), Duncan Bell (Bath Rugby),
Richard Blaze (Leicester Tigers), Steve Borthwick (Saracens,
captain), George Chuter (Leicester Tigers), Jordan Crane
(Leicester Tigers), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Louis
Deacon (Leicester Tigers), Dylan Hartley (Northampton
Saints), James Haskell (Stade Francais), Ben Kay
(Leicester Tigers), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints),
Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers), Tim Payne (London Wasps),
Steve Thompson (CA Brive), David Wilson (Bath Rugby),
Joe Worsley (London Wasps).
Backs:
Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby),
Danny Care (Harlequins), Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks), Ben Foden
(Northampton Saints), Shane Geraghty (Northampton Saints),
Andy Goode (CA Brive), Dan Hipkiss (Leicester
Tigers), Paul Hodgson (London Irish), Ugo Monye
(Harlequins), David Strettle (Harlequins), Mathew Tait (Sale
Sharks), Mike Tindall (Gloucester Rugby), Richard
Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon).
