Eddie Jones has revealed his three man shortlist to replace George Ford for this summers tests against Canada and the USA.
Commenting on his three picks, the England head coach commented: “They are all possibly going to have the opportunity to step up to the plate this summer.
“It is the toughest position in world rugby. You have so much pressure, so little time and space, a lot of decisions to make so it’s a fantastic opportunity for one of the young guys to step up.”
Jones added: “We are really keen to bring some younger guys through. It is the right time for us in terms of our World Cup planning.”
#3. Joe Simmonds
- Age: 24
- Club: Exeter Chiefs
Jones has come under fire for consistently ignoring Simmonds, who captained Exeter to a Premiership and European Cup double last season. Name-checking him, his time may finally come this summer.
Like his older brother Sam, Simmonds has come through the Chiefs academy system at Ivybridge Community College – and he’s previously represented England at age group level, including the Under-20s in the Six Nations Championship.
DID YOU KNOW? Simmonds was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to rugby union football
