Eddie Jones reveals his five ‘most disappointing’ England call-ups

Rugby News
Tuesday, 13 December 2022 at 14:17
screenshot 2022 12 13 at 141630
From Tom Curry and Sam Underhill to Maro Itoje and Ellis Genge - Eddie Jones has been pretty good at calling up the perfect players all over the pitch since taking over as England boss in 2015.
But not all of them came off...
We take a look at some of those players Jones called up since taking over in December 2015, and using the Aussies own words we try to understand why they never established themselves as fans once hoped.

5. Denny Solomona

His England career began with the definition of a ‘bang’ – a dream first run out in the England shirt, he came off the bench to score a last-minute winner in a dramatic 38-34 win against Argentina in San Juan on June 10, 2017.
Jones said: "There’s something about him, he finds the [try] line and you like wingers who find the line. I think he’s got that X factor, whatever you want to call it.”
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However, two months later, Solomona was sent home from England’s training camp in disgrace after returning drunk to the team hotel. The winger would win just three more caps, failing to score in any of them with Jones questioning the speedster's character.
Not what we all expected after a stunning debut.

4. Gary Graham

The powerhouse back-rower had represented the Scotland U20s during the 2012 Six Nations Under-20s Championship and during the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship.
Initially overlooked by the senior Scotland side, Graham received a shock England call up in December 2017, for their Six Nations training squad. He was subsequently named in the English squad for the 2018 Six Nations Championship.
After not winning a cap, the flanker had a change of heart in November 2018 and was called up to the Scotland squad. He was subsequently named in the squad for the 2019 Six Nations Championship and has since won two caps.

3. Jack Clifford

Back in 2015, Eddie Jones tipped the versatile Harlequins back-rower as 'the real deal' and tipped him to captain England at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
However, following years of problems, Clifford was forced to retire at the age of 27 because of injury last August.
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He won 10 international caps after making his England debut in Jones first game in charge against Scotland at Murrayfield in 2016.

2. Ollie Lawrence

Playing for England over 210 minutes in his four caps thus far, Lawrence has made one kick, two passes, nine runs for a total of five metres, and 20 tackles. It's been very disappointing.
Jones said: "It's been disappointing for him and us so far.
"Scotland was a difficult game for Ollie, but he’s a young guy who is learning his trade. This is all part of learning his trade.
It's impossible to deny that his England career so far has been disappointing, with him missing out on the matchday 23 to face Italy being the latest setback.
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1. Danny Cipriani

After being overlooked by Jones years, it was fantastic to see the playmaker recalled in 2018.
The strangest thing about this call-up is that the number 10 was made to play fullback and never looked comfortable. It was if the England boss wanted Cipriani to fail
Jones wrote his autobiography: "When a player consistently does stupid things, you don't expect him to change much. Players make choices and they have to live with the consequences.
“I was willing to see what Cipriani could do – despite often feeling frustrated because even the rugby reporters wanted to talk about him more than any other player.
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“From Danny’s perspective his cause was done more damage when he played for Gloucester against Saracens. It was billed as a showdown between Farrell and Cipriani, but it was no contest. Saracens and Farrell were dominant. It was very disappointing.”

All 76 players Eddie Jones handed an England senior debut to…

From World Cup wonders to one-cap washouts - here is a list of the players:
1374 Jack Clifford (flanker) 2016-02-06 v Scotland at Murrayfield
1375 Paul Hill (prop) 2016-02-14 v Italy at Rome
1376 Maro Itoje (flanker) 2016-02-14 v Italy at Rome
1377 Elliot Daly (centre) 2016-02-27 v Ireland at Twickenham
1378 Teimana Harrison flanker 2016-05-29 v Wales at Twickenham
1379 Ollie Devoto (fly-half) 2016-05-29 v Wales at Twickenham
1380 Ellis Genge (prop) 2016-05-29 v Wales at Twickenham
1381 Tommy Taylor (hooker) 2016-05-29 v Wales at Twickenham
1382 Kyle Sinckler (prop) 2016-11-12 v South Africa at Twickenham
1383 Nathan Hughes (flanker) 2016-11-12 v South Africa at Twickenham
1384 Ben Te'o (centre) 2016-11-12 v South Africa at Twickenham
1385 Charlie Ewels (lock) 2016-11-19 v Fiji at Twickenham
1386 Harry Williams prop 2017-06-10 v Argentina at San Jaun
1387 Mark Wilson flanker 2017-06-10 v Argentina at San Juan
1388 Tom Curry flanker 2017-06-10 v Argentina at San Juan
1389 Alex Lozowski centre 2017-06-10 v Argentina at San Juan
1390 Denny Solomona (winger) 2017-06-10 v Argentina at San Juan
1391 Piers Francis (centre) 2017-06-10 v Argentina at San Juan
1392 Don Armand (flanker) 2017-06-10 v Argentina at San Juan
1393 Jack Maunder (scrum-half) 2017-06-10 v Argentina at San Juan
1394 Will Collier (prop) 2017-06-10 v Argentina at San Juan
1395 Nick Isiekwe (lock) 2017-06-10 v Argentina at San Juan
1396 Sam Underhill flanker 2017-06-17 v Argentina at Santa Fè
1397 Sam Simmonds (flanker) 2017-11-11 v Argentina at Twickenham
1398 Alec Hepburn (prop) 2018-04-02 v Italy at Rome
1399 Brad Shields (lock) 2018-06-09 v South Africa at Johannesburg
1400 Ben Spencer (scrum-half) 2018-06-09 v South Africa at Johannesburg
1401 Ben Moon (prop) 2018-11-03 v South Africa at Twickenham
1402 Zach Mercer (no. 8) 2018-11-03 v South Africa at Twickenham
1403 Joe Cokanasiga winger 2018-11-17 v Japan at Twickenham
1404 Ted Hill (flanker) 2018-11-17 v Japan at Twickenham
1405 Dan Robson (scrum-half) 2019-02-10 v France at Twickenham
1406 Willi Heinz scrum-half 2019-08-11 v Wales at Twickenham
1407 Lewis Ludlam flanker 2019-08-11 v Wales at Twickenham
1408 Jack Singleton (hooker) 2019-08-11 v Wales at Twickenham
1409 Joe Marchant (centre) 2019-08-11 v Wales at Twickenham
1410 Ruaridh McConnochie winger 2019-09-06 v Italy at Newcastle upon Tyne
1411 George Furbank full-back 2020-02-02 v France at Paris
1412 Will Stuart (prop) 2020-02-02 v France at Paris
1413 Ben Earl (flanker) 2020-02-08 v Scotland at Murrayfield
1414 Jonny Hill lock 2020-10-31 v Italy at Rome
1415 Ollie Thorley (wing) 2020-10-31 v Italy at Rome
1416 Ollie Lawrence (centre) 2020-10-31 v Italy at Rome
1417 Tom Dunn (hooker) 2020-10-31 v Italy at Rome
1418 Jack Willis flanker 2020-11-14 v Georgia at Twickenham
1419 Max Malins (full back) 2020-11-14 v Georgia at Twickenham
1420 Beno Obano (prop) 2021-02-13 v Scotland at Twickenham
1421 George Martin (number 8) 2021-03-20 v Ireland at Dublin
1422 Curtis Langdon Hooker 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1423 Joe Heyes Prop 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1424 Josh McNally Lock 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1425 Lewis Ludlow Flanker 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1426 Callum Chick Number 8 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1427 Harry Randall Scrum-half 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1428 Marcus Smith Fly-half 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1429 Freddie Steward Full back 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1430 Jamie Blamire (hooker) 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1431 Trevor Davison (prop) 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1432 Ben Curry (flanker) 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1433 Jacob Umaga (centre) 2021-07-04 v USA at Twickenham
1434 Harry Wells Lock 2021-07-10 v Canada at Twickenham
1435 Alex Dombrandt Number 8 2021-07-10 v Canada at Twickenham
1436 Dan Kelly Centre 2021-07-10 v Canada at Twickenham
1437 Adam Radwan Wing 2021-07-10 v Canada at Twickenham
1438 Mark Atkinson (centre) 2021-11-06 v Tonga at Twickenham
1439 Alex Mitchell (scrum-half) 2021-11-06 v Tonga at Twickenham
1440 Bevan Rodd Prop 2021-11-13 v Australia at Twickenham
1441 Raffi Quirke (scrum-half) 2021-11-13 v Australia at Twickenham
1442 Nic Dolly (hooker) 2021-11-20 v South Africa at Twickenham
1443 Ollie Chessum (Lock) 2022-2-13 v Italy at Rome
1444 Henry Arundell (Wing) 2022-07-02 v Australia at Perth
1445 Jack van Poortvliet (Scrum half) 2022-07-02 v Australia at Perth
1446 Tommy Freeman Wing 2022-07-09 v Australia at Brisbane
1447 Guy Porter Centre 2022-07-09 v Australia at Brisbane
1448 Will Joseph (Centre) 2022-07-09 v Australia at Brisbane
1449 Alex Coles Lock 2022-11-06 v Argentina at Twickenham
1450 David Ribbans (Lock) 2022-11-12 v Japan at Twickenham
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