"He needs dropping" - Mike Tindall wants England star removed from the XV for World Cup opener

Friday, 01 September 2023 at 20:01

byRugby Rucker

Mike Tindall is strongly advocating for England to select either Alex Mitchell or Danny Care for their crucial World Cup opener against Argentina, with the belief that their inclusion could spark a much-needed improvement in the team's struggling offense.

“Alex Mitchell did a fantastic job of lifting the pace,” Infinity Sports Travel ambassador Tindall told the PA news agency.

“The pace we play at has become a problem. If you look at every nation around the world now, speed of ball is the key.

“You need fast ball so you play Alex Mitchell or Danny Care with the other one on the bench because you need to keep the tempo that high.

“No disrespect to Ben Youngs, he’s been one of the great servants to English rugby but that’s something he doesn’t do well now.

“He slows the ball down a lot because he’s trying to make decisions. With the type of athletes we have, you want them getting fast ball on the front foot.

“The team since 2019 hasn’t fired in attack. Every game we’ve played since 2020 it’s looked like we’ve tried to beat South Africa in the final again.

“England are at their best when playing high tempo, trusting in their skill set and varying their attack. That’s disappeared over the last couple of years.”

The 100 best rugby players in the world:

With less than a fortnight remaining until the commencement of the Rugby World Cup, the rugby specialists at Telegraph Sport have collaboratively assessed and ranked the top 100 players globally.

Presented below is the comprehensive list, starting from the 100th spot and culminating at the first position.

100. Pierre Schoeman (Scotland)

99. Tommaso Menoncello (Italy)

98. Franco Mostert (South Africa)

97. Paul Alo-Emile (Samoa)

96. Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland)

95 Juan Martín González (Argentina)

94. Jasper Wiese (South Africa)

93. Damian Willemse (South Africa)

92. Mark Telea (New Zealand)

91. Faf de Klerk (South Africa)

90. Handré Pollard (South Africa)

89. James Lowe (Ireland)

88. Jamie Ritchie (Scotland)

87. Paul Willemse (France)

86. Shannon Frizell (New Zealand)

85. Freddie Steward (England)

They wrote: "The best England player to emerge in this four-year cycle, without question. Steward has come a long way from having to ditch a shift in Costa to turn out for Leicester in the Premiership Rugby Cup, to becoming England’s specialist diffuser under the high ball at full-back while hoovering up a number of awards. The potential is enormous, and he should thrive at his first World Cup."

84. Thibaud Flament (France)

83. Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)

82. Matthieu Jalibert (France)

81.. Jac Morgan (Wales)

80 Jack Conan (Ireland)

79. Danilo Fischetti (Italy)

78. Ange Capuozzo (Italy)

77. Sam Whitelock (New Zealand)

76. Emiliano Boffelli (Argentina)

75. Darcy Graham (Scotland)

74. Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales)

73. Damian McKenzie (New Zealand)

72. Ellis Genge (England)

They wrote: "England have over-relied on his excellent ball-carrying in recent years – having him return kicks against France in 2022 – and his scrummaging, largely very good, can be first-class. Not forgetting his leadership abilities either, held in high regard by this England group as vice-captain."

71. Paolo Garbisi (Italy)

70. Bundee Aki (Ireland)

69. Uini Atonio (France)

68. Mateo Carreras (Argentina)

67. Andrew Porter (Ireland)

66. Peter O’Mahony (Ireland)

65. Ethan de Groot (New Zealand)

64 Anthony Jelonch (France)

63. Owen Farrell (England)

They wrote: "Even if you are someone who has never been fully convinced, it is difficult to argue with Farrell’s placing given the season he has just had – arguably his greatest ever on an individual level, showing an array of fly-half skills that fans might not have realised he possessed. Undeniably, his latest ban has put England in a very awkward spot."

62. Theo McFarland (Samoa)

61. Samisoni Tauke’iaho (New Zealand)

60. Waisea Nayacalevu (Fiji)

59. UJ Seuteni (Samoa)

58. Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)

57. Kurt-Lee Arendse (South Africa)

56. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand)

55. Maro Itoje (England)

They wrote: "One of the game’s great competitors. Detractors might proffer that Itoje’s strengths have been figured out and neutralised by opponents, but he merits a place for his consistency here if nothing else. A born winner, his performances never drop below eight out of ten. In the court of public opinion, he is arguably a victim of his own early-career success."

54. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)

53. Siya Kolisi (South Africa)

52. Codie Taylor (New Zealand)

51. Lu khanyo Am (South Africa)

50. Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)

49. Davit Niniashvili (Georgia)

48. Mack Hansen (Ireland)

47. Taniela Tupou (Australia)

46. Rieko Ioane (New Zealand)

45. Robbie Henshaw (Ireland)

44. Marika Koroibete (Australia)

43. Charles Ollivon (France)

42. Cyril Baille (France)

41. Gabin Villière (France)

40. Jordie Barrett (New Zealand)

39. Richie Mo’unga (New Zealand)

38. Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa)

37. Emmanuel Meafou (Uncapped)

36. Finn Russell (Scotland)

35. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)

34. Josua Tuisova (Fiji)

33. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (New Zealand)

32. Jack Willis (England)

They Wrote: "A lurching rollercoaster of a year has brought Willis to this juncture, where he is the highest-ranked England player on our list. That does not guarantee him a spot in Steve Borthwick’s starting side, of course. Just last autumn, following the demise of Wasps, Willis was battling for a spot in the 23. Moving to Toulouse, where he was integral to a title run, looks to have sharpened his link play to complement elite jackalling skills."

31. Aaron Smith (New Zealand)

30. Scott Barrett (New Zealand)

29. Marcos Kremer (Argentina)

28. Willie le Roux (South Africa)

27. Romain Ntamack (France)

26. Josh van der Flier (Ireland)

25. Frans Malherbe (South Africa)

24. Pablo Matera (Argentina)

23. Julián Montoya (Argentina)

22. Gaël Fickou (France)

21. Garry Ringrose (Ireland)

20. Will Jordan (New Zealand)