LIST: Five players who won't play for England again

Rugby News
Saturday, 09 April 2022 at 13:22
photocentric vs youtube thumbnail coffee vs tea 2022 04 09t132116842 1
Head coach Eddie Jones is set to refresh England's squad as his attention turns towards the 2023 World Cup in France.
England endured another miserable Six Nations, winning two of their five games against Italy and Wales.
"We need to, in a lot of ways, refresh the team as we refresh the coaching staff," he explained.
"At the end of the Lions tour you almost draw a line in the sand about now selecting for the World Cup. Good experienced players will be kept and we'll bring some fresh talent in."
Below we look at five players Jones has hinted won't play for England again.

#1. Jonathan Joseph

  • Age: 30
  • Caps: 51
2262250
No doubt talks over Joseph’s potentially moving to France with The Rugby Paper reporting that he could join Toulon have arisen with the centre’s England career seemingly over having been dropped for the 2021 Guinness Six Nations. Joseph last played for England in November in the Autumn Nations Cup win over Wales in Llanelli.
Joseph's England axing led to an unfortunate series of events that saw the centre, along with Bath lock Elliott Stooke and Wasps' Gabriel Oghre caught breaking national Covid-19 lockdown rules, leading to them all being banned.
Potential replacement: Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors), Joe Marchant (Harlequins), Piers O'Conor (Bristol Bears)

#2. George Ford

  • Age: 29
  • Caps: 76
Ford has been a mainstay in Eddie Jones’ England teams since the Australian took over as head coach in 2016 and has already won 77 caps for his country at the age of 28.
2406483 1
Leicester Tigers player George Ford (c) during the Gallagher Premiership rugby game between Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Nov 5th - PHOTO: Steve Bond/PPAUK
The Leicester Tigers fly-half has mostly played with Owen Farrell outside him at 12, although he has been dropped to the bench on occasion to allow Farrell to slot into the 10 jersey.
Marcus Smith has long been backed as England’s long-term solution at fly-half, and should that prove to be the case, Ford may find game time hard to come by.
Potential replacements: Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Jacob Umaga (Wasps)

#3. Jonny May

  • Age: 31
  • Caps: 70
2267561
May has underwhelmed since rejoining the Cherry & Whites while the likes of Adam Radwan and Ollie Hassell-Collins have stood out for their respective teams. Newcastle flyer Radwan, who was the top-scorer in the Championship last season, put the England winger on his ass twice as the two went head-to-head at Kingston Park earlier this season.
It's, unfortunately, starting to look like May is on a downward slide after reaching his peak around 2018.
Potential replacements: Adams Radwan (Newcastle Falcons), Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish), Ollie Thorley (Gloucester)

#4. Dan Robson

  • Age: 29
  • Caps: 12
gettyimages 861022546
Frustratingly, Robson has never got the run in the team that his form in recent seasons deserved - and it now seems that his time has passed him by. With Ben Youngs still very much first choice, Jones seems keen to give a younger playmaker an opportunity which could very well lead to Robson being left in the cold.
Possible replacements: Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Ben Spencer (Bath)

CONTINUES ON PAGE 5

#5. Billy Vunipola

  • Age: 28
  • Caps: 60
1995654
Certainly past his best, the England head coach has hinted that the number 8 will have to earn his place to play for England again. Alex Dombrandt looks primed to get a chance this summer with Sam Simmonds set to enter the fray in the Autumn following the Lions series against South Africa.
Replacements: Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)

EDITORS PICKS:

loading

Loading