England Training Squad

[fivepointer]

England head coach Eddie Jones has selected a 34-man training squad to take part in a new year training camp in Brighton for two days from 1 January.

The camp will be used to begin preparations for England’s opening match of the NatWest 6 Nations against Italy on 4 February in Rome.

England training squad for Brighton camp:

Backs

Mike Brown (Harlequins), Nathan Earle (Saracens), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Piers Francis (Northampton Saints), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Marcus Smith (Harlequins) *, Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

Forwards

Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Gary Graham (Newcastle Falcons), James Haskell (Wasps), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby) *, Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Beno Obano (Bath Rugby), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs).

*Apprentice players

Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) will miss the camp for personal reasons.

An England squad for the NatWest 6 Nations tournament will be announced on Thursday 18 January before the squad departs for a week’s training camp in Portugal three days later. England has won the last two tournaments including the Grand Slam in 2016.

[twitchy]

I thought teo was injured?

[Tom Moore]

I thought Graham was Scottish.

[fivepointer]

Te'o is injured and Graham is Scottish but EQ.
Its a bit of an odd squad. One or two surprise omissions (Lozowski, Curry), a recall for Haskell and Graham picked out of the blue.
Te'o and Billy get a call but other injured players like Genge, Hughes and Underhill are ignored.
No LCD and STILL not even a look at a 3rd SH.
At least Sinckler is recalled and i like the Obano inclusion.

[Which Tyler]

I thought Graham was Scottish.

He is - though presumably not tied in, and English enough.
He's also the wrong Falcon's flanker IMO

[Digby]

I thought Graham was Scottish.

He is - though presumably not tied in, and English enough.
He's also the wrong Falcon's flanker IMO

Is he not bigger than Wilson?

[Which Tyler]

England head coach Eddie Jones has selected a 34-man training squad to take part in a new year training camp in Brighton for two days from 1 January.

LHP: Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)
HK: Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby)
THP: Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)
LK: Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
FL: Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), James Haskell (Wasps), Gary Graham (Newcastle Falcons)
N8: Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby)*

SH: Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Danny Care (Harlequins)
FH: George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Marcus Smith (Harlequins)*
CE: Owen Farrell (Saracens), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Piers Francis (Northampton Saints)
WG: Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Nathan Earle (Saracens), Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks)
FB: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)



Obano not ready yet, but it's his first experience, I guess for Eddie to run his eye over him, to train, and to be inspired.
I'd have thought LCD had done enough since his return to make this squad; but then Dunn deserves to keep his spot, and is possibly more to Eddie's taste (workrate), and he's only gone for 3 in each slot.
Now then; what's he playing at with the flankers? Graham is the wrong Falcon's flanker, and Haskell doesn't deserve his recall IMO - Curry and Wilson can be rightly pissed off, and now need to go and prove that they deserve those places.

At some stage, Eddie's going to have to decide on a third choice SH, I really hope that stage isn't whilst out in Japan. Of course, Exeter could help here by playing one of their kids once in a while.

[Scrumhead]

I thought Graham was Scottish.

He is - though presumably not tied in, and English enough.
He's also the wrong Falcon's flanker IMO

I would pick Wilson or Welch ahead of Graham!

That’s not the only odd choice either. Ben Curry must have really pi$$ed on Eddie’s cornflakes. His omission is becoming plain bizarre.

No LCD is criminal given his recent form. While I appreciate Dunn is a very competent workhorse, he has none of LCD’s raw talent.

Pleased to see Obano though. Well deserved IMO.

[Banquo]

as usual slightly odd. Choosing Haskell, no third 9, no Kruis when Lawes isn't there, no LCD, no Lozowski...and Earle.

[Mikey Brown]

Hmm. Not massively inspiring.

[Puja]

Graham ahead of Curry, Wilson, Armand, and Willis (in that order). Utterly bizarre. And the first three behind Haskell too. Not thrilled about Drunkie Dennie, Piers Francis and Nowell have been in poor form, Lozowksi's out for some reason, Te'o is there despite missing most of the 6N, Sinckler is rewarded despite being a colossal pr*ck for Quins vs Ulster... Apart from that and a dozen other issues, I've got no problem with it.

Can anyone work out what order that squad is listed in? Seems utterly random to me.

Puja

[Digby]

Eddie seems fairly sold on the idea we lack fitness and ball skills to actually play any rugby. It's not like he doesn't know what he's talking about, but it's a bit depressing

[Mikey Brown]

Aye. This feels like a massive backwards step.

[Which Tyler]

Quite honestly, I think I'd look at that lot and pick Robshaw, Simmonds and Vunipola to start, and put Mercer on the bench ahead of Graham or Haskell

[Scrumhead]

Same here. I try not to get too bothered about the training squads, but this one has really irritated me.

Perhaps as a 7 myself, I have a greater level of interest in the back row, but this is just a weird selection.

I am trying to console myself with the knowledge that we all lost our $hit over Willi Heinz’s call-up to a training squad which thankfully came to nothing.

[fivepointer]

Yep, it is just a training squad and things will change for the 6N's.

But that Graham selection and the omission of one or two other back rowers just doesnt sit right.......

[Timbo]

So, anyone actually know much about Graham? I have no idea what he plays like, strengths etc?

Anyone know when Tom Curry and Clifford are supposed to be back fit? All being well Underhill hopefully back before 6N’s and Hughes probably miss the first couple of games.

[Mellsblue]

Didn’t we have the same convulsions over the last training squad only for the 6N squad to be relatively sane.

[Digby]

Didn’t we have the same convulsions over the last training squad only for the 6N squad to be relatively sane.

Hartley was in the final squad so it can't have been that sane.

[Epaminondas Pules]

I thought Graham was Scottish.

He is - though presumably not tied in, and English enough.
He's also the wrong Falcon's flanker IMO

I would pick Wilson or Welch ahead of Graham!

That’s not the only odd choice either. Ben Curry must have really pi$$ed on Eddie’s cornflakes. His omission is becoming plain bizarre.

No LCD is criminal given his recent form. While I appreciate Dunn is a very competent workhorse, he has none of LCD’s raw talent.

Pleased to see Obano though. Well deserved IMO.

It’s just a training squad and LCD is only a handful of games back.

[Digby]

It’s just a training squad and LCD is only a handful of games back.

A similar situation coming back from injury for Haskell, Nowell, Te'o, Billy V, the only real difference for LCD being he has played really well since coming back,

[p/d]

Fecking Haskell!!!

No LCD, no Lowoski....pants

Overrated coach

[Digby]

Fecking Haskell!!!

No LCD, no Lowoski....pants

Overrated coach

Inspired by some coming together of port and Monster Inc?

[Mellsblue]

Fecking Haskell!!!

No LCD, no Lowoski....pants

Overrated coach

Inspired by some coming together of port and Monster Inc?

Should’ve hired Mallinder.

[Mellsblue]

Didn’t we have the same convulsions over the last training squad only for the 6N squad to be relatively sane.

Hartley was in the final squad so it can't have been that sane.

The only reason I included ‘relatively’.