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A North vs South trial in English rugby?

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

The Covid-19 outbreak has taken from rugby far more than it has given, but one of the few positives to come out of the pandemic has been the arranging of two “north vs south” trial matches in New Zealand and South Africa.

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Trial matches were a regular occurrence in the sport’s amateur days, though since the inception of professionalism and the burgeoning and ever increasing fixture schedule that modern day rugby players have to endure, they have largely become forgotten, outside of a few isolated incidents.

In New Zealand, this will pitch the best of the north island against the best of its southern counterpart, whilst in South Africa, the pick of the coastal sides, the Stormers and Sharks, will take on a selection from their inland rivals, the Lions and Bulls. They should prove valuable exercises for both Ian Foster and Rassie Erasmus, with the domestic seasons in both countries heavily impacted by the pandemic.

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Given that the Gallagher Premiership is desperately scrambling to finish up the 2019/20 season, with plans to play seven rounds of fixtures in just four weeks, there is no chance of a similar fixture being played in English rugby anytime soon.

That said, what would a trial match look like in England, if it were to go ahead? We have split the country along the M4 and M25, with Exeter Chiefs, Bristol Bears, Bath, London Irish, Harlequins and Saracens making up the southern contingent, whilst Gloucester, Wasps, Northampton Saints, Leicester Tigers, Worcester Warriors and Sale Sharks make up a rather spacious northern region.

Keeping true to the spirit of a trial, we have limited the players available to those with five caps or fewer for England, with head coach Eddie Jones already well aware of what the players with more appearances for him have to offer.

South
Up front, you could well be looking at an all-Bath front row, with Beno Obano, Tom Dunn and Will Stuart providing a particularly effective combination at the set-piece and in the loose. Ralph Adams-Hale and Marcus Street are two young props who have flashed their ability, whilst Will Capon and Harry Thacker are a handful of a one-two punch at Bristol.

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There is less competition at second row, although a pairing of Exeter’s Jonny Hill and Saracens’ Joel Kpoku would be exciting to watch, and the duo of Zach Mercer and Ben Earl would be difficult to displace at No 8 and openside flanker respectively. There is no lack of options at blindside, though, where Tom Ellis, Dave Ewers, Richard Capstick, Jackson Wray, Alex Dombrandt and James Chisholm would all go head-to-head. Good luck picking a standout candidate from that group.

north south rugby
Zach Mercer has just two England caps to date, although his performances at the Premiership and European level have been excellent. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

Ben Spencer would be the obvious choice at scrum-half, though both Jack Maunder and Harry Randall would seem to be dogging his footsteps with their impressive club form. At fly-half, the competition rages between Harlequins star Marcus Smith, Exeter’s composed Sam Simmonds and the surging Callum Sheedy at Bristol. The southern contingent of teams certainly have plenty of talent to pick from in the half-backs.

The midfield riches are not quite as free-flowing, with gifted options, albeit many of whom do not have too much Premiership experience. The Bath pairing of Max Ojomoh and Cameron Redpath are 12s with plenty of potential, whilst one or even both of them could yet find themselves at 13 in the long-term. Harlequins’ Joe Marchant is surely inked into the XV given his play over the last 12 months or so, though Bristol’s Piers O’Conor could and should push him hard for the spot.

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Finally, we come to the back three, an area where the southern side is arguably more well-stocked than at any other position. A fit Nathan Earle would likely head the pack and be joined at full-back by one of Max Malins, Josh Hodge or Tom Parton. This leaves a vacant wing spot to be fought over by Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Gabriel Ibitoye, Cadan Murley, Ollie Hassell-Collins and Rotimi Segun, with London Irish’s Ben Loader perhaps just pipping them all to the spot as currently stands.

South XV
Beno Obano (Bath), Tom Dunn (Bath), Will Stuart (Bath)
Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs), Joel Kpoku (Saracens)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Zach Mercer (Bath), Ben Earl (Bristol Bears)
Ben Spencer (Bath), Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Cameron Redpath (Bath), Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
Ben Loader (London Irish), Max Malins (Bristol Bears), Nathan Earle (Harlequins)

Replacements – Harry Thacker (Bristol Bears), Ralph Adams-Hale (Saracens), Marcus Street (Exeter Chiefs), Elliott Stooke (Bath), Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs), Jack Maunder (Exeter Chiefs), Joe Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Gabriel Ibitoye (Harlequins)

North
With seven of the last nine Premiership campaigns won by a team in what we have dubbed the south, it is understandable that the six teams in the north might struggle to match up to their rivals at certain positions.

Loosehead looks to be a shootout between Val Rapava-Ruskin and Ross Harrison, whilst Joe Heyes and Ehren Painter, two players with exceptional talent, will be jostling it out at tighthead. At hooker, the prodigiously gifted Alfie Barbeary could well be given his opportunity to progress and begin to challenge the likes of Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jamie George.

Options are more abundant in the second row, however, with Ed Slater and Calum Green two players who have been unlucky to miss out on caps in the past, whilst Northampton has become a Mecca for swiftly-rising locks. Nick Isiekwe has joined the East Midlands side on loan and will be taking his place alongside Alex Coles, Alex Moon and David Ribbans in what is a deep and talented group.

north south rugby
A switch to Northampton affords Isiekwe the opportunity to get out of Maro Itoje’s shadow. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

In the back row, Teimana Harrison and Matt Kvesic have played roles for England previously, Ted Hill would be keen to add to his solitary international cap to date and Gloucester’s Ruan Ackermann has now qualified through residency. They will face off against the Willis brothers, Jack and Tom, at Wasps, as well as Sale Sharks’ exceptional openside, Ben Curry.

Alex Mitchell and Dan Robson would contend the starting scrum-half spot, with a three-way fight between James Grayson, Jacob Umaga and Billy Searle for duties at fly-half. Like the front row, the depth of options in the half-backs arguably does not quite match up to those on offer in the south, despite some very talented players being in the mix, nevertheless.

The northern side could steal an advantage in the midfield, though, where they can call upon an array of contrasting and complementary players. The Gloucester duo of Mark Atkinson and Henry Trinder bring experience and no lack of ability, whilst Sale can call upon their own effective pairing in the form of Luke and Sam James. Ryan Mills is finally starting to get the appreciation his performances on the pitch have deserved for a number of years now and he is also joined by an exciting tandem of Fraser Dingwall and Ollie Lawrence.

In the back three, you would be hard-pressed not to go for recent England full-back George Furbank at 15, something which would keep Jason Woodward and Freddie Steward on the sidelines for the time being. Gloucester’s Ollie Thorley would have one wing locked down, leaving the spot opposite open for one of Jordan Olowofela, Ollie Sleightholme or the Wasps duo of Zach Kibirige and Marcus Watson.

North XV
Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester), Alfie Barbeary (Wasps), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Nick Isiekwe (Northampton Saints), Ed Slater (Gloucester)
Jack Willis (Wasps), Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks)
Dan Robson (Wasps), James Grayson (Northampton Saints)
Mark Atkinson (Gloucester), Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors)
Ollie Thorley (Gloucester), George Furbank (Northampton Saints), Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
ReplacementsGabriel Oghre (Wasps), Ross Harrison (Sale Sharks), Ehren Painter (Northampton Saints), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Teimana Harrison (Northampton Saints), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Jacob Umaga (Wasps), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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