England bring in new hooker Singleton for Boks tour

After Schalk Brits’ surprise call-up to the Springboks squad, England themselves have made an addition to their squad at hooker.

Worcester Warriors’ Jack Singleton will join Eddie Jones’ squad on Monday as England’s third hooker to cover Luke Cowan-Dickie.

Singleton is called up as a precaution after the Exeter man experienced hamstring tightness following the first Test in Johannesburg.

? Good luck to @JackSingleton14 who has been called up to the England squad as cover. pic.twitter.com/uzJbDpjzU3

— Worcester Warriors (@WorcsWarriors) June 11, 2018

England lost the first Test 42-39 and the next match takes place in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

England are on a four-Test losing run, five matches if you include their defeat to the Barbarians.

Singleton started for England in their 63-45 defeat to the Baa-Baas at Twickenham, but is yet to earn a full Test cap. He also toured with Eddie Jones’ side to Argentina last summer.

Welcome to South Africa Jack ??@WorcsWarriors hooker @JackSingleton14 called up to England squad as cover for @1_Dickie ?

? https://t.co/b2ADDlF5LZ pic.twitter.com/FCUbk0vkWT

— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) June 11, 2018

World Cup winning head coach Clive Woodward told the BBC on Sunday that 2018 had been a “horror show”.

Meanwhile the new World Rugby rankings were released on Monday and it’s not good news for England.

Eddie Jones’ stated goal for the England was to be the number one Test side by the time the 2019 World Cup came along, instead they’ve dropped to fourth, for the first time in two years.

Things looked promising when England raced to an early 24-3 lead in Johannesburg against the Springboks, but they ended up losing 42-39 to slip to their fourth Test defeat in a row (the loss to the Barbarians is not counted).

Australia are the team to leapfrog England, into third following their 18-9 win over Grand Slam champions Ireland, who remain in second despite the defeat in Brisbane.

And England will have to look over their shoulders as Wales are breathing down their necks too, a win of greater than 20-10 over Argentina in San Juan would have seen Warren Gatland’s side go ahead of England, but instead they trail by a mere six-hundredths of a point.