Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

England could lose Prem's top try scorer to Ireland

George McGuigan of England is tackled during the Quilter Cup match between England and Barbarians at Twickenham Stadium on May 27, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by David Rogers - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Dean Richards has warned England they could lose Newcastle Falcons hooker George McGuigan, the Gallagher Premiership’s top try scorer with 13 this season, as he is also qualified to play for Ireland.

ADVERTISEMENT

McGuigan, a former Ireland Under-20s international who played for England Saxons in 2016, collected another try in the narrow 25-22 European Challenge Cup win over Zebre which set up Friday night’s last 16 home game with Glasgow Warriors. It will be another opportunity for McGuigan to show why he is enjoying an excellent season.

In total, McGuigan has scored a remarkable 15 tries in 22 matches this season yet it is his fellow Falcons hooker Jamie Blamire who has caught Eddie Jones’s attention, winning six caps and collecting six tries.

Video Spacer

Will Skelton on the Ronan O’Gara slap and Australia vs England | Le French Rugby Podcast | Episode 24

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 52:08
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 52:08
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Will Skelton on the Ronan O’Gara slap and Australia vs England | Le French Rugby Podcast | Episode 24

    The guests keep getting bigger, literally, as big Will Skelton joins us to talk Ronan O’Gara v Christophe Urios, the slap, the trilogy against Bordeaux, how he hasn’t heard from the Wallabies despite reports he isn’t being considered for the series against England, life in La Rochelle, who the team jokers are and wait for it… how he’s the smallest of three brothers! Plus, we look ahead to all of the Champions Cup Round of 16 ties and we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week…
    Use the code FRENCHPOD10 at checkout for 10% off any full price item at Meater.com

    Blamire’s absences on test duty have allowed McGuigan to cement his position as the starting hooker at Falcons who are blessed with a number of options in this key position.

    With England heading to Australia for a three test series this summer, Jones has to weigh up the benefits of taking a full-strength squad a year our from the 2023 Rugby World Cup or to give players on the fringes of the squad an opportunity to press their claims ahead of the tournament in France.

    Richards is obviously biased in his verdicts on McGuigan and Blamire but as the most experienced director of rugby in the Premiership, his views carry real weight. He told RugbyPass: “We have said for a long time that George has been outstanding and he is quite pragmatic about it and if Eddie(Jones) doesn’t look at him then it wouldn’t surprise me if Ireland didn’t start looking at him. George is battled hardened and is ready to go, we have previously had enquiries about him (from Ireland) and they will be keeping any eye on him because he is a really good option for any international team.

    Related

    “Both George and Jamie offer a huge amount. Jamie has made a big impact coming off the bench for England and both of them are playing really well.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Richards has also unearthed another impressive forward in back-rower Freddie Lockwood who was the Premiership’s top tackler with 23 in the last round when the Falcons inflicted a defeat on Worcester at Sixways. “He is big raw-boned lad and we are very happy with him,” added Richards. “We have really hot competition in the back row at the club and I am really pleased Freddie has come through and is showing his worth.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Argentina v France | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Men's Match Highlights

    New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Women's Match Highlights

    Tokyo Sungoliath vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    Reds vs Force | Super Rugby W 2025 | Full Match Replay

    Behind the Scenes with the Australian Rugby Sevens Team in Hong Kong | HSBC SVNS Embedded | Episode 9

    The Rise of Kenya | The Report

    New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

    The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    1 Comment
    D
    Dave 1085 days ago

    Next to zero risk of him being capped for Ireland. Nothing to do with skill levels just he plays outside the Irish system and will be doing the same next year. The only exception to this was Johnny Sexton at Racing 92 and he was always coming back to Leinster agreed in advance of him going

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    H
    Head high tackle 2 hours ago
    Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

    I think you have gone in the wrong direction here Nick. I think you need to delve down into the rules etc around Moana Pacifica’s selection policies and then you need to understand that a lot of KIWI BORN rugby players have PI heritage. It appears ok for the 4 home nations to pillage NZ born players constantly without retribution but you want to question whether NZ BORN players should be eligible for NZ? Seems a real agenda in there.

    Go back and look at the actual Aims and agenda for MP becoming a entity and you see lots of things enshrined in policy that you arnt mentioning here. EG there is an allowance for a percentage of MP to be NZ eligible. This was done so MP could actually become competitive. Lets be real. If it wasnt this way then MP would not be competitive.

    There also seems to be some sort of claim ( mainly from the NH ) that NZ is “cashing in” on MP, which , quite frankly is a major error. Are you aware of how much MP costs NZR Financially?

    39 NZ born rugby players played at the last world cup for Samoa or Tonga. PLUS plenty for Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.

    Taumoefolau is a BORN AND BRED NZer. However I very strongly doubt he will be an AB, but who do you believe he should be allowed to play for? Levi Aumua is ALSO a born and bred Kiwi.

    Aumua was eligible to represent Samoa and Fiji for the Pacific Nations Cup in July that year but ended up playing for neither. He IS eligible for his nation of Birth too Nick

    He is a Kiwi. Are you saying an NZ born, raised Kiwi cant play for NZ now?

    Sorry Nick Kiwi born and bred actually qualify for NZ.

    5 Go to comments
    LONG READ
    LONG READ Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules
    Search