Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

England pick Joe Launchbury but there is no call for Manu Tuilagi

(Photo by David Rogers/RFU Collection via Getty Images)

England boss Eddie Jones has recalled fit-again Joe Launchbury to his squad for next Sunday’s round two Guinness Six Nations match away to Italy in Rome, adding that Courtney Lawes has less than a 50 per cent chance of being able to play due to his ongoing concussion issue. There has also been no recall for Manu Tuilagi, who played his first rugby in eleven weeks last Sunday.  

ADVERTISEMENT

The 30-year-old Launchbury earned the last of his 69 England caps in the December 2020 Autumn Nations Cup final versus France. He missed last year’s Six Nations with a stress fracture having been initially chosen in the original England squad for the tournament and he then suffered the complete rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament last April.

Launchbury returned to action in recent weeks with Wasps and has now been called up by England as Lewis Ludlam has a rib cartilage problem and won’t be fit to face Italy having started last Saturday versus Scotland. 

Video Spacer

Facing Goliath | A story following Italy as they take on the mighty All Blacks | A Rugby Originals Documentary

Video Spacer

Facing Goliath | A story following Italy as they take on the mighty All Blacks | A Rugby Originals Documentary

Jones has yet to confirm the full make-up of his England squad to face the Italians as he was waiting on the completion of covid and medical tests after the players assembled at Pennyhill Park on Tuesday, but there was no Six Nations recall for Tuilagi. 

“Just in terms of the squad we will update it fully post the medicals, the players are all coming in now given all the covid regulations etc. But just to give you one update, Joe Launchbury will come in for Lewis Ludlam who has a rib injury and will be out for the next couple of weeks,” said Jones. 

Related

“Lewis has got a bit of a rib cartilage injury and all things being equal he will be a reasonable chance to play against Wales,” explained the coach about his injured forward. Regarding the called-up Launchbury, he added: “Joe is a good Test lock. He is an outstanding mauler, he is a guy that is tough around the one-pass play around the ruck and he brings a lot of experience. At the moment experience is not something we have got a lot of.” 

Injured when scoring an England try versus South Africa in November, Tuilagi played his first match since then when appearing off the bench last Sunday for the closing 30 minutes of Sale’s Gallagher Premiership win at Harlequins. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Sale boss Alex Sanderson suggested in the aftermath that his player could perhaps do with some additional game time for his club before getting recalled to the England set-up. “Manu came through well but obviously playing in a fully-loaded international match from the start needs building up to,” he said. 

On Tuilagi, Jones said on Tuesday: “We will continue to monitor his progress, continue to talk to Sale about how his training volume, his training load is going. We have got to be cognizant of the fact that he is a player over 30 now and we need him to get a bit more game time, a bit more training into him.”  

Asked about the chances of Lawes being involved versus Italy, Jones continued: “Outside at this stage. He is progressing nicely, he has started lifting and running but with all these sorts of injuries the most important thing is the welfare of Courtney and unless he is able to train fully tomorrow [Wednesday] then the likelihood is being fit for Italy is less than 50 power cent.”  

Reflecting on the 20-17 round one loss at Murrayfield, Jones added: “We’re disappointed by the result against Scotland, particularly given the way we played in the first 60 minutes of the game but we have drawn a line in the sand on that and we have moved onto Italy and our aim is to make sure we light up Rome this week with a really good, energetic purposeful performance to build on what we did against Scotland.”

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

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
LONG READ
LONG READ “He’s given Connacht everything” – Bundee Aki’s future, and an exciting tactical innovation “He’s given Connacht everything” – Bundee Aki’s future, and an exciting tactical innovation
Search