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England name official 31-man Rugby World Cup squad

12 Aug 2019

Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and Henry Slade have all been key for England so far, but will they still be there in 2023?

Eddie Jones has named England’s official 31-man Rugby World Squad that will contest the sport’s flagship tournament in Japan next month.

Owen Farrell will captain England in his second Rugby World Cup. The squad of 31 players have over 1,000 caps with 17 having played in at least one of the previous Rugby World Cups.

The 2019 edition of the tournament will be the third for Dan Cole, Courtney Lawes and Ben Youngs. Cole and Youngs are the most capped in the squad (86).

After an impressive first season in the Premiership, having converted to the XVs game from sevens, Ruaridh McConnochie is the only uncapped player named.

Following their first caps against Wales on Sunday, which saw England win 33-19 at Twickenham, Lewis Ludlam, Jack Singleton and Willi Heinz are also included.

Every journey starts somewhere ?
Here is your 31-man England squad for Japan ?
? https://t.co/iDqmKi3LQX pic.twitter.com/C2MDfA3iPI
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) August 12, 2019

However, Ben Te’o has been overlooked in a shock omission. The midfielder has lost out to Francis among the four centres bound for Japan 2019 despite being an ever-present under Jones when available.

The 32-year-old was involved in a scuffle with Mike Brown during a social event at the squad’s training camp in Treviso a fortnight ago. Jones stated over the weekend that Te’o was still in World Cup contention but the Australian has chosen to leave him out.

Jones has gambled by taking only two scrum-halves with Heinz providing cover for Ben Youngs, who is first choice in the position. The decision to pick just five props means Harry Williams misses out, with Kyle Sinckler and Cole travelling as the two tightheads. Brad Shields will also miss out as he continues his rehabilitation from the foot injury incurred in Treviso.

A fully-loaded Wales side failed to conquer an inexperienced England unit, but @OwainJTJones believes there were crumbs of comfort ahead of next Saturday's Cardiff rematchhttps://t.co/X2syFLCdKD
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 12, 2019

Jones said: “Today is another step in the progress towards the Rugby World Cup. We have taken the decision to go early because of what we learned from previous campaigns. We want the squad to know early and now we can get on and be the best prepared England side there has ever been, ready to win the World Cup.”

On the players not selected Jones added: “A lot of good players have missed out, we feel for them, I feel for them personally. But as we know the World Cup is an incredible tournament where opportunities can present themselves and all those players who have missed out have been told they have to be ready.”

England have three matches against Wales (August 17), Ireland (August 24) and Italy (September 6) before the tournament starts. Jones said of their importance: “Every game is an opportunity to improve our game fitness, our team cohesion, and our tactical adaptability. Each game for us will have a specific purpose.”

Your 31-man England squad for #RWC2019 ?
? https://t.co/iDqmKi3LQX #CarryThemHome pic.twitter.com/NJUrcQGnzj
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) August 12, 2019

To mark the squad announcement, a special video has been released to celebrate the players’ journey from community club and junior school rugby to their selection in England’s Rugby World Cup squad.

“The base of our game has always been the grassroots clubs,” said Jones. “Your first club and your first coach is such an important experience for you. It dictates how you approach the game and the spirit and the values you play with. To all the people that have helped the players get here, we have the greatest amount of thanks for all of you.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1BxzxYA3Bv/

The squad will visit Blaise High School (formerly Henbury School) in Bristol on Monday afternoon to speak to media. The school has been involved in the RFU’s All Schools programme since 2012. Over 50 boys and girls involved in rugby programmes at the school and Clifton Rugby Club, which is linked to the school, will take part in rugby sessions involving the players and coaches.

England will begin their Rugby World Cup campaign in Japan against Tonga in Sapporo (September 22, KO 11:15am UK time) before playing USA Rugby in Kobe (September 26, KO 11:45am UK time), Argentina in Tokyo (October 5, KO 09:00am UK time) and France in Yokohama (October 12, KO 09:15am UK time)

England’s official Rugby World Cup squad

Forwards

Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 86 caps) **

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps)

Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 11 caps)

Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 10 caps)

Jamie George (Saracens, 37 caps) *

Maro Itoje (Saracens, 27 caps)

George Kruis (Saracens, 32 caps) *

Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 59 caps) *

Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 72 caps) **

Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)

Joe Marler (Harlequins, 58 caps) *

Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 22 caps)

Jack Singleton (Saracens, 1 cap)

Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 9 caps)

Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 42 caps) *

Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 53 caps) *

Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons/Sale Sharks, 13 caps)

Backs

Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 5 caps)

Elliot Daly (Saracens, 31 caps)

Owen Farrell (Saracens, 70 caps) *

George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 56 caps) *

Piers Francis (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)

Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap)

Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 41 caps) *

Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 45 caps) *

Ruaridh McConnochie (Bath Rugby, uncapped)

Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 33 caps) *

Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 22 caps) *

Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 33 caps) *

Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 34 caps) *

Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 86 caps) **

* number of Rugby World Cup tournaments played

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Comments on RugbyPass

RedWarriors 3 minutes ago

Andy Farrell confirms Lions coaching team

This Lions tour is having a serious impact on Ireland. Gatland started the tradition of taking a long sabbatical including missing a 6N. Now Ireland have 3 senior coaches tied up in a summer where Ireland needs to start blooding new players.

I understand the Lions tour is a cash cow for the sport but as an Ireland supporter I am not seeing much benefit here and I don’t have that much loyalty for that team.

I would much prefer if the focus was on boosting and finding revenue in Tier 2 rugby. For the Lions side that means Rugby Europe teams.

Soccer is bigger than Rugby in SA. Yet SA soccer is ranked in the 50s globally. SA rugby has won most RWCs. And two teams have won 7 put of 10 RWCs. This is Mickey Mouse stuff.

There is a bank of 20 ish nations that with focus and investment can jump up and be competitive with Tier1s. That should be the focus. World Rugby history is Tier1A nations fighting over World Cup

bragging rights oblivious to great rugby nations like Romania being decimated. Enough.

2 Go to comments

Spew_81 10 minutes ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

If you’re All Blacks centric then you’d want an another test against the Wallabies. I don’t see how it’s setting the All Blacks up to fail.

Turning a Super Rugby game into a test is a pretty good way of making money which the NZRU needs.

I don’t think there will be an ANZAC test until the money is right for the NZRU.

22 Go to comments

Spew_81 29 minutes ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

That would be cool too.

22 Go to comments

RedWarriors 32 minutes ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

In 1999 and 2007 NZ didn’t bother to look at France and use some of their prep to nullify them. We saw the results. But since 2015 they have picked one team apart from SA to cover. In 2019 and 2023 that was Ireland (They should have picked England in 2019).

In 2027 it will be France. 100%. If NZ focus from a long way out even without a vintage team, they can pull off a one off win. France should not show their hand.

50 Go to comments

BC 40 minutes ago

Evie Gallagher to miss Scotland's Six Nations trip to France

But Georgia Evans has got away with her high shot whereas Gallagher was hard done by to even get a yellow card.

2 Go to comments

RedWarriors 56 minutes ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

To trust a weapon you have to create it. Where was the NZ drop goal weapon versus France in 2007? Pressure is exacerbated by the unknown. Pressure didn’t beat NZ in 1999. Not doing their homework on Dominici and co. did. You hold 3 in the back field, you win. As Australia did in the final.Any team in the 6 nations could have told NZ the dabger from French kicking. NZ thought they could outscore France playing any way. They couldn’t. I don’t know if that was arrogance or ignorance. Australia made teh same mistake with France way back in 1987. Choking didn’t lose that match. Lack of prep did. Same as 2007. I think, 2003 was pressure and the Aussies did know which buttons to press. 1991 in Dublin, Aussies were better.

50 Go to comments

RedWarriors 59 minutes ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Falsely accusing a team/rugby nation of arrogance just because they beat you is not respect. Sure NZ took us more seriously as an opponent. But that’s not respect. I don’t see how showing NZ how to beat them helps France at all.

50 Go to comments

RedWarriors 1 hour ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

“….after hyping themselves up for about a year and a half”

You see, this is the disrespect I am talking about. NZ immediately started this character assasination on Irish rugby after the series win “about a year and a half” before the RWC. We win in NZ and suddenly we are arrogant. Do you consider this respectful?

And please substantiate Ireland talking themselves up comment: for every supposed instance of this there is surely 100x examples of NZ talking themselves up?

We were ranked 1, but that’s not talking ourselves up. We were playing good rugby.

Re the QF: that was a one score match: if you say we ‘choked’ you are really saying that Ireland were the better team but pressure got to them on the day? That is demeaning to your own team and another example of disrespect to Ireland.

New Zealand:

-NZ’s year long prep included a wall defence that Ireland had not seen until the match.

-Insights on all players strenghts and weaknesses. The scrum coach said that he had communicated several times with Barnes about Porter. He also noted when Barnes was looking at Porter he was NOT looking at the NZ front row.

-A favourable draw meaning NZ would play Ireland in a QF, where Ireland would not have a knock out win under their belt.

-A (another) favourable scheduling meant that NZ could focus on the QF literally after the France match and focus on Ireland after they beat SA in the pool.

Ireland:

-Unfavourable draw: have to play the triple world cup champions with players having multi RWC knock out match winning caps in the QF, when Ireland DONT want to play a top 4 team.

-Unfavourable schedule: Have to play world no 5 Scotland 6-7 days before the quarter. Have to prepare for this which compares unfavourably with NZs schedule (Uruguay 9 days before QF). Both wingers get injured with no time to recover.

-Match: went 13-0 down but came back. Try held up brilliantly by Barrett and last play of the match saw Ireland move from their own 10 metre line to 10 metres from the NZ line.

Jordan himself said that the NZ line was retreating and someone needed to do something which was Whitelock.

Ireland died with their boots on. You saw the reaction from NZ after the whistle. Claiming Ireland choked is disrespectful to NZ and to a great rugby match. It is also indicative of the disrespect shown by NZ and fans to Ireland since 2022. We saw it in some NZ players having a go at Irish players and supporters after the whistle. Is that respect?

50 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

A lot of inaccuracies in this article.

Using Galthie’s maths and extrapolating the numbers, going to NZ would put Cros at 1700 minutes, Antonio at 1300, and LBB at 2200. 2200 is a perfectly fine number for a back to be at considering it’s what Marcus Smith and Freeman will do/did, while Itoje had 2500 minutes last season.

50 Go to comments

RedWarriors 1 hour ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

We were called ‘Arrogant’ by media and players. Same as England were when they won in 2002.

50 Go to comments

RedWarriors 1 hour ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Could you do us the favour of actually supplying real information instead of retracted hearsay? Etzebeth retracted that comment. His first language is not English, took the phrase ‘see You in The final’ literally rather than metaphorically as any first language English speaker would. He initially amended his claim that 12-13 players had said it down to 1-2. Between the tests in November, he retracted it completely, saying he misunderstood (Im guessing after talking with Tadhg Beirne, who he respects).

Is your first language English? Yes? Then cop on.

Immediately after the series win, a lot of claims of ‘arrogance’ started emanating from NZ media and behind the scenes from NZ players. You do not get respect for beating NZ. You get the opposite. The big countries are suppose to set the example. Attempting to character assassinate an improving nation is not such an example.

50 Go to comments

RedWarriors 1 hour ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

France were inaugural finalists. They beat NZ in ‘99 and ‘07. Apart from Australia in 1991 no team has ever beaten NZ and gone on to win the tournament. England pulled out the match of the tournament in 2003 to beat France in a brilliant semi. They are playing in a tournament where the draw and scheduling consistently favours traditional incumbant teams like England and New Zealand. Last RWC where they had a team worthy of winning a RWC they were drawn to play a top 2 team, the then reigning champions in the Quarter Final. If SA would have chosen which knock out match to play France they would have bit hands off for QF. SA had 100s of RWC knock out winning caps in their squad. France had zero.

So before all the theorizing on France’s failures lets try to have a fair draw and scheduling and an even playing field. Making 3 finals and knocking NZ out twice is not bad when you are constantly made play against the wind.

50 Go to comments

SadersMan 1 hour ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Well, compared to the domestic SOO, there are plenty. Also, I’m not talking about the Wallabies, I’m clearly ABs centric. I see zero upside to setting up the ABs to fail & degrading SRP (again). A dead duck for me.

22 Go to comments

Nickers 1 hour ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

They should make it an U23 match, or invitational like the Barbarians. Australia as the underdog seems to have a lot to gain from this, not so much for the ABs or the SR teams that would be depleted of players.

22 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Holland.