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Farrell's warning to World Cup first-timers Earl, Lawrence and JVP
By Liam Heagney
Ben Earl was beaming on Monday when he got the chance to relay how he learned the previous day from Steve Borthwick that he had been included in the 33-strong England squad for the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
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There had been speculation that the Saracens back-rower, who wound up surplus to requirement during the Guinness Six Nations would again find himself removed from the equation when it most mattered.
It was February, after two appearances off the England bench, when Earl slipped out of championship selection contention and despite his masterly effort when helping his club to Gallagher Premiership title success in May against Test rival Tom Curry and his formidable Sale team, they were concerns from the likes of TV pundit Austin Healey that he would again get squeezed regarding England selection.
This ultimately didn’t happen as Borthwick’s decision to include just a single specialist No8 permitted greater scope with the flankers where Tom Pearson became the only fall guy with Earl, along with Curry, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam and Jack Willis, all handed tickets to go to the finals in France.
Earl was chuffed, especially as he had endured a sleepless night following the loss by England on Saturday in Cardiff, a Summer Nations Series fixture in which he didn’t make the match day 23. “It was early, it was about nine o’clock in the morning,” he revealed when asked about his one-to-one conversation with Borthwick about RWC selection.
“I had just got up; I had a bit of a sleepless night. I wasn’t really sure. But no, the conversation I had with him was really encouraging in terms of what he wanted of me. The thing Steve has done since he has come in is he has really encouraged us to be the player that we are, not try and fit into another mould or try and be something different.
“He wants to see our strengths and see how we can put our best foot forward and the training we have been able to do the last few weeks with boys coming back from finals, we have been able to do those things.”
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With Vunipola travelling as the sole No8 following the omission of Alex Dombrandt and Tom Willis, Borthwick spoke about the need for his chosen flankers to be able to play the eight role when needed. That’s a flexibility challenge that Earl believes will be surmountable.
“I don’t think there is one that can’t (play eight) in our back row. Flexibility in tournament rugby always helps. This will be one of the first tournaments I have been involved in in terms of that intensity. It must help and I think everyone can do that, and we are all slightly different in our own way which brings a nice balance to that make-up.”
Earl phoned his mother as soon as he emerged delighted from his Sunday’s summit with Borthwick and no sooner would that call finish was she looking to book flights to France to follow her son. There was also an emotional reaction from Jack van Poortvliet’s mother when he called to say that he too has made the England World Cup squad.
“You always have that doubt that he [Borthwick] might change his mind or things might change,” he said, admitting there was nerves despite the coach saying last week that the half-backs positions required three players each to cope with a finals schedule that will begin versus Argentina on September 9 in Marseille. “To have it confirmed on Sunday was a really nice feeling.
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“I FaceTimed my family, they were in the car. I FaceTimed my mum, who wasn’t driving. My dad and sister were all in the car and it was very special. Mum cried a lot but it was really nice, really special. They were going back from Oxford. My sister had moved her stuff into a uni house.”
While the enthusiasm of Earl and van Poortvliet was obvious, the joy felt by Ollie Lawrence – another first-time World Cup pick – was kept under wraps. The joy of selection had already passed and his focus was on being primed to tackle Wales this Saturday at Twickenham.
The Owen Farrell England team photo selfie at Twickenham. #EnglandRugby #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/a3JXIpXDCP
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 7, 2023
“I had a chat with Steve on Sunday morning and he told me I was in the squad and he just explained what he wanted from me going forward,” he said without animation. “I talked to my missus, my family.
“It was pretty surreal, a special moment, but I quickly realised I was going back into camp the next day so I got to switch off a bit and then focused on this week.
“It is special, don’t get me wrong, but my main focus is getting on the plane to start with and that starts with playing well this week, building into these games (against Wales, Ireland and Fiji) and getting the form that is needed.
“The main thing is Steve wants me to be myself. He knows personally what my strengths are and he wants me to be the best… he wants us to show our strengths.”
Skipper Owen Farrell was quite the contrast experience-wise to World Cup newcomers Earl, van Poortvliet and Lawrence. He is off to his third finals but he encouraged the rookies he was sharing a conference room briefing with to look to shine now and don’t be thinking there will be other finals campaigns.
“All these boys, it’s their first time and I can only sit here and tell them how special this is, what a tournament we are about to go and play in, what an opportunity we have got to bring the best out of ourselves and to go and enjoy taking the best of ourselves to the rest of the world.
“It’s a fantastic tournament, one that comes around every four years and you don’t want to waste one. This is as good as it gets, so we are all looking forward to it.”
