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'Joe's never done it before': Launchbury's new England experience

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

This week’s inclusion of Joe Launchbury in the England training squad in London at the expense of Nick Isiekwe – a starter versus Scotland and Italy – has been a major Guinness Six Nations talking point. Isiekwe didn’t look out of place on his return to the Test arena following a four-year gap in between caps since 2018, but it is not as if Launchbury was suddenly parachuted back into the mix from nowhere. 

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Just last week, the Wasps lock endured his own share of England rejection. He had been called into the start-of-the-week training squad by Eddie Jones, who sung the player’s praises at a media briefing that same day.  

“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,” explained the head coach.

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We’re joined by England’s Luke Cowan-Dickie this week as the Six Nations squads take a break after two rounds of action. We hear from the Exeter Hooker about his journey with England and the Lions, his relationship with Eddie Jones and of course that volleyball moment in Edinburgh during the Calcutta Cup. Max and Ryan give their thoughts on the weekend battles in Cardiff, Paris and Rome, pick their team of the week and look forward to the rest of the tournament.

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Luke Cowan-Dickie, Six Nations Review and Sinckler’s Sauna | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 21

We’re joined by England’s Luke Cowan-Dickie this week as the Six Nations squads take a break after two rounds of action. We hear from the Exeter Hooker about his journey with England and the Lions, his relationship with Eddie Jones and of course that volleyball moment in Edinburgh during the Calcutta Cup. Max and Ryan give their thoughts on the weekend battles in Cardiff, Paris and Rome, pick their team of the week and look forward to the rest of the tournament.

Just 30 hours later, though, came the news that Launchbury was one of the players cut when England reduced their squad from 36 to 27 ahead of their round two match in Italy, leaving the forward who has 69 Test caps heading back to Coventry to instead suddenly prepare at short notice for Wasps’ Gallagher Premiership game at home to Bath. 

First capped in 2012, getting sent home in the midweek of a Test match was something Launchbury had never previously had to do but Wasps boss Lee Blackett was impressed by how his talisman quickly overcame his England rejection and mucked in for his club to ensure they continued to climb the top-flight table.   

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“Joe had never done it before,” said Blackett about getting Launchbury sent back to Wasps in the midweek of an England match, a rejection he shared with the uncapped Alfie Barbeary. “That was the first time that Joe Launchbury has ever done that, gone away and come back so I was really pleased with both of them. 

“I have been really pleased, great leadership, just the confidence he gives to everyone around him,” he continued with regard to the value of Launchbury to Wasps. “From a selfish perspective you are always going to want him at Wasps but his time has come now, he is ready to go and play for his country again. 

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“We are really pleased with what he has brought. The intensity he brings around the place and just the performances. The performances have got better and better as well.”

Launchbury’s appearance against Bath was his third in recent weeks since his recovery from last April’s complete rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament. That injury came not long after a stress fracture to the fibula had ruled him out of the 2021 Six Nations just days after he had been chosen by Jones in the England squad for the tournament. 

These lengthy absences mean that Launchbury is now training with England ahead of their round three match at home to Wales on February 27 having not played a Test match since December 2020 when he was involved in the extra-time Autumn Nations Cup win over France at Twickenham.     

Launchbury’s England return is no surprise to Blackett, who predicted last month in advance of his lock’s comeback appearance against Saracens: “You’d like to think he would have a game or two here and then try and fight his way back in but you know where Joe is held with the international team. They think a lot about him and still do. 

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“They still ask questions all the time, ‘How is he going?’ He is in their mind. He is a quality player, he will come back and hopefully comes back better. You do find these players come back better, more knowledgeable about the game. We are looking to have his leadership and that type of player back on the field and I am sure England feel exactly the same.”

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Oh no, not him again? 1 hour 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
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