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Skipper Lawes makes retirement quip post-beating the Springboks

(Photo by PA)

England boss Eddie Jones has joked that stand-in skipper Courtney Lawes now wants to retire as captain after finishing off the November series with a perfect record. Owen Farrell has been reappointed as captain for the three-game Autumn Nations schedule, with three vice-captains appointed under him in Lawes, Tom Curry and Ellis Genge. 

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Jones’ best-laid plans, though, were scuppered by Covid and injury ruling Farrell out of two matches, resulting in Lawes being appointed England skipper for the wins over Tonga and the Springboks. With the latter success clinched in dramatic circumstances with an 80th-minute Marcus Smith penalty, it was later revealed that Lawes, tongue-in-cheek, suggested that he now wanted to quit the role while he was ahead.  

There is always good leadership on the field so the big fella next to me [Lawes] did a pretty good job,” enthused Jones in the giddy aftermath of the 27-26 win. “When he walked in he said he wanted to retire as captain, he has got a 100 per cent record and he wants to keep it unblemished.”

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Lawes outlined his pride in being the temporary figurehead for a squad rejuvenated by the dash of youth that Jones has now added to the mix on the back of the summer series where a multitude of new caps were given their first look-in.   

“We had a meeting Friday night and I was saying to the boys how incredibly proud I was to lead them out. They are such a good group of lads that have really bought into everything we have done in this series. 

“Not just the boys who get to play but the boys who had to go back to clubs. We have really made an effort to try and bring everybody together and make everybody a part of this team, including the boys who didn’t play Saturday that have contributed to that win.”

Lawes was like a cheeky schoolkid recalling his gaffe at the finish, racing onto the pitch in celebration thinking the match was over when in fact referee Andrew Brace wanted to review the play that had unfolded with Freddie Steward getting tackled in the air at the restart following the lead0-taking Smith kick.   

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“A bit over-excited. A couple of us got on there. We thought the game was over. It obviously wasn’t and then I just started getting pushed, so I ran back off the pitch. But yeah, my mistake,” he giggled. 

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BOBO 1099 days ago

Lazy Clickbait headline.

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JW 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

Even the 20/30 cappers did too I reckon.


IDK, I think Jordan has a limited life span in this side unless he can develop more to his game. Like you go on to mention, I think theyres more important things to worry about than the effectiveness of someone's extra strings, or secondary components to their game.


Bash backs are Fosters thing, and to a large part they've made it work. Theyre now one of the best teams in the world.


They boy's trucked it up a bit against Italy in the redzone, and against France, wasn't that effective without the right players probably.


Try and take a look at it this way. Dissapointed Havili and Blackadder were in the side? Havili despite clearly shown that he can't do what the team needs at 12 was kept on for the RWC. Back goes down and he brings in Blackadder who doesn't play. Refuses to drop Christie when he should and look who starts this season. Beauden Barret not playing well enough to keep his 10 jersey but we gotta keep him in the side. Weve only got one 8, we stuff developing another I'll just play Ardie every game.


This years team wasn't burdened overly with injuries but they were in every position Razor might have wanted to try and development, severely limiting options. I'm not defending Razor as there was also plenty of other opportunity to make up for it and he was a little gunshy, but I'm also not going to overly criticise him because he chose cohesion over a black slate.

How long are we going to keep blaming All Black failings on Ian Foster.

I think more and more people are on board with it being time to try alternatives, but then again, how would they have reacted to a loss against Italy? 😉

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