Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

The 'significant' thing Guscott wants from Monday's England squad

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Former England midfielder Jeremy Guscott has identified the one thing he believes will be significant when new head coach Steve Borthwick names his first Guinness Six Nations squad on Monday. The successor to the dismissed Eddie Jones is scheduled to announce his selection at 10:30am before holding a media briefing ten minutes later at Twickenham.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was November 26, in the immediate aftermath of being at Twickenham and seeing England well beaten by South Africa, that Guscott tweeted: “Can’t remember the last time I felt so frustrated after watching an Eng rugby team play. Serious reboot of some kind needs to happen for the players to rediscover their brilliance.”

Guscott has been encouraged by the remedial steps so far taken by England. However, there is one particular aspect of the Borthwick announcement he insists will be hugely important for this new era which begins on the pitch with the February 4 Calcutta Cup game at home to Scotland.

Video Spacer

Being Barbarians – Rugby Documentary

Video Spacer

Being Barbarians – Rugby Documentary

Our new rugby documentary follows Scott Robertson and Ronan O’Gara in a brand new saga following the Barbarians rugby team, one of the most famous sides in the world. In this clash, they take on New Zealand XV.

“I’m definitely pleased there has been a change because I would not have been looking forward to this England-Scotland match,” he told RugbyPass. “Borthwick is a good choice, he has got a good track record. He announces the squad on Monday and for me, who he chooses as captain will be significant.

“When I think of Geoff Cooke, he picked Will Carling as a young player, a young captain. (Clive) Woodward picked Lawrence Dallaglio and then Martin (Johnson) took over. Jack Rowell went close to home, Carling stopped and Phil de Glanville took over.

Related

“For change to take place, mentally you need to hear from a different voice. Borthwick is the main different voice although a number of that squad have heard him before, but (Kevin) Sinfield will be new, (Nick) Evans will be new.

“To make the complete change, you need a new captain and if Borthwick changes the captain from what people are expecting from (Owen) Farrell and not (Courtney) Lawes but someone like (Maro) Itoje, I think we will see an even bigger change in England in attitude and performance.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Guscott won four Five Nations titles with England, appearing at three World Cups and going on three Lions tours – a total of 73 caps all-in across a decorated Test career that spanned a decade. However, he will feature in next Friday’s premiere of The Grudge, an 80-minute film recounting the story of the 1990 winner-takes-all Grand Slam game that England famously lost to Scotland at Murrayfield in the era of Thatcher’s poll tax, rising nationalism, and animosity both on and off the field.

“It’s serious water under the bridge,” explained Guscott. “It was an amateur game back there, there are lots of strong friendships there and to put a strong story across in a very good way with strong points of view and good memories, it’s nice. I don’t think you can get much better than that.

ADVERTISEMENT

Boks Office | Episode 37 | Six Nations Round 4 Review

Cape Town | Leg 2 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series 2025 | Full Day Replay

Gloucester-Hartpury vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 36 | Six Nations Round 3 Review

Why did Scotland's Finn Russell take the crucial kick from the wrong place? | Whistle Watch

England A vs Ireland A | Full Match Replay

Kubota Spears vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | JRLO 2024/2025 | Full Match Replay

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

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

J
JW 33 minutes ago
Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

MP are a NZ side through and through, NZ is even having to pay for it.

Yes they caved to public demand, I bet it accomplished a lot of internal goals. They could have left it to the other groups, but I’m of the belief that they weren’t showing the capability to make it work as being a good reason for NZR to jump in and do it. I think it’s actually funded 50/50 between NZR and WR though.

(when nothing was stopping a pi player playing for any side in Super Rugby)

Neither is that fact true. Only 3 non NZ players are allowed in each squad.


I see you also need to learn what the term poach means - take or acquire in an unfair or clandestine way. - Moana have more slots for non eligible players (and you have seen many return to an NZ franchise) so players are largely making their own choice without any outside coercion ala Julian Savea.

Not one of these Kiwis and Aussies would go live in the Islands to satisfy any criteria, and I’d say most of them have hardly ever set foot in the islands, outside of a holiday.

Another inaccurate statement. Take Mo’unga’s nephew Armstrong-Ravula, if he is not eligible via ancestry in a couple of generations time, he will be eligible because he plays his rugby there (even if he’s only their for rugby and not living there), that is a recent change made by World Rugby to better reflect examples like Fabian Holland and Fakatava.

It’s becoming the jump-ship/zero loyalty joke that international League is.

Look I understand you’re reason to cry and make an example at any opportunity, but you don’t really need to anymore, other recent changes made by WR are basically going to stop the Ireland situation, and time (perhaps no more than a decade) will fix the rest.

26 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility
Search