England Rugby

Sam Burgess was, without doubt, the biggest flop in international rugby in 2015. To be a flop is to perform well below the expectations coaches, fans and the media set, and in the case of Burgess, because these hopes were set too high, he flopped.

The hype around the world’s best rugby league player converting to rugby union in time for the Rugby World Cup in England was the biggest story in European rugby in late 2014 and 2015. So how come he is now back in rugby league?

Why did he flop?

Burgess’ underwhelming performance was mainly due to the lack of time England gave him to adapt to the 15-man code. Quite simply, they asked too much of him, too soon. Writing in the Telegraph, former England centre Will Greenwood noted after news broke of Burgess’ return to league.

In all honesty, it is a damning indictment of union. Genuinely. Embarrassment may be too strong a word but this has not been a good day for the game. One of league’s top players, with a skillset perfectly aligned to modern day union, has decided to leave before he has even had a chance to find out where his best position is.

Adding to the challenge for Burgess was the disagreement between his club, Bath, and the England coaching staff over what his best position would be. Bath saw the former league man as a back-rower, whereas England needed someone to fill their problematic position, inside centre.

Burgess switched between the backs and pack in his first six months at Bath and was beginning to grasp the tricks of the forwards’ trade, when he was selected for England’s training camp and then World Cup squad, as a centre.

The flank was a tough introduction for Burgess given that rucks, mauls, lineouts and union-style scrums were a complete unknown given his league background. He had the raw physical skills, without not the understanding of what to do.

In hindsight, No. 8 would have been a more natural position, allowing Burgess to focus less on rucks and prioritise carrying and defence.

On the face of it, inside centre ought to have been easier than flanker, but Slammin’ Sam was unable to carry the ball purposefully enough at the World Cup to get England over the advantage line. He did not have a poor tournament, but he flopped given all the hype afforded to him.

Realistically, the only position from which one could transfer from league to union in such a short space of time and be a success is to play on the wing in rugby union.

Out wide, raw skills and athleticism are the key demands, which is why England’s most successful converts are Jason Robinson and Chris Ashton. Their transitions were far smoother.

Burgess’ Return to Rugby League

After speculation was raised by the BBC that he was considering a return to Australia, the NRL and the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Burgess, who has an Australian fiancee, opted to be reunited with his brothers and mother down under.

It was the end of a sad story in English rugby union. Expectation turned to hope and then, with England’s early World Cup exit, disappointment.

Many ex-players believe Burgess would have made a success of union, had he been given more time to bed in. England’s finest league-to-union convert Robinson told Sky Sports: “I am just saddened that we didn't get to see the best of Sam because I know this next year would have been the year that he really shone as a player.”

But given the options of superstardom in league or re-building a reputation in union, Burgess made a natural choice.

Sam Burgess, for reasons many of which were out of his control, was world rugby’s biggest flop of 2015.

Dylan Hartley appears set to be named England captain in a bold move by new head coach Eddie Jones, as reported by BBC Sport.

However, while the Northampton hooker can be a fine player, he lacks the discipline and the ability to command respect that are needed to be an international captain. It looks as though Jones might be getting this important call wrong—very wrong.

At 29 and with 66 caps, Hartley is experienced enough to lead England, but that experience makes his indiscipline even less excusable. I shan’t list all Hartley’s misdemeanours here, but suffice to say that he has received bans totalling over a year in his career.

Almost a year ago to the day, I wrote that Hartley’s England career should be over. The reason: He can’t be trusted not to get wound up and cost his team at a crucial moment in a critical match.

Hartley may affirm he has learnt from his indiscretions, but he says that every time he returns from a ban.

Last December, after signing a new deal with the Saints, Hartley told Sky Sports: “Saints have shown incredible loyalty towards me, particularly during my well-documented disciplinary issues, and it’s great that I can take this opportunity to try to repay their faith in me.”

What happened in the following few months? Hartley was banned for four weeks after headbutting Jamie George of Saracens.

Aside from the ethical question (which we won’t tackle here) of whether sportspeople or national team captains should be role models, what makes the appointment even stranger is Hartley was replaced as Northampton skipper earlier this year after six years at the helm. It would be fascinating to know why Saints coach Jim Mallinder opted to strip the pugnacious hooker of the responsibility.

The other reason Jones’ choice is a gamble is because we don’t know what form Hartley, who has recently been sidelined with concussion, is in.

The England captain should be a guaranteed starter, and Hartley needs to prove he is better than Tom Youngs and George. The former had a decent Rugby World Cup, but the Sarries hooker was criminally under-used.

At 25, George is approaching his best years as a hooker and is improving all the time.

In August, South African World Cup-winning hooker John Smit had this to say about George, per ESPN: “He throws the ball unbelievably well, he scrums unbelievably well, he tackles, ball carries; he has no weaknesses. He is such an effective rugby player”.

The other practical difficulty Hartley will face is in the dressing room. It is doubtful that a player who missed the humiliating home World Cup campaign because he was serving a ban is going to get the most out of the rest of the team. Rather than be tainted by the ignominy of a first-round exit World Cup, Hartley is tainted by the fact he wasn't even there to help.

Former captain Chris Robshaw always took responsibility. He was an imperfect captain, but he got the players to play for him. Would Hartley do the same?

Hartley is clearly being eyed by Jones because of his confrontational qualities. The England coach, quite rightly, wants his new charges to stop being a soft touch. But rugby players can be abrasive without getting themselves periodically banned.

A dearth of candidates will have made Hartley appear an attractive option for Jones, but the coach should wait until his group are assembled for the Six Nations before making his choice. Then he should select a captain after seeing how each of his candidates is performing and shaping the squad dynamic.

Jones may be making a massive mistake.

Manu Tuilagi, the Leicester Tigers and England centre is still just 24, but now is the time for Tuilagi, who has just signed a lucrative deal with the East Midlands club, to make his impression on the world game and become a rugby superstar. To fulfil his immense potential, Tuilagi needs to mature as a person, add two extra dimensions to his game and stay injury-free.

Tuilagi should have been a star of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. How England could have done with his midfield presence. Instead, Tuilagi was banned by the RFU for assaulting two female police officers and a taxi driver.

Unfortunately for Tuilagi, this was not the first time he has erred. After England’s quarter-final exit at the 2011 Rugby World Cup the centre was held by police in New Zealand for jumping into Auckland harbour from aboard a ferry. He was also fined for wearing an unofficial, sponsored mouthguard.

And more light-heartedly, when the victorious 2013 British and Irish Lions met with David Cameron, Tuilagi was caught making a “bunny ears” sign from behind the Prime Minister’s back.

On-field discipline has also been a problem. He received a five-week ban for punching Chris Ashton in 2011.

But if Tuilagi can keep his focus on rugby, he can still become the world’s best centre. Hopefully, missing his home World Cup will have a long-term positive effect by making Tuilagi realise he has too much potential to waste.

On the field, Tuilagi has two main things to work on. A powerful runner with phenomenal leg drive, Tuilagi has immense physical gifts. He could be one of the world’s best centres as a crash-ball merchant to get his team over the gain line, but he could be the very best if he adds subtlety to his brawn. The two key skill areas where he needs to improve are offloading and kicking.

Here, Tuilagi should learn from the two New Zealand centres who finished the 2015 World Cup final: Ma’a Nonu and Sonny Bill Williams.

Nonu is the perfect example of how a battering-ram centre can develop into a ball-player. Like Tuilagi, Nonu used to rely on raw power. He was a very good player, but over the past four years or so, Nonu became exceptional because he added a passing game and a very intelligent boot to his arsenal. If Tuilagi can do the same, England are likely to have one of the world’s best centres.

As for Williams, no one is ever going to match his back-door offloads, but if Tuilagi can add that threat to what defences have to think about, he will become a superb player. If Tuilagi’s opposite number is worried about his physicality, penetrative kicking game and late distribution, he barely has a hope of containing the England man.

It’s a tough ask for Tuilagi but very possible.

Finally, Tuilagi needs a bit of luck with injuries. Every time it has seemed as though he is at full speed, he gets injured again. For him to mature and develop his skills, he will need plenty of game time.

Eleven tries in 25 Tests for England is a very strong return for a young centre who has struggled for fitness. Imagine what he could do with an extended run of rugby.

Leicester coach Richard Cockerill told the Tigers website that Tuilagi "is in the prime of his rugby life." He needs to learn his lessons, hone certain skills and stay injury free. If those three things happen, Manu Tuilagi is likely to be the world’s best centre by the time Japan 2019 comes around.

A great deal of mystery surrounds the England rugby team as the fallout of a disastrous Rugby World Cup continues, questions are asked of those present and a new boss looks to a make quick impact.

Head coach Eddie Jones will still be getting to grips with the position, but a little under two months remain until the Six Nations kicks off a 2016 in which he's looking to improve England's fortunes drastically.

There's an underlying sense the talent is there for England to succeed—not least in the back line—but a host of other factors aside from talent or quality alone play their part in major tournaments.

Taking into account the recent form of those available for international duty, past involvement in the national team and the severity of any lingering injuries, we've assembled England's best possible back line for 2016.

Cipriani to Signal Change

For those tempted to trust in the young guns who emerged under Lancaster, picking between George Ford and Owen Farrell is the only debate worth having at fly-half, but where has that got the team in recent years?

If Jones is looking to really inject a change of pace into the team and reinvigorate the half-back positions with some new competition, he has to give Sale's sizzling Danny Cipriani his chance in the squad.

Of the World Cup pair, Farrell's form has been quite superior to that of Ford so far this season, and the 24-year-old is once again leading Saracens with a sheen to his game—but then he's done that on a regular basis.

Unfortunately for some players, international prospects appear limited depending on what club one represents. Cipirani's former Sale team-mate Mark Cueto agreed with Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richard in January that playing for a "fashionable" club can result in international precedence, per Chris Foy in the Daily Mail:

Dean’s right. Naturally, if you are in a team which is winning more games than it is losing, then your job is a bit easier. You can generally put in better performances week after week, so naturally the teams at the top of the league attract more interest from England coaches.

[...]

Cips is a classic example. If he were at one of the top few clubs, no doubt there’s a lot more chance that he would be involved.

The fact remains that despite playing with terrific ingenuity and the kind of forward-thinking approach many England fans desire at Sale, Cipriani has been overlooked.

But at 28 years of age, the argument is there now more so than ever to utilise a player who's entering what should be his playing prime. Arguably the greatest point riding against Cipriani is his December court case for a drink-driving offence, but Breathe Sport reported every player is being granted a fresh start.

Not to mention the fact the former Wasps and Melbourne Rebels playmaker also boasts versatility as an option at full-back and centre, a useful trait as a start, never mind being a squad player.

Stuart Barnes wrote for the Times this week and asserted that Ford's confidence was shaken by the World Cup journey, owing to his bad form at Bath this term:

England have dented George Ford’s confidence and Bath are paying says Stuart Barnes https://t.co/NhViwT2Y3g (Getty) pic.twitter.com/5vTlyMLlXQ

— Times Sport (@TimesSport) December 7, 2015

Cipriani is having no such issues, and although Exeter Chiefs star Henry Slade might have received his chance were it not for the broken leg he's suffered, Farrell should still have to wait his turn at No. 10.

Centre of Controversy

Again, Exeter's Slade might have expected to feature at inside centre for the Six Nations, but with his injury, we've opted for Luther Burrell and Jonathan Joseph to lead the midfield in 2016.

Wasps upstart Elliot Daly will also be in the frame to take the No. 13 jersey, particularly as he boasts the added advantage of a boot that can contend from halfway, per ESPN Scrum's Tom Hamilton:

Elliot Daly slots a penalty from 51 metres to give Wasps a 17-3 lead against Toulon... wonder if Eddie J is watching

— Tom Hamilton (@tomhamiltonespn) November 22, 2015

However, based on what we've seen from him already in an England jersey, Bath man Joseph can be one of the first names on the teamsheet once he's back to full fitness following injury.

The call for who should start at No. 12 is slightly more open as Saracens' Brad Barritt and Bath's Kyle Eastmond each have admirers, not to mention two very contrasting styles of play.

But Northampton Saints linchpin Burrell boasts another brand of his own, something closer to a mix between the rigidity of Barritt and the flash of Eastmond, which doesn't come without its defensive risk.

Ex-England centre turned Sky Sports pundit Will Greenwood concurs that Burrell deserves to start under Jones after being left out of the World Cup squad so that failed-experiment Sam Burgess could fit in:

Burrell, well I am loving his out-to-in defence plus he is strong and runs great angles. He has a point to prove and was strong in the media on what impact exclusion from England's World Cup squad had on him.

He is not the perfect 12 but I think Alex King has had a word in his ear and said 'don't try and be the all-court guru at 12, don't try and be Henry Slade, be Luther Burrell'.

Burrell told the Telegraph's Mick Cleary he was "broken mentally" after missing the tournament, but his form this season is certainly showing the swift response Jones would hope for.

At the beginning of his own England career, Burrell courted a lot of attention for his barnstorming style, but the sense is that his game has rounded a lot more since the 2014 Six Nations.

With him as a foundation at 12 and Joseph continuing to provide the flair outside him, the pair could make all other options obsolete for some time to come.

Calls for Farrell to fit at inside centre appear more out of desperation to accommodate the Sarries star in some capacity, but when more natural centre options are present, why force the change?

Simpson Springboards on Wasps Success

Scrum-half is another area of the squad that's been "going through the motions" lately, with Ben Youngs and Danny Care exchanging the starting jersey back and forth with no standout candidate apparent.

Wasps No. 9 Joe Simpson is ready to disrupt that duopoly, however, and Wasps coach Dai Young has spoken highly of his star's international chances in the future, per ESPN Scrum:

I don't see many nines better than Joe out there. 

Joe would certainly have come into the reckoning after the World Cup even if Stuart Lancaster had stayed with England. 

His kicking game is up there with the best, and in broken play I think he's the best nine.

Something England kept talking to him about was the game management, making the right decisions, but I think he's more than mastered that. 

He's shown how accomplished he is as a nine and a decision-maker.

But the biggest thing for Joe has been bringing in Dan Robson, because having quality players fighting for that starting shirt, it certainly focuses everybody's minds. 

That's helped kick Joe to another level as well. 

I think everyone realises the slate's wiped clean (after the World Cup).

Simpson was in the running prior to the World Cup, but if the fear was that his Wasps form then was a temporary blip, he's helped to prove himself a consistent, speedy and direct asset to the club by now.

Form permitting, one might have to agree that the all-round improvements made by Simpson mean he has to be picked for the job in another case of not being afraid to upset the incumbent squad.

Back Three Consistency

Nowhere else in the England back line right now boasts the same potential for a solid foundation more so than the back three, where one gets the sense the right selection could go a long way against the elite.

In just about every other position, even a good game or two may not solidify a player's place, but the wings and full-back areas can be tied down by a very particular three without much debate if at their best.

There is a temptation to try Anthony Watson out at 15—it's a position in which he thrived for Bath, after all—but when Harlequins marvel Mike Brown isn't doing anything wrong in his work, there's no need to "fix it." 

It's for that reason Watson should continue to plug away on the wing while Brown's safe hands continue to provide a guard, and Paul Williams of Rugby World has been impressed with the Bath speedster:

Anthony Watson is fast becoming one of my favorite players.

— Paul Williams (@thepaulwilliams) December 5, 2015

Brown's place at 15 also seems assured taking into account rumours he could be considered for the captaincy under Jones and is a valuable leader figure.

BBC Sport's Sonja McLaughlan backed the Harlequins utility to take the armband:

https://twitter.com/Sonjamclaughlan/status/671638701030658048

That then leaves the left wing to contemplate, and with Christian Wade recently ruled out for two to three months with a foot injury, his 2016 is poised to see an unfortunate start.

Gloucester's Jonny May is another option, but the time has come to invest in the talents of Chiefs maestro Jack Nowell, who is already leaving his mark on Europe's elite competition this season, per OptaJonny:

12 - @ExeterChiefs' Jack Nowell has beaten 12 defenders in the @ChampionsCup this season, more than any other player. Elusive.

— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) November 23, 2015

Like Watson, Nowell can provide cover at full-back, and the potential upside to developing his talent at Test level now as opposed to waiting on his promotion is massive.

Just look at how Argentina starlet Santiago Cordero has benefited from being thrown in at the deep end, or how early New Zealand's Julian Savea was rewarded for his form at the Hurricanes.

Nowell has his lapses in judgement, but many would agree the 22-year-old was underutilised at the World Cup, and although his selection above more senior players would be a risk, it could yield big reward.

So there we have it, a new-look England back line to usher in the Eddie Jones era and lead the Red Rose back to its former glory. Change can be a scary thing, but the new head coach can make a meaningful statement to his squad by righting the wrongs of Lancaster's previous selection process.

England's Best Back Line for 2016: 9. Joe Simpson 10. Danny Cipriani 11. Jack Nowell 12. Luther Burrell 13. Jonathan Joseph 14. Anthony Watson 15. Mike Brown

Eddie Jones, who replaced Stuart Lancaster as England rugby’s head coach at the start of this month, must decide whether to retain or release Lancaster’s two main lieutenants: forwards coach Graham Rowntree and backs and defence coach Andy Farrell. Here we will analyse the case for the backs and defence coach, and conclude that Jones and England should sack Farrell.

The Old Regime

Stuart Lancaster, as head coach, had ultimate responsibility for England’s abject 2015 Rugby World Cup performance, but Farrell was an important cog, too. It would be inconsistent of the RFU to allow Farrell to keep his job having removed Lancaster.

Backs

England’s backs have improved during Farrell’s tenure, but this has more to do with the arrival of exciting young players such as George Ford, Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson than anything Farrell has done. The trio play for England as they did last season, but they are all under the tutelage of George Ford’s dad Mike at Bath.

Defence

England have generally defended well under Lancaster and Farrell, but the defensive setup was exposed by Wales and Australia at key moments in the Pool A encounters at the World Cup.

Wales’ winning try came from poor positioning from Brad Barritt in the wide areas. Barritt is more accustomed to working a few spots inside, but that should not excuse what was simple misalignment with the rest of the back line. This allowed Wales to play the ball wide and ultimately score through Gareth Davies.

Australia’s second try against England was a clear case of the Wallaby strategy team out-thinking England’s defence. It was as simple as Will Genia drawing the defenders one way, to wrong-foot them with an on-running attacker, Kurtley Beale, cutting against the grain.

It may seem harsh to single out these two moments, but they cost England a place in the quarter-finals of their home World Cup.

Fatherhood and selection

Another reason why Farrell may be unsuitable for the role is parenting: He has a son who plays in the key position in the area he coaches, and who is far from a guaranteed starter.

There were some sound rugby reasons to drop George Ford from the England team in favour of Owen Farrell against Wales in the second Pool A game, but given how Ford has provided the spark for England’s back line since his performance against Australia in November 2014, the switch was controversial.

As good a midfielder as Owen Farrell is, it can’t do much for the morale of players in his position to know that they need to oust the coach’s son to get into the England team. Stuart Lancaster and Andy Farrell have always maintained fatherhood plays no part, but subconsciously who knows?

Who could come in?

Although there are compelling reasons to sack Farrell, Eddie Jones must be sure the new coach is better than the incumbent and that the coaching group he chooses can gel together.

An interesting option would be Englishman, Shaun Edwards. Despite his contract with Wales due for renewal, Wales’ defensive guru initially appeared to be committed to Wales, but he has subsequently been more open about his future according to Alex Spink of the Mirror, who noted he is “open to offers.”

Edwards has been highly-regarded as a defence coach for a decade, but if the role requires oversight of the back line, the former Wasp coach may be overlooked.

Someone who would fit the dual role is Saracens’ Paul Gustard, ironically a colleague and friend of Farrell, who could cover both defence and attacking skills coaching. Michael Aylwin of the Guardian recently interviewed Gustard, and wrote:

He has turned defence into an art form at Saracens. The Wolf Pack, as they have become known, must be about the only defensive unit in rugby to be celebrated with their own nickname. 'We have a defence honours board and we’re thinking about putting wolf-head logos on the shirts to represent players’ achievements. But there are so many sponsors we can’t find the space.'

Farrell has had his chance, and he may get another in the future if he makes a big impact at club level, but for now, Eddie Jones and England need to replace him.

Shaun Edwards is the outstanding defence coach, but Jones may prefer the rounded skill set of Paul Gustard.

One of the major elephants in the room was cornered, captured and chased out no sooner had Eddie Jones taken his seat at his first press conference as England’s head coach.

The Australian, who watched his own country ascend to the final of the 2015 Rugby World Cup after tossing out their rule not to select overseas players, told the assembled media that he would abide by the same regulation in England.

Per Sachin Nakrani of the Guardian, Jones said:

Sometimes you see things differently when you’re on the outside ... I want players who want to play for England and if you want to play for England you have to play in the Premiership. I’m happy with that.

The RFU’s stance, to recap, is to allow their head coach only to select players plying their trade outside the English system if he can demonstrate that exceptional circumstances make it necessary.

This caused much controversy for Stuart Lancaster as first Steffon Armitage and then Nick Abendanon scooped the 2014 and 2015 European Player of the Year gongs and yet remained persona non grata due to their employment by French clubs.

There were good tactical reasons for picking Armitage, but given that Lancaster did not seem to favour the kind of game that suits the former London Irish man’s particular skill set, they were null and void as far as "exceptional circumstances" go.

Indeed, Armitage was on the verge of joining Bath for the very purpose of making himself available for England back in 2014, per BBC Sport, but that deal never came off.

It demonstrates, though, that if a player thinks he is in with a shout of playing for England, he knows where he needs to be.

Former England international Brian Moore took this stance in his column for the Telegraph in May 2014:

There is a simple solution—if Armitage truly wants to play for England above anything else he can return, particularly as there would be no shortage of suitors.

The policy is based on ensuring that its players are able to take a full part in all preparation sessions and all games for which they are required.

The same goes for New Zealand, who apply the same rule while offering players the flexibility to head off to Japan or Europe or wherever the mountain of cash is piled highest at opportune moments, ensuring they are back in the franchise system and under the rule of the All Blacks head coach in good time for the World Cup.

If Englishmen have a burning desire to double their pay packets in France and not damage their chances of playing in a World Cup, perhaps they will time their sojourns in the same way.

Those who opt to go for good will always have their own reasons.

But that demonstrates why Jones is right to live with the ruling as it is. It was a happy coincidence that—as if buoyed by his support for the English clubs, who must surely have feared an exodus to the non-salary-capped fields of France had Jones taken a lighter to the policy—a phalanx of Englishmen starred in Premiership colours as they enjoyed a clean sweep of victories in the Champions Cup last weekend, including over Armitage’s Toulon.

And it helps keep the accord in place between RFU and Premiership, which includes the payment of as much as £80,000 per player picked in the Elite squad, per PremiershipRugby.com.

Prior to his appointment, plenty of column inches were filled with appraisals of Jones as a boat-rocker, a straight talker who will do things his way or no way at all. This one move somewhat waters down that theory.

Instead, he has immediately backed his men, insisted there is abundant talent this side of the channel and, crucially, backed himself to coax it out of the players, as Mick Cleary of the Telegraph recently argued:

There are riches to be tapped into. It would be no surprise if Jones were already compiling a list of 50-60 players he wants to run the rule over in the coming weeks once he clocks on next Tuesday following his round-the-world flit on prior commitments and to relocate from Japan.

There was a period prior to Lancaster’s announcement of his extended World Cup training squad during which the clamour for Armitage and Abendanon was reaching fever pitch, as though those two players would be the panacea to all the team’s ills.

No one knows if they would have been the white knights who rode in to carry England out of the pool and on to who knows where. But it also painted a picture of a helpless coaching staff presiding over a neutered squad unable to win trophies without them.

Jones has moved to banish the chance for that theory to be resurrected, insisting it’s not one player, but he and the coaches he chooses to work with who will have the job of making the men at their disposal better, making them the best versions of themselves.

The richest union in the world has the player base and resources to achieve that goal, which is why Jones took the job.

He is confident in his own abilities, and when those skills start to bear out on the way his England team plays, the envious glances will not be from the Premiership players at the payslips of their mates across La Manche. They will be directed in the opposite direction.