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#Post#: 130200--------------------------------------------------
Conor O’Shea: England have a generational set of players coming
through
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: November 14, 2024, 2:44 am
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After a long hiatus, the revival of the A team and the
employment of a gifted coaching staff are a boon for a richly
talented, emerging crop
Charlie Morgan
Senior Rugby Writer
14 November 2024 7:01am GMT
Charlie Morgan
England’s autumn could be defined on Saturday as they aim to
upset the Springboks. But less than 24 hours later, across the
A316 at the Twickenham Stoop, is a game that may help to shape
the next decade.
While bashing the Rugby Football Union (RFU) is a popular
pursuit, the staging of a second-string fixture between England
and Australia deserves praise. The initiative makes an almost
suspicious amount of sense.
As recent weeks have reinforced, Steve Borthwick’s senior team
remain in a fragile period of transition. Patience is required
for emerging players, such as Tommy Freeman and Chandler
Cunningham-South, to establish themselves at the top table.
Meanwhile, other positions – tighthead prop, inside centre and
maybe lock – need urgent attention.
England are world champions at Under-20 level and are
“unashamedly” targeting a repeat next summer. Not without
substance does Conor O’Shea, the RFU’s executive performance
director, declare: “We’ve got some generational talent in
England.”
Alignment is a term that sails dangerously close to corporate
jargon. However, Mark Mapletoft, Andy Titterrell, Nathan Catt
and Haydn Thomas are all part of the England A coaching staff,
after guiding the Under-20s to global glory in South Africa five
months ago.
Thomas has been seconded from Exeter Chiefs, where he is taking
over the first-team defence. Bath have also co-operated with the
RFU to allow attack guru Lee Blackett to join up. Thomas and
Blackett will be returning for another England A outing against
Ireland during the Six Nations.
That offers a sense of solidity, and two Under-20 world
champions, Afo Fasogbon and Henry Pollock, are in contention to
face Australia A. Pollock and Archie McParland, the precocious
scrum-half who steered a successful Under-20 Six Nations
campaign before missing the World Championship due to injury,
are still eligible for age-grade duty.
The focus on props should have the hulking Fasogbon feature on
Sunday, perhaps as a replacement for Joe Heyes. Asher
Opoku-Fordjour will have spent a fortnight in Borthwick’s camp.
He could drop down for a run-out at loosehead unless he is
required, even for cover, against South Africa. Tarek Haffar’s
call-up hints that Opoku-Fordjour may be a travelling reserve at
least.
Top teams must always be prioritised, which will probably stop
Fin Smith from appearing at fly-half for England A. Mapletoft is
prepared to reshuffle and “roll with it” if there are any injury
scares for Borthwick.
Another promising tighthead, Vilikesa Sela of Bath, was due to
attend the England A camp before picking up an injury in the
Premiership Cup last weekend. Sela is also young enough to
represent the Under-20s this season.
Angus Hall and Sean Kerr, two more world champions, will train
with the squad and another, Saracens lock Olamide Sodeke, was
earmarked to do the same before picking up a hamstring issue.
As O’Shea suggests, England A matches offer a “bridge” in an era
when club action can be frustratingly sparse for young players.
Test matches against Argentina and the United States in 2025,
during the British and Irish Lions tour, could propel Pollock or
any other protégés to prominence – just as 2017 proved to be a
vehicle for Tom Curry and Sam Underhill.
“A couple of them can make the step up, there’s no doubt,”
O’Shea says. “You see that the world over. You can be 20 or 21
and make a massive impact at the highest level.”
O’Shea tells a story from his Harlequins days when he was
fretting about replacing Nick Evans, one of the best overseas
signings in Premiership history. Tony Diprose, then academy
manager, told his boss not to worry. There was a kid called
Marcus Smith coming through. “Fabulous,” replied O’Shea, before
Diprose admitted that Smith was just 13.
The point is that even the most polished prospects take time, as
much as England might want to click their fingers and make
Opoku-Fordjour or Pollock five years older.
Slightly older candidates are straining at the leash. Nathan
Jibulu, the all-action Harlequins hooker, and Exeter back-rower
Greg Fisilau were England Under-20 graduates in 2023. Both are
part of the England A squad and on Borthwick’s radar. Sticking
with the forwards, Tom Pearson and Tom Willis are the kind of
burly yet dextrous ball-carriers that England appear to be
missing.
The depth chart of second rows has been compromised by Ollie
Chessum’s knee injury, but Ted Hill is being looked at as a
blindside capable of covering lock and could drop down from the
seniors for Sunday. Joe Batley is there, while Arthur Clark, the
6ft 7in 22-year-old from Gloucester, was drafted into England A
with Hugh Tizard. Tom Burrow, a towering 19-year-old from Sale
Sharks, is training with Mapletoft’s party.
Max Ojomoh – a rounded inside centre, explosive and skilful – is
a reasonably rare commodity and should be nurtured. Fraser
Dingwall, name-checked as a defensive leader in the 13 channel
by England defence coach Joe El-Abd last month, has been named
as captain against Australia A.
‘Players have never like flip-flopping’
Amid a plethora of potential back-three players the presence of
Gabriel Ibitoye is encouragingly open-minded. Along with
Mapletoft, O’Shea and Richard Hill, Borthwick has been involved
in England A selection, which suggests that he is curious about
the free-spirited Bristol wing. “It’s quite nice to have the odd
maverick,” says O’Shea with a smile.
“We have to back the right horses,” he says. “Otherwise, you get
this revolving door and don’t get the consistency that is
needed. Players have never liked flip-flopping and a lack of
consistency, when the next person is in if someone has one poor
game or makes one mistake.”
England A games come with so many benefits that the most
pertinent question is what took so long to bring them back?
Covid was one reason for a hiatus of almost eight years between
a tour of South Africa in 2016 and February’s 91-5 thrashing of
Portugal. In June 2021, a line-up had been selected to face
Scotland at Welford Road before positive cases scuppered things.
But it is not too much of a stretch to suggest that Borthwick is
a more methodical succession planner than Eddie Jones,
notwithstanding those fast-tracked by the Australian.
England A will also meet Ireland A on Feb 23 at Ashton Gate
before another match in June, perhaps under the senior banner
but with young players. Then next autumn, as revealed by
Telegraph Sport, there are plans for England A to host a New
Zealand XV. It all adds up, finally, to a coherent programme and
a clearer pathway.
O’Shea is at pains to stress that England want to win now.
Frankly, that is why grizzled figures such as Dan Cole are
hanging on.
But on the future, O’Shea says: “We’re seeing in England
age-group rugby that it’s not just one or two players with
special talent. There are numerous players. The key is how we
marry it all together for 2027 and 2031.”
#Post#: 130201--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conor O’Shea: England have a generational set of players
coming through
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: November 14, 2024, 2:44 am
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Next cab off the rank.
#Post#: 130203--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conor O’Shea: England have a generational set of players
coming through
DIR By: Domestos
Date: November 14, 2024, 3:57 am
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I do not credit Conor O'Shea with any special gifts, talent or
insight.
#Post#: 130204--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conor O’Shea: England have a generational set of players
coming through
DIR By: fromrichmond
Date: November 14, 2024, 4:05 am
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--- Quote from: Domestos link ---
>
> I do not credit Conor O'Shea with any special gifts, talent or
insight.
>
--- End Quote ---
Yes the prem win was a total fluke
LOL
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