How do you pick the next England team?
Getting into the England side just got a whole heap harder. John Mitchell has announced 35 players to join a three-day training session this week, as the Six Nations takes a short break.
The only sad omission is Helena Rowland, who suffered a broken finger and has to be counted out. Into her place comes Mia Venner, yet another Gloucester-Hartpury product, who already has one cap to her name.
That total of 35 could turn into 36, depending on how quickly Amy Cokayne can find full fitness. But when we look at the list –
Forwards: Zoe Aldcroft, Lark Atkin-Davies, Sarah Beckett, Hannah Botterman, May Campbell, Mackenzie Carson, Poppy Cleall, Kelsey Clifford, Maddie Feaunati, Rosie Galligan, Lizzie Hanlon, Sadia Kabeya, Alex Matthews, Maud Muir, Cath O’Donnell, Marlie Packer, Connie Powell, Morwenna Talling, Abbie Ward
(total 19)
Backs: Holly Aitchison, Sophie Bridger, Jess Breach, Abby Dow, Sydney Gregson, Zoe Harrison, Tatyana Heard, Mo Hunt, Megan Jones, Ellie Kildunne, Vicky Laflin, Lucy Packer, Emily Scarratt, Emma Sing
(total 16)
– we are still left wondering how Mitchell sees his best selection policy. I reckon there are ten listed players who have yet to appear: Campbell, Cleall, Hanlon, O’Donnell, Talling, Bridger, Laflin, Sing, Venner and Wyrwas. Look at their performances – either for England or in this season’s PWR, and you might wonder how they could possibly be excluded. That is a measure of the Red Roses’ strength.
Cokayne has been missing for far too long. She was unfortunate to miss out entirely on the New Zealand trip. Others are returning from injury too (O’Donnell and Talling). Only Beckett can’t be considered at the moment, as she remains under a three-match ban.
Let’s take the No 2 shirt as an example: Davies and Powell have been the deserved choices thus far; how and when do we fit in Campbell and, we must hope, Cokayne on to the team-list?
And another, the second row: Ward made way for Galligan in round two, and she walked off with the Player of the Match award. Now at last O’Donnell may be able to bid for a place, or even Cleall, three years ago the Player of the Tournament!
Even more contentious, the midfield trio. How on earth do you fit in Aitchison, Bridger, Gregson, Harrison, Heard, Jones and Scarratt into three positions?
It remains to be seen whether either of the uncapped players (Hanlon and Laflin) will get their chance – as Feaunati did twice – or merely be used as tackling bags.
Delighted as all the players will be to appear on this latest list, only very few can feel confident of appearing in Edinburgh next week. And that still leaves two Six Nations games for the wheel to turn.
One big marker will be the selection for the Bordeaux game. After that, things grow even spicier: who makes the trip to WXV in Canada and who will survive to next year’s World Cup?
I’m sure you know the rational answers; I don’t. I depend too heavily on subjective reactions.
