John Mitchell has announced his fourth of five training squads as England prepare for their two September internationals and WXV1.
It is:
Backs:
Aitchison, Breach, Buchanan, Dow, Harrison, Hendy, Heard, Hunt, Kildunne, McKenna, Murray, Packer L, Rowland, Scarratt, Sing, Westcombe-Evans, Wyrwas (17)
Forwards:
Aldcroft, Atkin-Davis, Bern, Botterman, Brock, Carson, Campbell, Cleall, Clifford, Cokayne, Else, Feaunati, Galligan, Ives Campion, Kabeya, Matthews, Muir, Nigrelli, O’Donnell, Packer M, Pam,
Talling, Ward (23)
Absent injured
More important than those 40 names is the sad news of an ankle injury to Meg Jones. It means she misses out till at least after WXV.
It’s a sign of England’s strength that her absence simply makes the selectors’ choices simpler, not harder. She had come to form a telling centre partnership with Tatyana Heard, but with Emily Scarratt, Helena Rowland, Holly Aitchison, Phoebe Murray, Sarah McKenna and Zoe Harrison also available, there’s no shortage of choice.
For Leicester Tigers it’s a different story.
I’d been preparing a resume of the nine PWR clubs’ chances, and concluded that Tigers would need big contributions from Jones and Amy Cokayne, if they were to improve on last season’s bottom place. Even the recent signing of nine players doesn’t alter my conclusion. Only two of them, Emily Henrich and Jenny Maxwell, have international experience.
Back to the Red Roses – other names listed for previous sessions are missing, such as Crake, Laflin, Hanlon, Macdonald and Powell. No reasons given.
Squad Development
Once more Mitchell invites a large group to take part in the week’s training. A glance down the lists of invitees, and you could make your choice of a 23 to continue the unbeaten run that dates back to the last World Cup final.
But you first have to sort out all the rival claims: Atkin-Davies or Cokayne as hooker? Bern or Muir at No 3? Aldcroft and Ward the only first choices at lock? How do you sort the back-row out? – Beckett, Cleall, Feaunati, Kabeya, Matthews, Packer or Talling? (with due apologies to the other less familiar names still in the running). Is Hunt still your first-choice scrum-half at the age of 35? Aitchison or Harrison at out-half? Only two wingers possible – which? “I want all of them!” “Don’t be silly, sonny.”
Mitchell’s policy has not been to fine-down the numbers week by week; the squad size has remained at 40+. At least that means the players disappointed not to play at Allianz Stadium or Ashton Gate next month, or to be given a flight ticket to Canada, will find strength and consolation in numbers.
But they may well ask: ‘when will I next get a chance?’
The likeliest answer is, immediately post-RWC in the autumn of 2025. You can spot several senior players who may consider that that pinnacle of their careers is the right time to step aside, as politicians are said to do. There are even three backs in this latest group well into their thirties.
England fans will now keep their fingers firmly crossed, to avoid hearing any further news of injuries. Pundits do say: if the training sessions are tough enough, actual matches can seem like a doddle. At least, the chance of injuries is the same for every competing nation, sad to relate.
One more session to follow this one, then all will be revealed – I hope.
