"Absolute madness" - Sir Clive Woodward slams Steve Borthwick's England selection
Rugby NewsFriday, 13 October 2023 at 14:52
Sir Clive Woodward deems it "utterly nonsensical" that Steve Borthwick persists in excluding Henry Arundell.
The prominent English rugby player has once again been omitted from the squad scheduled to play against Fiji this Sunday, diminishing his chances of featuring in the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
Arundell has had just one brief appearance, which took place during the commanding victory over Chile, where he managed to impress by scoring five tries.
He wrote in the Daily Mail: "On the whole, the team still isn’t quick enough for me — even if it should be good enough to beat Fiji. I still don’t understand why Henry Arundell can’t get a game.
"To me, it’s absolute madness. What a waste it is to have a player of Arundell’s undoubted quality carrying the water.
"I would have him at full back alongside a couple of the flyers who did not even make the trip. Overall, from one to 15, this is not a fast enough team to win a World Cup."
Arundell was reportedly 'visibly upset' during a clash with captain Owen Farrell in training this week.
WHEN IS ENGLAND V FIJI?
The 2023 Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final between England and Fiji will be played at 4pm on Sunday, October 15th.
TV CHANNEL
In the United Kingdom the England v Fiji game will be broadcast on ITV1 with pre-game coverage beginning at 3pm.
Television viewers in Ireland can tune into RTÉ 2 from 3.30pm to catch all the action.
Caleb Muntz of Fiji kicks the ball out of play and celebrates with team mates the win over England during the Summer International match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium on August 26, 2023 in London, England. ( Photo by Phil Mingo/PPAUK )
HEAD-TO-HEAD RESULTS LAST FIVE MATCHES
England and Fiji have been battling in Test rugby since 1999. Since then they’ve faced off five times.
Their first meeting was at the 1999 Rugby World Cup where England won 45-24.
England won the next three fixtures before losing their game 22-30 against Fiji during the Rugby World Cup warm-up.
2023: Fiji won 22-30
2016: England won 58-15
2015: England won 35-11
2012: England won 54-12
1999: England won 45-24
REFEREE & OFFICIATING TEAM?
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (Australia), Pierre Brousset (France)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
EXPECTED ENGLAND TEAM TO PLAY FIJI:
BACK-THREE:
15. Marcus Smith
14. Henry Arundell
13. Joe Marchant
12. Ollie Lawrence
11. Max Malins
10. Owen Farrell
9. Danny Care
1. Bevan Rodd
2. Theo Dan
3. Will Stuart
4. George Martin
5. David Ribbans
6. Ben Earl
7. Jack Willis
8. Billy Vunipola
England’s route to the 2023 Rugby World Cup final revealed
Let's venture into the realm of imagination and explore the potential trajectory that awaits Borthwick's formidable team.
Quarter-final: England v Fiji
After a historic defeat to the Pacific Islanders last month, England is poised to seek redemption in the quarter-finals. Steve Borthwick's squad aims to erase the memory of their lackluster performance, and with their recent form, they stand a strong chance of advancing to the semi-finals.
Caleb Muntz of Fiji kicks the ball out of play and celebrates with team mates the win over England during the Summer International match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium on August 26, 2023 in London, England. ( Photo by Phil Mingo/PPAUK )
Semi-final: England v France (or South Africa)
If the French can secure victory against South Africa in the quarter-finals, they will face England in Paris in the next stage. Despite Dupont's injury, he will be available for the match. However, England might capitalise on a fatigued French team that expended every ounce of effort to eliminate the Springboks in the previous round.
Antoine Dupont of France during the Guinness Six Nations match between England and France at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on Saturday 11th March 2023 | Photo: James Fearn/PPAUK.
Final: England v Ireland (or New Zealand, Wales or Argentina)
To be the best you've got to beat the best. Steve Borthwick's men will have to beat the number one side in the world if they're to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for a second time.
Jonathan Sexton, Captain of Ireland looks dejected during the Guinness Six Nations Match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on February 23. - PHOTO: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
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