Eddie Jones has named a 36-player England squad for match against Japan this weekend
Rugby NewsMonday, 07 November 2022 at 14:32
Northampton Saints duo Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman have been added to Eddie Jones’ 36-man England squad ahead of this weekend’s clash with Japan.
The scrum-half and fullback link up with England ahead of the second round of Autumn Nations Series matches, joining fellow Saints George Furbank, David Ribbans and Sunday’s debutant Alex Coles.
England began their campaign with a 29-30 loss to Argentina at Twickenham Stadium and Jones makes three additions to his wider squad for the week, including calling up 25-year-old Mitchell and 21-year-old Freeman as they prepare to face Japan on Saturday (12 November, kick-off: 3.15pm).
England squad for Japan Test week
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 38 caps)Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 42 caps)Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 40 caps)Jamie George (Saracens, 69 caps)Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 6 caps)Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 16 caps)Maro Itoje (Saracens, 59 caps)Tom Pearson (London Irish, uncapped)David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, uncapped)Sean Robinson (Newcastle Falcons, uncapped)Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 15 caps)Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 53 caps)Jack Singleton (Gloucester Rugby, 3 caps)Hugh Tizard (Saracens, uncapped)Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 65 caps)Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 71 caps)Jack Willis (Wasps, 5 caps)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
Backs
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 13 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 98 caps)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 2 caps)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)
Will Joseph (London Irish, 1 cap)
Max Malins (Saracens, 14 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 69 caps)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins, uncapped)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 43 caps)
Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 49 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 14 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 14 caps)
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 47 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 118 caps)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 13 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 98 caps)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 2 caps)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)
Will Joseph (London Irish, 1 cap)
Max Malins (Saracens, 14 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 69 caps)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins, uncapped)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 43 caps)
Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 49 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 14 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 14 caps)
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 47 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 118 caps)
Sir Clive Woodward's fumes at England performance, singles out Ben Youngs
Youngs not good enough:
The player who faced the brunt of criticism from the former England boss is Leicester Tigers scrum-half Ben Youngs.
He was visibly slow compared to Jack van Poortvliet’s arrival. His inventive chip kick from base off ruck almost resulted in a Marcus Smith try and the ensuing scrum led to Cokanasiga’s try.
Ben Youngs came under fire from former England boss Eddie Jones
However, it’s clearer than ever to everyone that JvP or Raffi Quirke are the nines to turn to with a World Cup on the horizon.
Woodward wrote: "At every ruck, Ben Youngs was taking too long to pass the ball away. Those fractions of a second all add up. No team will win a World Cup at that pace.
"I think there are four better English scrum-halves currently than Ben Youngs, with Jack van Poortvliet at the top of the list, but the more people praise him the less likely it seems that Eddie will pick him,"
Ben Youngs facts:
- On 24 April 2007 at the age of 17 years and 231 days he became Leicester's youngest ever player used in a league match when he came off the bench against Bristol
- Youngs has been a Premiership Rugby champion five times, winning in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 and in 2022.
- His father Nick Youngs played scrum-half for both Leicester and England
- Youngs is married to Charlotte. They have two children, son Boris and daughter Billie
- He made his club debut at 17 in 2007 and in 2010 made his debut for England; in 2022 he became England men’s most capped player with 115 appearances
Play players in position:
Woodward wrote: "Too many players are being picked out of position. Maro Itoje is not a flanker and Owen Farrell is not a centre. Those guys are two of the best players in the world but England aren’t maximising their potential.
Owen Farrell, Captain of England kicks the penalty during the Autumn Nations Series Match between England and Argentina at Twickenham Stadium on 6 November 2022. Photo: Frankie OKeeffe/PPAUK
"If England had picked their best players in their best positions then they could have won that game with something to spare,
"Manu Tuilagi’s best position is inside centre so I would like to see him with Farrell and Henry Slade either side of him. Ben Earl is the best openside flanker in the Premiership so I would bring him and play Tom Curry at No 6, rather than persisting with this policy of putting a lock there.
"Hopefully Sunday will be a massive wake-up call, otherwise it will be a long autumn.
"We play Argentina in a pool game on the opening day of the World Cup and if we lose that our dreams are over."
Owen Farrell Facts:
- The Saracens star went to school with England teammate George Ford
- His education began in rugby league – he joined Wigan St Patricks at the age of eight
- He became the youngest ever player to appear in English professional rugby, making his debut aged 17 and 11 days. This record was later beaten by schoolmate Ford
- It’s well known that Owen is the son of Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. However, it’s less commonly know that his uncle Sean O’Loughlin is also a rugby league legend, winning 34 caps for Great Britain between 1993 and 2009
- He was not at first registered as a Farrell, but took mum Colleen’s family name of O’Loughlin. The couple married in 1995, changing Owen’s surname to Farrell the following year.
Awful atmosphere:
He also called out the under par atmosphere at the game, which was obvious for everyone to see on social media.
"I was sitting in the stands as a fan on Sunday for the first time in a long while and it was a totally underwhelming and frankly awful experience." wrote Woodward.
He added: "The RFU kept playing naff music throughout the match and I spent half the afternoon standing up because people were back and forth buying beers.
"The atmosphere felt artificial and contrived and, to top it off, England’s performance was so bad. Everyone was bored out of their brains."
Fans obviously agreed with Woodward's brutal assessment.
Probably somewhat due to the weather and lack of exciting play, the crowd did seem quieter than usual for a bit test match.
"Twickenham like a church. No atmosphere," wrote one supporter.
A second commented: "Twickenham crowd sitting on their hands as usual. Flat corporate crowd and canned MUSIC, barely a rugby fan to be seen. Just like the RFU like it."
"Could hear a pin drop in Twickenham.. rugby due hards are obviously still stunned by the names on the jerseys while the new folks must be struggling to find the argies names in the program to put in their insta post."
A fourth said: "Twickenham is just a vapid soulless hole isn’t it?"
"It is sooo quiet in Twickenham! There’s absolutely no atmosphere there what so ever. What a snooze fest," commented a sixth."
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