England captain Chris Robshaw during training at Pennyhill Park, Surrey. (Reuters)
AFP/London
England captain Chris Robshaw acknowledged doubts about his future yesterday amid mass changes for the final match of the hosts disastrous World Cup campaign.
Rugby League convert Sam Burgess did not even get a place among the replacements for the Pool A game against Uruguay at Manchester on Saturday.
Coach Stuart Lancaster, who also seems set to be replaced, made nine changes in all to the starting lineup for the catastrophic 33-13 defeat by Australia last Saturday. Robshaw who has faced stinging criticism along with Lancaster said he would not discuss his future until after the Uruguay game.
“We’re very much focused on the here and now. I’ll address questions about my role in the next couple of weeks,” he told a press conference. He said the newlook England squad is “chomping at the bit to play.”
Amid a new day of criticism from past players and newspapers, the beleaguered Lancaster has brought in Henry Slade, Jack Nowell, Danny Care and Alex Goode for their World Cup debuts. Burgess, Lancaster’s most argued over squad selection whose inclusion reportedly alienated some players, disappears completely from the match-day 23.
England’s coaching staff had rejected reports that he was brought in too quickly after less than a year in the game. No immediate reason was given for Burgess’ absence however. The match could be Lancaster’s last in charge.
England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) have ordered a review into the World Cup disaster and several candidates are already expressing interest in the post. Jake White, who guided South Africa to the 2007 World Cup title, said he had already been approached in the past.
“If they were genuinely interested and they approached me, of course I would be interested. It’s one of the biggest jobs in world sport and you would be crazy not to consider it,” White, currently head coach at French side Montpellier, told the Daily Mail.
Japan’s Australian coach Eddie Jones has also said he would be “open” to an approach by the RFU. Lancaster has said he will be permanently scarred by the World Cup defeat. But he has insisted that his main concern is Uruguay on Saturday.
“This is an opportunity for us to finish the tournament with a strong performance against Uruguay and a chance for the likes of young players such as Jack Nowell and Henry Slade to play in a World Cup,” said Lancaster. “We owe it to ourselves and the supporters who have been brilliant throughout.”
In the pack, Mako Vunipola starts in place of Joe Marler at loosehead prop, with James Haskell and Nick Easter replacing Tom Wood and Ben Morgan in the back row. Owen Farrell takes over from injured Saracens clubmate Brad Barritt in the number 12 jersey and George Ford—who Lancaster was castigated for dropping for the Wales game—returns at fly half. “Brad Barritt (arm) and Courtney Lawes (knee) are not available this weekend and Ben Morgan (dead leg) and Ben Youngs (ankle) will not be able to train fully until Thursday,” said Lancaster.
Team (15-1)
Alex Goode; Anthony Watson, Henry Slade, Owen Farrell, Jack Nowell; George Ford, Danny Care; Nick Easter, Chris Robshaw (capt), James Haskell; Geoff Parling, Joe Launchbury; Dan Cole, Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola. Replacements: Jamie George, Joe Marler, David Wilson, George Kruis, Tom Wood, Richard Wigglesworth, Jonathan Joseph, Mike Brown.
