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'Criminal': England fans fume as Scottish pick Redpath becomes latest player to slip through net
Gregor Townsend’s inclusion of Cameron Redpath in the 2021 Scotland Guinness Six Nations squad has left some fans pointing fingers at England and their boss Eddie Jones for letting him go. The Bath centre, who is the son of former Scotland captain Bryan, played for England U20s, but he has now been snapped up by Townsend following an impressive Gallagher Premiership season to date following his 2020 move from Sale.
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Switching allegiance after playing for a particular country at an age-grade level is not uncommon in rugby, but Redpath had actually been part of England senior training camps under Jones.
Should the 21-year-old earn a Scotland cap this year, he will be part of a growing list of players to represent other countries after being part of England camps.
Wayne Pivac capped both Callum Sheedy and Johnny Williams last year for Wales despite both playing for England against the Barbarians in 2019. Nick Tompkins, another recent Welsh recruit, also played for the Saxons in 2016.
Questions are therefore being asked online as to whether Jones is genuinely focusing on the future, as this is another young player that has slipped through the net. However, this may be as a result of the depth and options the Australian has to choose from.
"I have been trying to sell Scotland to him for the last couple of years"#GuinnessSixNationshttps://t.co/sSBXPnyi1O
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 20, 2021
After all, in this new World Cup cycle England have capped nine new players, one of which is a centre, the 21-year-old Ollie Lawrence, and full-back Max Malins could cause a reshuffle in England’s backline to push other players into the centres.
Even Joe Marchant was capped in August 2019, which suggests that there still has been a focus on bringing through the next generation, although there will inevitably be players that miss out. Just because he represented England earlier in his career, that does not mean that Bath back Redpath was set on playing for England either, particularly given his ancestry.
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Some are querying whether Jones will still opt to call up Redpath to his England squad for this Six Nations when it is announced on Friday. Although he has never been averse to creating commotion of this nature, Jones has not bothered to do this in the past when faced with the prospect of losing other players and is unlikely to do so now.
Intriguingly, Redpath’s Test debut could now come against England, who host Scotland at Twickenham in the opening round of the Six Nations on February 6.
I know he got injured on tour, but Redpath playing for Scotland seems like Eddie missed a trick
— Peter Hague (@Todhague) January 20, 2021
Eddie! This is one he shouldn’t have let get away.
— Glen Peters (@GlenPet47855322) January 20, 2021
Cam Redpath news here is potentially massive. Very strange that Eddie Jones has let the next Henry Slade get away after he'd played for the England U20s. https://t.co/eVVUPhEHnx
— Jacob Whitehead (@jwhitey98) January 20, 2021
https://twitter.com/ConnorWhittick/status/1351851583814971395?s=20
As an England fan I am bit gutted to see this. Redpath been absolute class in an average Bath team. But it’s yet another very promising young player that Jones has let slip.
— Small Man Peaky (@jonnymango95) January 20, 2021
Ouch. Painful one that for England fans. Will effect his long term future at Bath too.
— Sam Musteff (@ViewXv) January 20, 2021
Great to see him in the squad! But I was just wondering, is there anything to stop Eddie Jones naming him in the England squad also? Just wondering what the protocol is for uncapped players??
— Mark Camburn (@CamburnMark) January 20, 2021
I could never understand why England capped Cam Redpath at U20 level when he was always going to pick Scotland. It just blocks a chance for someone who wants to play for England to get experience
— Mark_frommk (@MarkTur93421136) January 20, 2021
Well deserved but hope Eddie makes it interesting and makes a play for him! Has all the attributes to be top class https://t.co/KVwkNavn4L
— Olly (@ollyleahy8) January 20, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
2 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
1 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
6 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
2 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
6 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
6 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
16 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
16 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
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