Dean Richards backs exiled Simmonds: 'If it was my England team then he would be there or thereabouts'
Ex-Test level back row Dean Richards has entered the debate over the continued omission of Sam Simmonds from the England squad, revealing he would have picked the Exeter No8 for international duty and not discarded him as Eddie Jones has done.
Richards, the Newcastle director of rugby, is the latest former England No8 to air an opinion in favour of the inclusion of Simmonds.
Lawrence Dallaglio also wants the Exeter player – this season’s leading Gallagher Premiership try-scorer with 13, seven more than any other player – to add his talents to a misfiring England attack that will try to break down a Guinness Six Nations French defence on Saturday masterminded by Shaun Edwards, the former Wales and Lions assistant coach.
Simmonds won the last of his seven England caps under head coach Jones three years ago and Richards said: “It depends on what Eddie wants and how he wants to play and if they fall into that style of play.
“He is picking accordingly and there is no doubt about it that people are shouting about how well Sam Simmonds is playing. If it was my England team then he would be there or thereabouts and not be discarded. But we are all different and play in different ways and so are our requirements in terms of players.”
"A No8 with pace off the base of the scrum, getting over the gain line…"
– Ex-England skipper Lawrence Dallaglio wants Test rugby fans to be able to savour the talent Sam Simmonds has #SixNations #PremRugby #BATvEXEhttps://t.co/maiYuM71kI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 6, 2021
Neil Back, the ex-England and Leicester openside, has taken a different view in the current debate, urging Simmonds to bide his time and earn the right to start at Test level through his performances for double champions Exeter Chiefs.
Back said: “You should excel at club level and probably only three or four Premiership plus two or three European Cup games a year are anywhere near international level. It’s the sum of the parts that count, which is down to the coach selection.
“If you’re not getting picked you have two choices: give up or work hard every day until you get your shot. At least you can look in the mirror knowing you didn’t fail through lack of effort. There is lots of competition in each position so lots of great players don’t get selected to play international rugby.
“Just because your Premiership team is winning, not all players in that team will play Test rugby. Leicester finished eleventh in Premiership when four of their players started and one came off the bench for England in the World Cup 2019 semi-final with New Zealand, which was arguably England best-ever performance.”
Surely Warren can see what Eddie can't?https://t.co/piUFP28zKu
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 6, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Hiding coming up for Saders.
1 Go to commentsDagg really does go down some rabbit holes doesnt he? In the name I guess.
6 Go to commentsHey Brett I’m one who is looking forward to seeing JS back on the rugby field. I was under the impression that a large portion of his contract was via a third party so RA isn’t having to foot the bill My big concern is around the Tahs and what is happening there, why are so many players bailing. Is it the program, the coaches or the culture. Joe Schmidt recently said he had been at the Tahs all week and DC is a good coach. Something doesn’t gel , 10 front row forwards in a season that’s not bad luck
13 Go to commentsIncorrect title. He hasn’t said Furlong is one of the best scrummagers. He said he is one of the best props.
1 Go to comments“_It seems like a crazy thing that he was counting them_“ Are you stupid, mate? Anyone with more than half a brain understands that he meant “a lot” or something similar. Do you really think he was counting? “*Goode*: Told you, Jim!“ No, you banana. You said, explicitly, that the Irish players didn’t say what EE said they did. Even though you weren’t there. Even though you didn’t hear a word they said. M0r0n.
107 Go to commentsI am sure that Scott Robertson did do the courtesy of telling Sam Cane that he was not in his All Black plans and NZR would support him if he wished to sign a lucrative pension playing out his career in the cream puff rugby that is Japan’s Top League. I fail to see this as a negative as Israel Dagg is trying to spin it. Razor allowed Cane to leave with dignity rather than being unceremoniously dumped as was Buck Shelford.
6 Go to commentsHey rugbypass can I also get involved with writing rugby articles?
1 Go to commentsHey rugbypass can I also get involved with writing rugby articles?
1 Go to commentsAT THE END OF THE DAY THE TEAM WITH 4 WORLD CUPS WILL ALWAYS GET TO TELL THE OTHER NATION TO SUCK MY BALLS. THIS IS A SCIENTIFIC AND IRREFUTABLE FACT.
107 Go to commentsWish him and his family the best in his retirement from International rugby and into the future.
1 Go to commentsSelf proclaimed expert/pundit Andy Goode and his very personal views on referees…Why recalling them in such an article as if he were an undisputed authority on the subject ? Only because fellow writer ?
1 Go to commentsLate growth spurts are a common problem over here. I’m well over 30, and I just started having a growth spurt too. Could be a world class prop soon.
1 Go to commentsas much as the challenge cup is a bit of a nothing competition, winning it would still mean something. last year it was won by toulon, who are now something like 4th in the top 14? The year before it was won by Lyon a season before they finished 3rd in the league. The year before that the final was contested by Montpellier and Leicester - 12 months before they both became domestic champions. That should give Gloucester fans some hope.
1 Go to commentsgreat article - although I can’t help wonder whether the more relevant debate over coming years will be between Ford and Fin Smith!
12 Go to commentsMaking Scott Barrett captain might be a masterstroke….will calm him down & stop brain fades and also take pressure off Ardie, so he can just play his natural monster game. Lets see how that all pans out🧐
8 Go to commentsI’m surprised Scotland are planning to rest key players this summer - I don’t think any other tier 1 nation will be doing the same?
3 Go to commentsGreat analysis Brett and what a shame that RA haven't spent more on the tight five instead. BTW I see the latest 8-9 Combo has dropped, looking forward to that. It's incredible the amount of damage that Hamish and Eddie's egos did in such a short space of time. From memory Eddie drove the initial drive to poach league stars way back in the 00s, with community rugby paying the price in reduced funding. Australia went from 15% of its income being spent on community rugby in 2002 to 2.4% in 2015, sheer madness and look where they are now. Hamish reminds me of Scrappy Doo. Always mouthing off, spoiling for a fight with bigger dogs who'd eat him alive. Sadly RA didn't have a Scooby Doo to bail him out.
13 Go to comments*_“I love watching bone-shuddering tackles, brutal clear-outs, monster ball carries, and crushingly intense scrummaging. I love it. These things make my heart rate spike. These aren’t the only things I love about rugby, but I feel no need to pretend I don’t love them, or to apologise for loving them just in case someone thinks I shouldn’t.”_* beautifully put Flats🔥
3 Go to comments“Hidden comments” all over the place😂 Turlough’s been a busy little boy ey🤭
107 Go to commentsit’ll all be released in an autobiography a few years from now….. “Razor shafted me” blah blah blah. thinking of making Scott Barrett captain might be a good move. Could calm down his brain fades & make him an even better player for them
6 Go to comments