Importance of Versatility in England’s World Cup Squad, According to Steve Borthwick

England Coach Borthwick Emphasizes Positional Flexibility in Rugby World Cup Squad Selection

In a surprising move, England coach Steve Borthwick has highlighted the importance of “positional flexibility” in his squad selection for the upcoming Rugby World Cup. The announcement, made on Monday, left out notable players such as Henry Slade and Alex Dombrandt.

Borthwick acknowledged that there are talented players who unfortunately couldn’t make the cut due to limited spots available. He expressed his desire to have a larger selection pool but had no choice but to work with the constraints given.

Slade, who had been part of England’s previous two World Cups and played 30 out of their past 37 Tests, was one of the highest-profile omissions from the squad for this year’s tournament in France.

“There are good players competing for each position,” explained Borthwick when questioned about Slade’s absence. To ensure strength in key areas like front row, scrum-half, and fly-half positions, compromises needed to be made elsewhere on the team.

The coach emphasized the importance of positional flexibility throughout different areas of play within his selected squad members. For instance, Joe Marchant provides wing cover, Elliot Daly and Ollie Lawrence can play at center or wing positions along with Manu Tuilagi at number 13. Owen Farrell is also capable of playing at fly-half or center positions, further adding to the team’s versatility.

Borthwick also addressed another talking point from his selection – having only one specialist number eight player in Billy Vunipola. Despite Vunipola’s absence from recent games due to a knee injury, Borthwick expressed confidence in his fitness level and highlighted the flexibility within the back row options.

“There’s a lot of competition in that back row,” said Borthwick. “Players like Lewis Ludlam can cover all three positions, Ben Earl has experience at flanker and number eight, Tom Curry is adept at both flanker and number eight as well.”

The England squad for this World Cup demonstrates a combination of youthful talent and experienced players. 16 members from the defeated 2019 final team against South Africa have retained their places. The youngest member selected is Henry Arundell, aged just 20 years old. Meanwhile, three players – Ben Youngs, Courtney Lawes, and Dan Cole – will be participating in their fourth World Cup campaign.

Captain Owen Farrell Looks Ahead

In a media conference held on Monday, Captain Owen Farrell shared his excitement for the upcoming tournament alongside newcomers Ollie Lawrence, Jack van Poortvliet ,

Focused on making every moment count, Farrell emphasized that representing England in such a prestigious event is an immense privilege not to be taken lightly.

“This tournament comes around only once every four years,” said Farrell. “We have an incredible opportunity to showcase our best selves on the world stage while enjoying the journey together.”

In closing,Farrell expressed his intention to reach out to Henry Slade, with whom he shared a room during the training camp for the past four weeks. He acknowledged that those who narrowly missed selection were integral in preparing the team for this momentous event.

“Competition is fierce within any squad, especially at an elite level,” Farrell stated. “England’s national rugby team is no exception.”

Ahead of Rugby World Cup

The England squad has been carefully crafted by coach Steve Borthwick, considering both individual talents and positional flexibility. The unique combination of experience and youth within the team provides an exciting dynamic as they prepare to take on the world’s best teams in France.

This Rugby World Cup will undoubtedly be a spectacle not to be missed,
and England aims to seize every opportunity it presents.