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England name replacements for 3 players, including Ollie Lawrence
By Liam Heagney
Steve Borthwick has been forced to make three changes to the England squad named last week for the upcoming Guinness Six Nations.
The head coach is holding a training camp this week in Girona, his team’s base ahead of their February 3 campaign opener away to Italy in Rome, and a bruising weekend of Investec Champions Cup action has taken its toll – including the loss of midfielders Ollie Lawrence and Oscar Beard.
With England having lost Manu Tuilagi to injury, Owen Farrell to a Test-rugby sabbatical, and Joe Marchant to ineligibility after his post-Rugby World Cup switch to Stade Francais, it was expected that Lawrence – who had impressed at Bath this winter – was poised to play a major role in his country’s midfield in the championship.
However, after being named in the original 36-strong training squad, he has now had to pull out along with Harlequins’ Beard and Sale hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie. No details were given about the exact type and severity of the injuries Lawrence and Cowan-Dickie have sustained.
Beard, meanwhile, was one of seven uncapped players chosen last week by Borthwick, but his role in Girona will now be minimised to going through his return to play protocols following the head knock he sustained as an outside centre starter in his team’s win over Ulster.
A statement read: “Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby), Will Muir (Bath Rugby) and Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons) have been called into the England Guinness Six Nations training squad.
“The trio replace Oscar Beard (Harlequins), Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby) and Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks) who have withdrawn due to injury. Beard will travel to England’s training base in Girona where he will continue his return to play protocol.”
It will be Thursday, February 1, when Borthwick will name his England team to face Italy in round one following their arrival in Rome after their warm-weather camp preparations in Girona.
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Go to commentsYes that’s what WR needs to look at. Football had the same problem with european powerhouses getting all the latin talent then you’re gaurenteed to get the odd late bloomer (21/22 etc, all the best footballers can play for the country much younger to get locked) star changing his allegiance.
They used youth rep selection for locking national elifibilty at one point etc. Then later only counted residency after the age of 18 (make clubs/nations like in this case wait even longer).
That’s what I’m talking about, not changing allegiance in rugby (were it can only be captured by the senior side), where it is still the senior side. Oh yeah, good point about CJ, so in most cases we probably want kids to be able to switch allegiance, were say someone like Lemoto could rep Tonga (if he wasn’t so good) but still play for Australia’s seniors, while in someone like Kite’s (the last aussie kid to go to France) case he’ll be French qualified via 5 years residency at the age of 21, so France to lock him up before Aussie even get a chance to select him. But if we use footballs regulations, who I’m suggesting WR need to get their a into g replicating, he would only start his 5 years once he turns 18 or whatever, meaning 23 yo is as soon as anyone can switch, and when if they’re good enough teams like NZ and Aus can select them (France don’t give a f, they select anybody just to lock them).
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