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In pictures: Second week of England Rugby World Cup training
By Liam Heagney
Steve Borthwick has a 38-strong squad with him this week in Brighton as England negotiate week two of their pre-season training ahead of the September Rugby World Cup.
Only players from Saracens and Sale, the May 27 Gallagher Premiership finalists, were unavailable for selection – they will only become available for the first July camp at The Lensbury.
Last week, with players from the four semi-final clubs unavailable, Borthwick had 28 players in for week one training at Pennyhill Park.
That gathering wasn’t without its concerns as Ollie Lawrence and Jack Walker suffered respective knee and calf injuries that will reportedly take six weeks to fully recover from.
Both are now in Brighton receiving further treatment, joining Billy Vunipola, Ollie Chessum and Luke Cowan-Dickie in the group of in-camp players rehabilitating from injury.
At least they remain the in loop – Ollie Hassell-Collins, Harry Randall and Ben Spencer were named in the week one squad but weren’t recalled for week two training. England open their four-match World Cup warm-up schedule with an August 5 game away to Wales in Cardiff, with coach Borthwick poised to name his final 33-man squad for the finals in France two days later on August 7 in London.
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No doubt Razor will want to kick the 2024 campaign off with a decisive selection of the top match fit players to insure his selection as the appointed coach has maximum impact. We the supporters and critics will settle for nothing less because historically it is what we have become ingrained and accustomed to. With that in mind and the distinct fall from grace of his beloved crusaders we will expect him to stamp his mark in the same way he left his old post.
Go to commentsI would've expected a better turn around in response to the changes within the team and its management. Lacking in my opinion is the skill sets that once was and now seemingly vacant within the squads regular front runners. Furthermore there seems to be no set game plan, the accuracy that once was is no more, the quality off the bench were poor matchups and frankly I feel a lot has to do with the coaching. Never thought i’d be critising the sadas to this degree.
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