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Woodward: Shields selection would make 'zero sense'
By Online Editors
Former England head coach Sir Clive Woodward has deemed Brad Shields' potential selection for England's tour of South Africa as 'intrinsically wrong'.
Woodward penned his thoughts in his column for Daily Mail, where he details why Shields' selection makes little sense and urges Eddie Jones to look elsewhere.
27-year-old Hurricanes skipper Shields will move to Aviva Premiership side Wasps at the conclusion of the Super Rugby season and has sought a release from New Zealand Rugby in order to play in England's upcoming tour.
Woodward believes that England should instead pick someone groomed through the English system.
"England reportedly want to pluck Shields out of the Super Rugby tournament, fly him 12,000 miles to here and then another 5500 to South Africa, before he returns to Wellington to complete his contract there," writes Woodward.
"It makes zero sense and is intrinsically wrong. If he tours South Africa it will smack of a 'transfer' in soccer in the January window where players sign on deadline day and play on Saturday."
Woodward said that just because Shields is eligible for England "that doesn't mean others should be brushed aside in the stampede to select him.
"Shields is a product of the New Zealand system, won the world championship with their under 20s, has been the captain of the Hurricanes and been talked about as a possible All Black over the years.
"Why not promote from the English game, the Premiership and the RFU's outstanding under-20 system? Let's make a virtue of that.
"This is not what international rugby is all about and hands a psychological advantage to New Zealand, who secretly will be finding it highly amusing – no more than that."
"The immediate promotion of Shields would be an opportunist deviation from the standards we have set ourselves and which many players have adhered to. A worrying, confusing precedent that threatens the vital bond between England players that is the lifeblood of international rugby."
New Zealand Rugby are yet to confirm Shields' release.
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Latest Comments
Williams, Faletau, Lake, Morgan are the only ones who have a chance. None of them are guaranteed but I'd imagine they'll pick Williams and Morgan who could get in on merit and will likely be favoured for inclusivity.
Williams is fighting it out with Ben White for 3rd slot behind JGP and Mitchell.
Morgan is up against JVDF, Earl, Curry, Curry, Willis for 4 flanker slots, he's definitely good enough but huge call to leave any of those boys at home.
Lake and Faletau are good enough but I'd be surprised if Faletau gets picked over Conan and Lake would be up against Cowan-Dickie which I can't see happening. Blair Murray is probably 4th in the 15 pecking order behind Kinghorn, Heenan, Marcus Smith. He's probably a better 15 than Smith but Smith brings versatility so would be favoured. Since Smith may go on tour as a 10/15 hybrid, they would already have 3 fullbacks in the squad so Murray won't make it, good player though.
Nicky Smith and Dafydd Jenkins clutching at straws.
Go to commentsYep, if he really is the guy, they should have been able to know that then and stick with him despite the calamity. I think everyone knows about the other teams success that did that after having near equally as bad an exit.
If I had to put money on either side, it wouldn’t be for the RFU record making a decision like that. Tough one though.
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