Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Woodward's advice to England after Watson's long-awaited Test return

England's Anthony Watson runs with the ball during last Sunday's match versus Wales (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

After Anthony Watson made his first England appearance since March 2018 on Sunday against Wales, World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward has said that he needs to be starting. 

ADVERTISEMENT

This comes after calls on social media for the Bath player to play at full-back for England, with Elliot Daly reverting back to the wing. Watson started on the wing in Sunday’s win, looking assured under the high ball and strong in defence. 

Although the 25-year-old primarily plays on the wing for Bath, he was the incumbent full-back for England when he sustained an achilles injury in the final game of the 2018 Six Nations that has since required two surgeries and kept him out for over a year. 

In the meantime, Daly filled in at full-back but is perhaps more comfortable on the wing. While he wore the 15 shirt on Sunday, many want to see him swap with Watson.

Woodward seems less concerned with what position either of them play, as long as they are both on the pitch. Both players bring a huge amount to this England team, and Daly has obviously done enough during his time in the 15 shirt to convince Woodward. 

(Continue reading below…)

The new Saracens signing has a kicking game that is perhaps better suited to full-back, while Watson is probably stronger in the air, but what is important to Woodward is that they both start.

ADVERTISEMENT

With Jonny May surely set to occupy the other wing, this is shaping up to be England’s first choice back three going into the World Cup.

https://twitter.com/CliveWoodward/status/1160881656561111040?s=20

With Jack Nowell and Ruaridh McConnochie also capable of playing at full-back, Eddie Jones has plenty of options. Joe Cokanasiga is the sixth back three player in the squad, which means there is a lot of competition for places. 

Both Watson and Daly were the starting wingers for all three Test matches against the All Blacks in the 2017 British and Irish Lions series and are probably best suited there. 

While England fans want to see Watson wearing the 15 shirt again, Woodward just wants to see both on the pitch after the pair were selected in the 31-strong squad for the World Cup.

ADVERTISEMENT

WATCH: Joe Marler tells RugbyPass that the current England squad is the tightest he has ever been involved with

ADVERTISEMENT

HSBC SVNS Singapore 2025 | Day Two Men's Highlights

HSBC SVNS Singapore 2025 | Day Two Women's Highlights

Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry? | New Zealand & Australia | Sevens Wonders | Episode 5

Kobelco Kobe Steelers vs Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 2 hours ago
How key Waratahs playmakers could reshape Joe Schmidt's Wallabies backline

Yeah like a classic comedy show, not too different to how he went at the same venue last year? Perhaps there’s something about that latitude that puts his equilibrium off?


The rush on Jo was fine though, you’d catch most players out with Dmacs ex3cution of it. There were actually quite a few instances like that, not too dissimilar to that Bledisloe game actually, were things just didn’t work out for no luck of trying to skill. I laughed when Dmac took himself out of that try and basically gifted it to them by trying to bowl over Kellaway was perhaps the most comical.


Actually now you say that, yes, very reminiscent of Aus v England wasn’t it. The two changes at halves have been instrumental for me. Not that the first two weren’t playing well, but these two seem to pair up better, with everyone. Like you say with those sorts of counter attack plays, they are on instinct and that stuff needs to be shared with everyone. That’s another thing too I was thinking, in that respect guys returning can be a hinderance to a team playing well, but I might have just thought that because I wasn’t sure (hadn’t seen much) which of NSWs midfields were best suited where.


I’m very similar in my TMO preference as well. I had actually said to myself several times already this season (SR here) that they are pretty bullish basically telling the ref what theyve seen as fact. If I remember rightly it even happened a few times in November and some of the refs then said “no, I’m actually happy with that.” etc. But very tough on Maybe (I think) who probably has plss poor vision on the big screen to say anything otherwise, so yes, definitely just make it an offer to look and also communicate ‘why’ precisely to the ref, and (just like he does to the players) he can even say to the TMO “no I was happy how I saw it live, I don’t need a replay thanks” etc. He started like that I think, “I’d like to review a simultaneous grounding” but then yes, he took over after. Of course in the refs minds, it’s the right call, thoughts how it’s always been ref’d, even when theres a good few frames in the slowmo that actually show ball obviously hitting grass first (which they didn’t in this game), they’ve always ruled that (like in cricket) if the ball continues to then be ground on the line after (or in the same frame in this example) they always gone ‘dead ball’. The new SR committee apparently what to making the line the attacking teams so they award the try’s instead of taking them away, but just like I said with them not wanting to look closely at the first forward pass (like they did for the Chiefs try), I don’t want random JRLO level decisions, and giving the line to the attacking team is just going to make clear no trys, a try instead. It’s exactly the same result.

48 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ How key Waratahs playmakers could reshape Joe Schmidt's Wallabies backline How key Waratahs playmakers could reshape Joe Schmidt's Wallabies backline
Search