Who Raised a Hand for England?
Recently we have had a lot of young, untested and unproven players coming through and playing for England. Some have shown great promise and some have fallen short. I wanted to look into some of these players and determine which I thought had played themselves into the mind of Martin Johnson and whether they would get a shot at going to the World Cup in New Zealand or not and when we can expect to see them more regularly in an England Shirt.
Forwards
Paul Doran-Jones - Prop
Doran-Jones has certainly stuck a hand up for inclusion at this years World Cup. If he can pout on a show in the forthcoming tests and produces the strong and powerful scrums we have seen from him before and show us some good ball in hand then he has a shot. His athleticism as a prop is a huge plus for him and he is definitely a player to keep watching. He is soon to be joining Northampton Saints and looks set to have serious competition for a place in that side but that will only make him improve and that can only be good for England.
Verdict- Paul Doran-Jones will probably miss out this time but expect to see him challenging for that No.3 jersey very soon.
Graham Kitchener - Lock
Kitchener is a force in the lineout and enjoys charging at defences. However Kitchener does lack experience of the big games and his lack of composure at times was certainly evident in the championship play-off semi final where he celebrated much before scoring the try and was tackled in the try area and knocked on. With some more top tier game time Kitchener will grow into a great second row option, but he falls just a little short of the mark right now. I am huge fan of Kitchener and believe the next season will be crucial for his development.
Verdict - Kitchener isn't far off the standard we need to see in a regular England shirt but he won't make this World Cup. Expect to see an appearance at the 2012 6 Nations.
Tom Johnson - Flanker
The pace Johnson can add to the back row does provide food for thought and certainly adds weight to the argument in favour of Johnson going to the World Cup. Along with his proven ability with ball in hand and exceptional work rate is up there with the best in the business. However Johnson has on occasion been known to pick the wrong pass or make the odd reckless offload. His decision making needs work but that comes with experience at the highest level and we are already seeing Johnson grow as a player. He will certainly be in the mind of his namesake.
Verdict - If injuries creep in and Johnson can put in a few more big performances before the World Cup he has an outside chance at going to New Zealand.
Matt Stevens - Prop
Matt Stevens has gone from strength to strength this year and is emerging as one of the stand out scrum specialists in the game. I do believe now we are seeing the Matt Stevens we imagined would come from the pre-ban Matt Stevens. He is starting to live upto the potential afforded to him just a few years back. He is a terrific prop to have running at defences as he gains yards and breaks tackles. However due to the nature of his game he does have a habit of a few knock-on's here and there. This is the only criticism I have of a prop who should be going to New Zealand.
Verdict - In my opinion Stevens is the 'in form' prop for England and should be on the flight to the world cup. Lets hope selectors agree.
Backs
Henry Trinder - Centre
Trinder is a centre with bags of class. He simply oozes flair and times his runs impeccably. He looks set for a bright future for club and country and certainly can be billed as a potential star. If there is a chance of him going to the world cup I honestly hope he does. Trinder has the dynamism and creativity England's centre pairing has missed. Some may think he's a bit inexperienced for the world cup which to an extent I would agree with. However although he lacks experience he has the composure to overcome it.
Verdict - Trinder is my dark horse. I hope they give the lad a shot. Although I think he might have to wait for a little bit longer for his chance at a major competition.
Ugo Monye - Winger
Monye has regularly impressed in an England shirt when called upon but never quite done enough to keep the shirt. Being marred by injuries at key times hasn't really helped his cause either. However Monye's pace, strength and athleticism are top class. With a few questions raised over Mark Cueto after this years 6Nations I think a back line comprising of Ashton, Foden and Monye sounds like an exciting way to go. Monye has experience of big competitions in the southern hemisphere after his surprising 2009 call up to the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa, where he also impressed. If he can stear clear of injury he has a great chance.
Verdict - Monye would be my choice over Cueto, however a think Johnson may stick with what he knows. Monye will probably go as a replacement if injury free.
Charlie Sharples - Winger
Charlie Sharples has been one of the most impressive and prolific wingers in the latter part of the Aviva Premiership season. His quick breaks have obliterated defences and his ability to consistently pick the perfect line have made him unstoppable at times. At just 21 he is a great prospect and one of many that Gloucester are producing at the moment. I would like at the very least to see Sharples make the provisional training squad but sadly I don't think selectors will favour him over some of the tried and tested.
Verdict - Would love to see him there but think he will miss out this time.
Overall looking into this subject has shown me the strength England has to offer and as a nation we are still producing quality talent of all ages. If these players can be guided in the right manner and keep their feet on the ground then it could become an exciting new era for England rugby.
