"Autumn Call-Up?" – Five Uncapped England Hopefuls who Impressed in the Premiership Round 5
Yesterday at 03:35 PM
Round Five of the Gallagher Premiership has now concluded, with the five completed fixtures marking the final weekend of club involvement for the England stars. The selected 36-man group now jets out to Girona to join Steve Borthwick’s England camp, as preparations heat up ahead of the incoming Autumn International Series.
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England have four titanic fixtures lined up throughout next month, with the consecutive weekends commencing on Saturday November 2nd. Borthwick’s men take on the All Blacks at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, with revenge firmly on the minds after back-to-back defeats to New Zealand this past Summer. England then host Australia, South Africa and Japan, in what will surely be an unforgettable month of Test match action.
Also in the mix for next month is the return of England A, with England U20 head coach Mark Mapletoft leading the emerging team in their battle with Australia A. This clash takes place at the Twickenham Stoop the day after England play South Africa (Sunday November 17th), with the fringe players hopeful to run out in the former Saxons set-up. Borthwick would have had his eyes focussed on the past weekend of the Premiership, with several members of his coaching team spotted around the grounds.
There could well be a late call-up to the England training camp this week, with the best laid plans often curtailed through injuries. Here are five uncapped England hopefuls who put up their hands for a late Autumn Series call-up, from the latest round of the Premiership.
5 UNCAPPED ENGLAND HOPEFULS WHO IMPRESSED
1. Will Wand (Leicester Tigers)
England fans need to keep in mind the name Will Wand, as despite only getting on the pitch for 28 minutes last weekend, the versatile back showcased his talents. Given a limited amount of time by his head coach Michael Cheika, Wand made 31m from four carries. The 22-year-old was supercharged by the time he ran out for Leicester, and shot into the match with a bolt of electricity, to kick the Tigers up a gear on the way to victory.
Watching the match between Leicester Tigers and Gloucester was Ruck Midland’s Reporter Tom Harrington, who said; “Coming on in the 51st minute the 22-year-old impressed on the wing, normally a centre, with quick acceleration he put Tigers on the front foot every time the ball came his way.”
2. Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
Long mentioned amongst similar lists throughout the past couple of seasons, Cadan Murley has proven his talents time and again for Harlequins. However, the wing remains uncapped with England, even after ending the 2022/23 season as the top try scorer (with 18). The question marks around Murley were previously raised on his defending, yet the flying Quin proved in the battle with Bath that he has certainly strengthen his tackling and breakdown work.
Murley made the first hit of the match – and it was a big one. Flying at Bath from Marcus Smith’s kick off, Murley clattered into the blue, black and white receiver with a well-timed tackle. The wing’s stand-out defensive effort was his incredible try saver, as he got underneath Tom de Glanville’s slide to the try-line.
Murley also kept his opposite man Joe Cokanasiga quiet for most of the afternoon. With Lee Blackett watching on from the Bath dug out, and soon to be amongst the England A camp, you would hope he was impressed by the 25-year-old’s efforts against his side.
3. Toby Knight (Saracens)
Saracens are truly blessed with depth in the back row. Whilst clubs across the Premiership are anxiously eyeing up the upcoming weekend without their international stars, Saracens can rotate in young Toby Knight, to build upon a blistering performance against Bristol Bears. The 22-year-old had a stunning effort out on the openside flank, with the absent Ben Earl not missed by the men in black.
Watching the game at Ashton Gate was Ruck’s Bristol Bears Reporter Ben Thorne, who was certainly impressed by the young back row’s performance. “Similarly to (Tom) Willis, Knight was instrumental in Saracens phase play, doing a lot of hard unseen work throughout the match. The 22-year old flanker was brilliant either side of the ball, coming up with multiple turnovers in defence and carrying the ball physically. Knight even managed to get on the scoresheet as he crashed over in the 16th minute.”
4. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
Ruck’s Northampton Saints Reporter Ben Grundy was stunned by the young back row’s efforts, as Northampton despatched of Sale Sharks with ease. Watching on from cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, Grundy wrote;
“The number eight impressed in Leicestershire and certainly made an impression in front of his home fans. His sensational last-ditch tackle denied Gus Warr a try in front of the Barwell Stand and his work at the breakdown was equally impressive, earning Saints a series of penalties for the Sharks holding on in the ruck.
“The Saints Director of Rugby Phil Dowson, reflected on his performance and his last-ditch tackle: "I think that (the tackle) will probably give him some momentum. He made a shocking read so he had to make that hold-up to get back in there. I think that shows his desperation within there (Saints' defence). We were on the back foot a lot and that was a concern."
5. Tom de Glanville (Bath)
It was a close call for the fifth spot on this list, with two talented fullbacks putting themselves forward for future England contention. With three tries in five matches, Bath star Tom de Glanville is amongst the most in form finishes currently in the Premiership. We’ve opted for de Glanville over Exeter Chiefs flyer Josh Hodge, by the narrowest of margins separating the West Country speedsters.
With nine caps for the England U20s, de Glanville is well known by the national pathway coaches. This could well play to his benefit for an England A call-up next month, with both England U20s head coach Mark Mapletoft and Bath Assistant Coach Lee Blackett named amongst the former Saxons coaching staff. De Glanville shone in the dramatic win over Harlequins, as he capped off a stunning strike move to score a crucial try in Bath’s comeback.
Bonus mention – Josh Hodge (Exeter Chiefs)
Whilst Tom de Glanville officially makes our list, Josh Hodge is certainly worthy of an honourable mention after this past weekend. Hodge was one of the rare flahes of light on a dark day for the Chiefs, as Newcastle ended their 19-month wait for a Premiership win over Exeter, who after five straight losses are now suffering their worst ever start to a season.
Watching the match was Ruck Reporter Jordan Jones, who was impressed by the performance of the young Chiefs flyer. “The Chiefs fullback may have been on the losing side but was a strong force offensively against his former side. Though he has trained with the senior national side, the 24 year old is yet to make an appearance for England.
“He has played for England across all youth levels and was particularly impressive for the under 20s. In 2020, when he last played for the England U20s, it was seen as an inevitability that he would get a call up. Might this year finally be the year he claims a place in the England squad?”
5 England Hopefuls Who Bottled It This Weekend
The Premiership action this weekend saw some England hopefuls looking to make their mark. Unfortunately, for a few, things didn't quite go to plan.
Here's a look at five players who'll be hoping for a quick turnaround after a tough weekend on the pitch.
Rus Tuima – Exeter Chiefs
Exeter Chiefs were left reeling as Newcastle Falcons snapped their 25-match losing streak with a 25-18 win. Tuima, who's been in the conversation for England, had a day to forget.
His biggest issue? Giving away careless penalties in the middle of the field. These gave Newcastle perfect opportunities to kick for the corner, setting up camp in Exeter's half and ultimately piling on the pressure. For Tuima, this was definitely one of those “could've done better” days.
Ethan Roots – Exeter Chiefs
It was a rough week for Roots. Dropped from the England squad ahead of the Autumn internationals, the flanker had a chance to make a statement against Newcastle. But instead, his frustrations got the better of him.
A reckless late hit on Falcons fly-half Grayson gave away a penalty at a crucial moment, allowing Newcastle to relieve the pressure and gain valuable ground. Petulant moments like this won't win you points in the England selection room.
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