Needs more time: Ben Morgan
England head coach Stuart Lancaster has confirmed that Ben Morgan, Alex Corbisiero and Freddie Burns will not feature against France in next weekend's Six Nations clash at Twickenham.
Lancaster says that all three injured players are making progress but none will be ready in time for le Crunch.
Morgan, who missed last week's victory against Ireland after sustaining an ankle injury in the opening round win over Scotland, needs another couple of weeks to recover.
Burns missed both opening games with a knee injury but is in a similar situation and both players could be in contention for England's penultimate match against Italy on March 10.
Corbisiero however seems unlikely to feature in this year's campaign.
"They are making good recoveries but they are all still a way from being in contention for a spot," he told Sky Sports News.
"Their next step is to go back to their clubs. Freddy is making good progress so hopefully he will be back at Gloucester soon. Ben Morgan will be another couple of weeks and Alex Corbisiero could be a bit longer than that.
Leicester Tiger director of rugby Richard Cockerill has confirmed that flanker Tom Croft, who featured against London Welsh last Saturday, will not play against Harlequins this weekend but will line up against Saracens the following week as he continues his comeback from a serious neck injury.
"Tom Croft is the other one. We were pleased with his performance for Leicester at the weekend," said Lancaster.
"I think he is going to miss week but keep making good progress and i am sure he will come back into the equation over the next few weeks."
Comments
heart_of_oak says...
simojukes - good calls, can't disagree with anything you say. Question is - has Launchberry played any club rugby at number 8 ? Has he played there alot more than Wood ? Lawes is a damn fine lock so to start with Lawes as lock isn't a bad move at all. Would it be weakening the 2nd row to start with Lawes & Parling ? I don't think so.
Of course, I hope Morgan can recover in time for other 6N games. He's our first choice number 8.
Posted 22:15 19th February 2013
simojukes says...
Heat_of_oak.
agree that wood is by far our best 6, and that is his best position.
also agree that billy V would be good there. waldrom has failed to impress me too, and i wonder why they continue to persist with him.
yes i would have lawes come in at 4 if launchers dropped back to 8. in this situation i would probably have someone like croft on the bench (can cover lock, but the 1st choice lock cover would be launchbury from 8) which means two backrowers on the bench.
having said this, i know that launchbury played 8 at school, obviously test rugby is WAY more challenging and technical, but he was most definitely the best schoolboy no8 i played against (and i played a number of lads who are now pro)
Posted 13:27 19th February 2013
heart_of_oak says...
simojoukes et el
I'd be happier seeing Billy V at number 8 than Wood. Wood is too good at 6 and Haskell, in my opinion, isn't good enough to take his place. Waldrom just doesn't cut the mustard any more for me. Maybe once he did though this too could be debated. Launchberry at 8 could be interesting if as you imply, he has alot of experience in this position anyway. I take it that you're suggesting if Launchberry goes to 8, then lawes comes in at lock ?
Posted 21:40 18th February 2013
simojukes says...
@Heart_of_oak. not sure Lawes has ever player 8, and have to agree with TVaddict, that he probably lacks the control at the base.
i think that Wood did an alright job, but i wouldnt want him there too regularly. Croft is an option, but i dont think he is as destructive a ball carrier as say a morgan of billy V. having said this, his running out wide would balance nicely with wood and robshaw.
alternatively, another left field suggestion would be to play Launchbury at 8... we know he is athletic and skillful. he has a better rugby brain than someone like Lawes. I know that Launchbury played the majority of his schoolboy rugby at 8, and he was also a keen goalkeeper and cricketer (wicketkeeper/batsman) so he has relatively decent footwork for a big lad.
ultimately though i think that morgan and billy V are the way forward at 8 for england. the likes of Wood, Croft, Haskell and others should simply be used there as cover if both of the others are not available.
Posted 21:19 17th February 2013
TVaddict says...
@heart_of_oak
I'm almost certain than Vunipola will get his chance this summer. With Wood and Robshaw likely to go on the lions tour I'm predicting that we'll have a back row of 6) Clark, 7) Haskell, 8) Morgan with Vunipola on the bench. Though arguably 6) Haskell/Clark, 7) Kvesic/Fraser, 8) Morgan/Vunipola might be a better options.
Posted 17:01 16th February 2013
heart_of_oak says...
Thing about Wood is that he is very good as a wing forward and is likely to be the first name considered for the 6 spot. If we're not going to consider Billy Vunipola and if Waldrom keeps getting selected but rarely plays, then we need some alternative. It's not Haskell for me and Easter, though playing well now, is not the future. I don't think Dowson is the future number 8 either. So we need another back up to Morgan - or we blood Vunipola and stop buggering about with Wood.
TV Addict you're right about Croft, he's quick, athletic and also a good line out option. My only concern about him now is a similar concern to Corbs, namely that he's recovering from a very serious injury and I wonder if he'll ever be the same player again.
I've only seen Lawes in club games once or twice on TV. So I was hoping some Saints fans could comment on what he might be like as a number 8.
Posted 14:36 16th February 2013
TVaddict says...
@heart_of_oak
Lawes doesn't (at least probably doesn't) have good control of the ball at the base of the scrum. It's why Wood is preferred to Haskell at 8 as Haskell can't control the ball either, he's not dexterous enough with his feet. Saying that has made me wonder if Croft might be able to play 8 as he's pretty dexterous.
Posted 13:51 16th February 2013
heart_of_oak says...
Got my numbers wrong I think. I meant Robshaw at 7 and Wood at 6.
Posted 20:48 15th February 2013
heart_of_oak says...
Re the back row, I may have said this before, but I wonder how Lawes would fare in that position. If Wood can be moved there, why not Lawes ? Saints fans, correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't both of them played all across the back row ? Thing is, we have Parling and Launchberry performing well as locks and it seems a waste of talent to have Lawes on the bench. What do you need from a number 8 ? I suggest it should be someone big but athletic, a ball carrier, a spoiler of the other team's play and above all, someone quick around the pitch. Doesn't Lawes fulfill these attributes just as much as Wood ? If we did play Lawes at number 8, then Wood could revert back to his normal role and Robshaw would stay at 6.
I dare say this won't go down well with many of you but if Wood can do it, why not Lawes ? In fact, Haskell has also played number 8 as well as wing forward and I see that Connor O'Shea is playing Nick Easter at lock for the game against Leicester. So I don't think what I'm suggesting is so radical or novel or untried.
Also I know that in the past I've said I don't like seeing players play out of their normal position. I wouldn't be suggesting it now if (a) it hadn't been tried already with Wood and (b) Morgan were not injured and (c) Lawes hadn't already played across the back row.
My feeling is that big Courtney is just too good to be warming the bench but I'm beginning to like the Parling Launchberry combination.
Posted 20:47 15th February 2013
melkdave says...
Corbs will be missed against France ,they have a formidable scrum,Totally mullard Wales last week,though i have to admiti havent been impresed with A.Jones since before the last RWC.Mahlar has come on ,but stil a bit of a worry F.Burns will get his chance its only a mater of time really,also B.Morgon will be back,real shame really as i felt he was in form and showed just how good he can be against Scotland,and atm in my Lions squad with SOB/Faletua at 8.Also good news about T.Croft,though i feel he wont make the Lions squad ,just not enough time to really make a challange in my opinion.But back for England against Argentina i hope.
Posted 18:19 15th February 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Think Burns will get his chances. He will be the Stuart Barnes to the Rob Andrew (Owen F). But Burns kicks better than Barnes and whilst he has a bit of the Carlos risk factor it's a calculated risk.
Haskell. Don't need him. Aside from Wood, Robshaw, Morgan we have Croft, Johnson, Kvesic, Guest, Clarke... Armitage. Dowson. ... If you want an experience horse get Easter and send Haskell of for Findus beef pie.
Posted 15:53 15th February 2013
IronManI441 says...
Again sad news for Corbs. This is sadly somewhat of Ledley King (pardon the football reference) situation. The London Irish staff have admitted that he has degenerative knee problems which basically mean he either plays or trains, but doing both full time is not possible at this point. It isn't a matter of a single injury but rather his knees are rubbish and just need to be babied as much as possible. Although he is a great asset, England is lucky in that it has Marler coming on in leaps and bounds.
As far as Haskell, I think the England staff know what they are going to get with Haskell. Solid tackling, power in the rucks and mauls, and a crash ball runner who rarely gets past the first man but does create front foot ball. I would suggest he is a solid international who can cover the entire backrow and has a decent amount of experience. Is he a world cup winning 6/8... probably not, but that's what Tom Woods and Ben Morgan are for.
Burns would be a welcome addition as he would again give England that second gameplan (running dynamic rugby) if necessary, however with Farrell running the show like a seasoned campaigner I don't think England are going to need him that desperately barring an injury to Farrell.
I have a unfortunate feeling that Burns (and I am a huge fan) may be one of those unlucky guys who were born into the same era as someone of great class. Example being any Kiwi born at the same time as Riche McCaw and Dan Carter who were vying for the All Black 7 or 10 shirt. Although they may be a fantastic player they may never be able to edge out the one player ahead of them in the line.
Posted 15:04 15th February 2013
TVaddict says...
Shame about the injuries. If Lancaster had been brave and tried Vunipola on the bench instead of Waldrom then we could of been facing some trying selection decisions at 8 next week. Instead we'll almost certainly have the same selection of 6) Haskell, 7) Robshaw, 8) Wood, with Waldrom on the bench. Still good, but not as exciting.
Posted 13:52 15th February 2013
JamieTheProp says...
Corbs is a huge miss! But I have been very critical of Marler and I have to be honest - he is proving me wrong and learning very, very quickly! And the extended run in the team for this 6 nations has helped with that.
In that all these games leading up to the World Cup are really (for me) about developing the squad and a way of playing it might actually be a blessing in disguise. Blooding another good, young player.
I think Hakell's selection was horses for courses - be interesting to see what the backrow looks like next week.
Posted 12:29 15th February 2013
pierredelot1 says...
Luckily Marler has come on a ton, so the effect of missing Corbs is not tooo bad. However last Sunday showed the difference between Haskell and Mogan. Haskell just isn't as effective though there is no criticising his application, What he lacks is the real ability to weigh up whats going on and ball in hand he isn't anywhere near as effective. That ten minute sin bin could also have been crucial, his denials looked a little bit like wee willy in the infants when he's been found out for doing something he hadn't done, great comedy to look at that face. Burns we need back ASAP he has to be the benchman for the last couple of games.
Posted 09:37 15th February 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
I thought we'd already been told that Corbs was out until May. Ah there ya go, P.R. says as much later in the peice.
I dunno if it's career threatening. I just hope club and country just let him recover properly before throwing him in. I don't care about the lions, but a fit Alex Corbisero at the RWC in 2015 is really big stick to hit the rest of the world with. Set peices win world cups.
Posted 09:22 15th February 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
If we can just have him back for the AB games! But Marler impresses me the way he learns and not many props get the better of him in two games.
Posted 08:34 15th February 2013
heart_of_oak says...
real shame for Corbs - I can't help wondering if his injury could end his career.
Posted 08:05 15th February 2013