Exeter's Jack Nowell is set to feature in England's Six Nations match against Ireland as Stuart Lancaster seeks to nullify the home side's kicking threat in Dublin. Nowell has not appeared in either of England's opening two championship wins over Wales or Italy but looks likely to be included in a reshuffled back three for the fixture on Sunday week.
Nowell had an influential game for the Chiefs against Newcastle at the weekend playing at outside-centre but is being lined up as a potential replacement for Jonny May on the left wing. May did not have his best game against Italy and appears to be struggling to keep his place in the starting XV.
Ireland's influential half-backs, Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton, will inevitably look to test England in the air and Lancaster clearly feels Nowell's all-round abilities will be useful in Dublin. "He is just a very good footballer," said the head coach, well aware that Nowell has played fullback at age-group level.
"He is also very good under the high ball and, thinking back to the Ireland game last year when the kicking game of Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton was excellent, he dealt very well with the things thrown at him.
“Their half-backs are both British Lions for a reason. As a consequence you have to be absolutely on your game in terms of your backfield coverage because they will try to exploit any weaknesses in your armoury, as they did last year on occasions.”
Nowell is also back to full fitness following a knee operation last year and is a long-time colleague of Anthony Watson, with whom he shared in England's junior World Cup victory two years ago.
May scored a dazzling try against New Zealand in November but has made a couple of costly defensive misjudgments in recent games.
Botched chance
Lancaster was also frustrated by England’s failure to nail all their opportunities against Italy, including a botched three-on-one chance when May hung on to the ball and drifted right rather than fixing his opponent and passing.
“It was simple execution,” said Lancaster. “We’ve got to take those opportunities . . . every player knows they have to play well every game. I don’t want to say that because Jack’s training Jonny’s dropped . . . but there is pressure in every position and that is one of them.”
There may yet be a second enforced change in the back three if Mike Brown does not recover swiftly from the concussion he suffered against Italy. Brown is not yet entirely symptom free, although England hope he will be sufficiently well to start his six-day graduated return-to-play protocols today.
Saracens' Alex Goode is the likeliest man to step up if Brown has any setbacks, although the fact England do not have a game this week gives the player more leeway. Lancaster has stressed, however, that no risks will be taken and that player welfare has to be paramount. "He's not been symptom-free for 24 hours so we wouldn't start the protocol until that was the case," said Lancaster.
“We’ll be guided by the medics’ opinion and we’d support it. For me it’s always been the same. You have to do what is right for the player first.”
England, meanwhile, will also be emphasising to their squad this week that they need to be sharp from the outset if yet another Six Nations title is not to elude them, following three successive second-place finishes. Though they scored six tries against Italy, they also conceded three and, for the second match in succession, made a sluggish start.
Intensity
“The point
Andy Farrell
will be making is that the intensity was good for 60 minutes out of 80,” said Lancaster. “In order to beat Ireland it’s going to have to be 80 out of 80. There were periods right at the start and the end of the game when our intensity wasn’t what it should be. We know we’ll have to be at our best in Ireland.”
To help keep as many fringe players as possible match-sharp only the starting XV who faced Italy, plus Nowell and Billy Twelvetrees, will be withdrawn from club duty this weekend. Guardian service
