England participant rankings Guinness Six Nations 2024: Manu Tuilagi’s cameo off the England bench final Saturday in Lyon introduced the variety of gamers capped by Steve Borthwick within the 2024 Guinness Six Nations to 31, 22 starters and 9 extra who featured as a alternative.
Eight gamers began in all 5 matches with two – Maro Itoje and Ben Earl – taking part in in all 400 minutes. There have been 15 backs and 16 forwards used. Nineteen had featured at Rugby World Cup 2023, seven have been beforehand capped gamers who have been recalled after being neglected for that marketing campaign in France, whereas there have been 5 new caps.
It wasn’t a marketing campaign to hold within the Louvre however, collectively, these gamers can really feel happy with what they achieved.
It was the primary time since 2020, when the English have been topped champions that October because of the March lockdown, that they ended a Six Nations marketing campaign with extra wins than losses, a three-wins-from-five file that was adequate for third place.
That’s progress. Having watching all 5 video games dwell on the stadiums in Rome, London (twice), Edinburgh, and Lyon, listed here are the RugbyPass England participant rankings for the 2024 Six Nations:
Six Nations
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Whole
1
5
4
1
0
20
2
5
3
1
1
15
3
5
3
2
0
14
4
5
2
3
0
12
5
5
2
2
1
11
6
5
0
5
0
4
FULL-BACK (3)George Furbank – 73 begins (167 minutes): A shock spherical three inclusion for a primary look in two years, his involvement was a curate’s egg. Added high quality efficiency to the England assault, placing for tries versus the Scots and the Irish, however there have been additionally too many irritating errors. The marketing campaign ended on the unhappy word of a seventh-minute calf harm away to France, however we’ll see him once more because the beginning No15 on account of his artistic capability.
Freddie Steward – 4.52 begins (160 minutes): Defensively had points versus Italy and Wales in shutting the door and whereas his aerial prowess lit up the later phases of that latter win, he was general very restricted in assault and in the end paid a heavy worth. It wasn’t new; he had been axed for the Rugby World Cup quarter-final versus Fiji final October. However this exclusion will hit a lot tougher. Give it some thought; Borthwick and assault coach Richard Wigglesworth have been his Leicester mentors and so they have unceremoniously turfed him out once more. It could possibly be a really lengthy highway again, particularly if his confidence has taken a shattering dent.
Marcus Smith – 62 runs as sub (95 minutes): A calf harm in Girona dominated him out in February. He got here on at out-half for the closing 22 minutes towards Eire and struck the successful drop aim on penalty benefit, however we have now included him at full-back as that was the place he lined for 73 minutes final weekend after Furbank limped off in Lyon. His show there highlighted that he doesn’t have the bodily presence or positional consciousness to brush soundly in that No15 function and is a defensive legal responsibility. To his immense credit score, although, his wonderful angle ensured the pinnacle didn’t drop and he had attacking imaginative and prescient, scoring and in addition giving an help. That’s the rub: does what he presents in assault outweigh defensive vulnerability? We don’t totally consider it does.
WING (3)Tommy Freeman – 85 begins (397 minutes): What a wonderful comeback marketing campaign for a participant given a debut sniff by Eddie Jones after which nothing since November 2022 till now. He instructed RugbyPass in January how he had added some bulk and that he was prepared for the decision and boy was he right. He was a really environment friendly operator, massively productive within the carry the place he made seven linebreaks, and sound in defence. He ended the marketing campaign on a March excessive capped by his well-finished Seventy fifth-minute attempt in France, however he was additionally good in February when the going was trickier and England have been struggling to impress. He’s again to remain and that’s an ideal factor.
Elliot Daly – 5.54 begins, 1 run as sub (329 minutes): A Borthwick choice favorite, he bought the marketing campaign going with a Nineteenth-minute attempt in Rome that was his spotlight intently adopted by the break that created the Furbank rating in Edinburgh, a match the place he performed the closing quarter at exterior centre. Apart from these two moments it was a tough watch as he was usually far too remoted and nameless with the video games unfolding elsewhere and he grew to become the autumn man for Feyi-Waboso’s choice towards the Irish. England’s strategy definitely didn’t assist to persistently get one of the best out of him in assault however you’d anticipate a multi-capped 31-year-old to have the nous to nonetheless wield affect. His late yellow card in Rome additionally prevented his group from ending strongly in spherical one as their successful margin was reduce from 10 factors to a few moderately than getting more healthy within the remaining minutes.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso – 81 begin, 2 runs as sub, 1 unused sub (102 minutes): What an exquisite younger man, each on and off the pitch. He didn’t play all that a lot however his spherical three cameo in Scotland was so good that opposition coach Gregor Townsend felt compelled to name-drop his hazard post-game. Tnen confirmed he could be a very competent starter when picked towards Eire. It was after that when his off-field character kicked in, self-diagnosing the concussion that left him unavailable to play the French. Now he’s a medical pupil, so he is aware of about such issues, however what he did despatched out a really constructive message to the sport about participant welfare. Very nicely performed.
MIDFIELD (4)Henry Slade – 65 begins (345 minutes): One other comeback participant who began all 5 matches however his return wasn’t as persistently spectacular as that loved by Freeman. He didn’t gel with Fraser Dingwall as his midfield companion and there have been additionally teething points with Ollie Lawrence in Scotland and the primary half in France. Had a watch for the attempt help, although, as he gave two, whereas he wasn’t shy both in sticking his boot to the ball when wanted. The underside line was he had good moments with out totally convincing he was on the high of his recreation.
Ollie Lawrence – 8.53 begins (240 minutes): After a hip harm left him unavailable for the opening two rounds, he loved a coming-of-age March after getting washed away in Edinburgh by England’s collective toll of dealing with errors. He had solely scored two tries in 21 appearances coming into the Irish and French fixtures however three tries in two video games towards two of the world’s greatest groups was unbelievable. He had performed that inside centre function earlier than and been starved of the ball however George Ford upped his passing recreation and the fruits of that tactic have been there for everybody to take pleasure in and Lawrence is now a critical Check-level participant.
Fraser Dingwall – 5.52 begins (160 minutes): Defensively, he struggled to adapt to the blitz defence introduced in by Felix Jones and a load of missed tackles affected the debut maker in Rome and once more in London towards the Welsh. To his credit score, he stored trucking and was rewarded with an important second-half, round-two attempt. He was at all times going to be excluded, although, every time Lawrence or Tuilagi pitched up match and that was what occurred, Lawrence impressively taking the 12 shirt for the three remaining video games.
Manu Tuilagi – 21 run as sub (21 minutes): The writing was on the wall for the 32-year-old midfield powerhouse’s Check profession on this marketing campaign. Whereas he was Borthwick’s bulwark on the World Cup, a groin harm made him miss the opening rounds and he then misplaced out to Lawrence within the choice battle to switch Dingwall. That was fairly the change as Tuilagi was at all times a must-pick every time he was match. He did make it onto the bench in France the place he bought a last-quarter run however his worldwide profession is now formally over following Tuesday’s affirmation of a two-year take care of Bayonne that can make him ineligible for future choice.
England take the lead with lower than 5 minutes left ?#GuinnessM6N #FRAENG pic.twitter.com/J39vI3cyKm
— Guinness Males’s Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 16, 2024
OUT-HALF (2)George Ford – 85 begins (345 minutes): For no matter purpose, Ford simply isn’t typically favored and he remained a goal for the in-stadium boo boys and the never-go-to-matches keyboard warriors. That’s a disgrace as his marketing campaign was an uplifting one. Have a look at how he emphatically bossed the end-game versus the Welsh to make sure England bought in entrance and in addition lap up the deft passing that bought his group on the entrance foot versus the Irish and the French, a contribution capped by that marvellous tip on within the late Freeman attempt after which his balls of metal sideline conversion kick for a 31-30 lead in Lyon with time virtually up. Sure, there have been points. His passing in Scotland, as an illustration, stank, however he general gave this group the route it wanted to make this their greatest Six Nations in fairly a while.
Fin Smith – 52 runs as sub, 1 unused sub (33 minutes): One for the long run. The teenager had shot the winter lights out with Northampton however Check stage was an enormous step up for the rookie. He didn’t motor England on towards the Italians regardless of a 10-point cushion when he arrived however there was a quick round-three glimpse of what he’s able to when he had no hesitation in getting over George Martin at a Murrayfield ruck to make sure the ball got here rapidly again for the Feyi-Waboso rating. Frozen out in March with the opposite Smith again match, however he will probably be again.
SCRUM-HALF (3)Alex Mitchell – 7.54 begins (260 minutes): What an eight months it has been for the scrum-half. So underrated was he by Borthwick that he didn’t even make the World Cup coaching squad, however he has now signed off on Six Nations 2024 having been the beginning No9 in 10 of England’s final 13 matches. His significance was by no means extra obvious than when unavailable versus Scotland on account of a knee harm. The forwards/backs connection took a extreme wobble that day and his restoration was integral within the group’s enchancment within the closing two matches. We didn’t see sufficient of his snipe as box-kicking took priority, however after we did it was medical judging by his lead-taking attempt in Italy after the guests have been behind on the break.
Danny Care – 61 begins, 4 runs as sub (106 minutes): You’ll be able to solely admire Care’s bubbly enthusiasm and his one centesimal cap milestone was an instance that good guys can succeed. A few of his bench cameos have been wonderful, specifically versus Wales after which giving the move for Smith to drop the winner towards Eire. Subbing is unquestionably his function, although, as his begin up in Scotland became a large number. After a good opening helped England go 10 factors up, it was his unnecessary kick out on the complete that invited the Scots to show the sport on its head.
Ben Spencer – 31 run as sub (34 minutes): It was a beautiful contact that the Mitchell emergency created the emptiness for Spencer to return onto the Murrayfield bench and earn his first cap since a token jiffy because the 2019 World Cup remaining alternative. Nonetheless, he was on a hiding to nothing with England in am Edinburgh gap that they didn’t have the collective composure to dig themselves out of.
Alex Mitchell = Man on a mission for @EnglandRugby ?#ITAENG #GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/wJaXWVxoDf
— Guinness Males’s Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 3, 2024
LOOSEHEAD (3)Joe Marler – 62 begins, 3 runs as sub (203 minutes): Didn’t stand out however didn’t let the facet down both, though his pre-game fed-up-with-celebration feedback about Scotland seemingly didn’t go unnoticed north of the border.
Ellis Genge – 7.53 begins, 1 run as sub (192 minutes): Sluggish begin with harm and bench choice, however his work price as a starter in Scotland was an indication of higher to return and he confirmed this with a really encouraging March the place his set-piece was dependable and his ball carrying so welcome. The spotlight was the pop that despatched Earl via the opening for the Smith attempt final weekend.
Beno Obano – 21 run as sub (5 minutes): Genge’s Eleventh-hour foot harm bought him onto the bench in Rome however his five-minute cameo – his first Check-level recreation time because the summer season of 2021 – wasn’t the catalyst for him to threaten the highest two most well-liked gamers.
HOOKER (2)Jamie George – 7.55 begins (313 minutes): The brand new skipper deserved kudos for the way in which he fronted up at a time of immense grief together with his tremendous rugby fan mum Jane tragically passing away a number of days after the win over Wales. It was comprehensible he was beneath par within the subsequent recreation however he defiantly insisted England might beat Eire and he was spot on with that prediction. Borthwick apparently lightened the load on George in March. Not like on the World Cup the place there was a succession of 80-minute appearances, he was there for simply 53 and 49 minutes towards the Irish and the French.
Theo Dan – 65 runs as sub (87 minutes): Other than an overthrow that gave France possession for a second-half attempt final weekend, he hoovered up some good experiences throughout the match and got here out a bit extra from George’s shadow than on the World Cup. He stays one for the long run, although, as George could be very a lot nonetheless method forward as the primary alternative.
TIGHTHEAD (2):Dan Cole – 6.53 begins, 2 runs as sub (211 minutes): It’s loopy to suppose {that a} 37-year-old who was ignored for 3 years after the 2019 World Cup now has his fingerprints all around the No3 Check shirt once more. Don’t anticipate him to ever do something that includes the ball. He stays a thoroughbred old-school tighthead who locks the scrum, throws his lineout man within the air and patrols breakdowns. His diligent March efforts obliterated post-Murrayfield requires him to be retired.
Will Stuart – 5.52 begins, 3 runs as sub (189 minutes): When he scored two tries as a Jones sub versus the All Blacks in November 2022, there would have been an expectation that he would speed up forward of Kyle Sinckler. He did however Borthwick’s recall of Cole from the wilderness highlighted there may be now a choice once more for set-piece reliability forward of swanky ball stuff. That was a tough scenario and he didn’t look the half in his spherical one and two begins.
Respect. #FRAvENG | #GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/IUVHMwsoD2
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) March 17, 2024
LOCK (3)Maro Itoje – 6.55 begins (400 minutes): A curiosity. He performed each single minute of the championship, was ranked sixth general throughout the six groups for attacking ruck arrivals and second solely to Wales’ Tommy Reffell for defensive ruck arrivals. That hints at a really vigorous work price, but the general feeling was that this was a median match for Itoje and the rock star moments he has a status for producing have been restricted. Maybe his greatest involvement was his help within the Furbank attempt towards Eire.
George Martin – 82 begins, 1 run as sub (194 minutes): The world bought to note this man’s class together with his semi-final effort versus the Springboks on the World Cup and after recovering from a membership knee harm, he returned for the final three video games of England’s marketing campaign and was particularly immense in ambushing the Irish. He managed 18 cleanouts in complete in his two-and-a-bit appearances, the identical as Itoje registered in 5 full matches. A world-class operator within the making.
Alex Coles – 62 runs as sub (27 minutes): He didn’t have a lot involvement and was omitted as quickly as Martin was match, however his cameo towards the Welsh was vital. It was his intervention within the 22 as a HIA sub for Ollie Chessum that ended a 25-phase first-half Wales transfer, and he ultimately completed with a double-figure deal with depend for a 19-minute efficiency. That’s what you name making your self helpful.
FLANKER (5)Ollie Chessum – 7.5Five begins (330 minutes): Made three of his begins at lock however we’re together with him among the many flankers as his two greatest shows got here at blindside towards the Irish and the French. He’s a bruiser who now positively is aware of what’s what across the Check breakdown and whereas his kind of grunt doesn’t get admirers like a Smith drop aim or an Earl attempt, his general effort was extra impactful than Itoje. The massive query is can he construct a Check partnership at lock with Martin, his Leicester clubmate, and heap the strain on Itoje who appears to be very protected by Borthwick from getting dropped?
Sam Underhill – 6.55 begins (310 minutes): Given how he was abruptly reduce from the World Cup coaching squad in mid-July, this was an surprising renaissance. His shows weren’t on the super-powered stage of his defensive tour de power when known as up mid-tournament to France 2023 and being participant of the match within the bronze medal win over Argentina, however there was a nuggety defiance all via and his 4 breakdown steals have been second solely to the eight by Reffell, who set the bar for openside play within the match.
Ethan Roots – 63 begins, 1 run as sub (214 minutes): Began brightly, being voted the participant of the match in Italy, however then encountered testing instances together with his yellow card versus the Welsh and being nameless in Scotland. His effort off the Lyon bench, although, can have achieved his confidence the world of excellent in that he left his maiden championship on higher phrases than if Edinburgh was his final look.
Chandler Cunningham-South – 7.54 runs as sub (76 minutes): This teenager is ready for a prolonged Check profession if his 4 bench cameos – all made earlier than his twenty first birthday on March 18 – are something to go by. He was fearless in all the pieces he did, being bodily within the carry and sturdy in defence. It was a disgrace all of it led to that calf harm towards Eire, one other fixture the place he horsed into the opposition with glee.
Alex Dombrandt – 4.52 runs as sub (29 minutes): The massive title omission together with Slade for the World Cup after a string of begins final 12 months, he managed to get a spot on the March bench to make his comeback however didn’t catch the attention with what little he did.
No8 (1)Ben Earl – 9.55 begins (400 minutes): We’d have given Earl a ten however for that merciless denouement in Lyon final Saturday the place he was penalised for a debatable no-arms deal with to present France the penalty they kicked for the win. His transformation these previous 13 months has been unimaginable. From getting shelved in February 2023 after two bench cameos to changing into the primary title on Borthwick’s teamsheet is a outstanding story and a superb case research to not put the pinnacle down in a time of misery and as an alternative hold combating.
There might have been an comprehensible dip in his performances after his surprisingly stellar World Cup however he reached new heights in current weeks, scoring a few wonderful tries, being concerned in a number of extra, and in addition showing at or close to the highest in so many finish of match statistical charts – together with carries. His 73 was a No1 effort, and he wielded nuisance with out the ball in addition to his 46 defensive rucks have been fifth greatest behind Reffell. His affect has modified England’s considering away from having a Billy Vunipola-like hulk at No8.
Ben Earl, take a bow ?
The England No 8 has been nominated for @SixNationsRugby’s participant of the championship award.
Vote for him to win ?
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) March 19, 2024
