THE BACK-ROW CONUNDRUM
ENGLAND HAVE an embarrassment of back-row riches. Sam Underhill, Billy Vunipola and Tom Curry are the incumbents, with a World Cup final behind them and their defensive effort against Ireland last autumn – 74 tackles, no misses – still fresh in the memory.
Wasps’ Jack Willis, the reigning Premiership Player of the Year, has won just a couple of caps despite his 46 league turnovers in 2019-20 and a heap of other qualities besides.
Exeter’s Sam Simmonds, the European Player of the Year, averaged a try a match in 2020 and has repeatedly proved there is far more to his game than the blistering pace that embossed his opening-day score at Harlequins. Ben Earl, a regular benchman for England, is another who combines exceptional pace and power while Alex Dombrandt, Mark Wilson, Lewis Ludlam and Ted Hill are putting in strong claims for Test honours while captaining their clubs.
Alfie Barbeary had beaten 21 Premiership defenders and made a chart-topping 295m before injury halted his charge at Christmas. At 20, he’s said to be destined for a hooker role but already looks a formidable back-row.
And then there is the option of playing a second-row, such as Maro Itoje or Courtney Lawes, as a hybrid six.
What is England coach Eddie Jones to do? We asked ten former back-rows, all of whom played international rugby, what they see as the best England unit
