England's Injury Curse continues

England have been striking gold again and again in 2016, but right now they'll be wishing for a gold lamp with a genie inside. Over the last month there hasn't been a week gone by which an England player hasn't suffered a long term injury ruling them out of the Autumn Internationals.

Eddie Jones can't rely on Itoje to fill the void anymore, what has happened to England's player pool?

For a team like England a length injury list isn't usually an issue. England has - officially - the biggest player base in the world, and one of the most competitive leagues in which these players can prove their value. However this is a one of a kind injury list, excluding the likes of Anthony Watson, George Kruis and Dylan Hartley, pretty much all of the injuries have been in the back row. Just a glance at the list and you realise the depth of the issue facing Eddie Jones: James Haskell; Sam Jones; Jack Clifford; Mike Williams; Maro Itoje. The main thing all those players posses is the ability to play openside flanker. I can't remember a similar injury list for an international side so dedicated to a single shirt.

Sam Jones is unfortunate, was my pick for the 7 shirt.

At the beginning of the season it was known that James Haskell would be missing the Autumn series, but England looked in good shape. Jack Clifford & Sam Jones were playing superbly for their respective sides. Both players filled the void left by the experience Haskell in very similar fashion, aggressive in the contact, committed in making the hard yards, and both with a developing ability at the breakdown (something that Haskell himself was still working on). Clifford was the first to drop out of the running picking up an injury while still with Harlequins, but no one was worried Sam Jones was the rising star and would just have to don the jersey earlier than anticipated. However after a mishap at a judo session with England, Jones broke his ankle and was out of the running.

With the two preferred options out, pundits were left considering the remaining options. Would Robshaw return to the jersey which haunted him last year? Would Eddie Jones through the exciting - yet inexperienced - Mike Williams of Leicster into the Test arena? Would Super Maro be shunted to the backrow?

Even Robshaw think's he is a 6.

Eddie Jones has long said Robshaw is a 6, not a 7, so it is unlikely for him to be moved from the position he has flourished under with Jones. The Mike Williams option was risky to start, but is now a non-option after he picked up an injury as well. Until yesterday it looked like all the world that Maro Itoje would be conducting his work for England in the backrow. That was until he picked up a hand injury playing for Saracens that has put him out for six weeks. It's one calamity after another in England's backrow. Add in the the loss of their other Grand Slam winning lock of George Kruis and suddenly the England pack is nothing like the one which completed a series white-wash against the Wallabies.

Who plays against South Africa?

So with all these players out, what are the options for for Eddie Jones and his coaching staff as they look to complete a perfect calendar year. Thankfully their back-line can remain largely consistent, only the wondrous finishing ability of Watson is missing, and the have plenty of players lining up to compete for the jersey. The front row again remains largely consistent, Mako Vunipola has been exceptional for Saracens, captain Hartley has returned for Saints and should be fully mobile come November 12th, and Dan Cole is the stand out tight-head in England.

So filling in the injury crisis, what to do? Billy Vunipola is a shoe in for No. 8, there is no better option for England and his role as a vice captain is critical. As mentioned a dozen times by head coach Jones, Robshaw is a blindside flanker and as such should remain there and continue to do the hard work he is so good at. Losing Kruis and Itoje initially appears catastrophic in the engine room, but there is a wealth of experienced replacements: Launchbury, Lawes, Attwood to name but a few. Which just leaves the age old question of who should play 7 for England?

Long shot? Armitage
return?

Teimana Harrison is the only candidate with international experience, although he hasn't exactly impressed the coaches when he has played. Matt Kvesic provides a different sort of openside to the kind Jones has used so far. Going against my opinions another option is to bring Wasps' bruising ball
carrier Nathan Hughes in at blindside flanker and shift Robshaw back to 7, I worry a little it would create an imbalance in the backrow - but desperate times call for desperate measures. Speaking of desperate times, could this be the long awaited time for the "exceptional circumstances" law to come into effect? With the likes of Sam Underhill (soon to be returning for the Ospreys) and Steffon Armitage potentially getting a phone call from Eddie Jones?

It will be very interesting to see the side that England can name come November 12th for their first game against the Springboks.

The Problems for Rob Howley

Wales' first fixture of the Autumn Internationals is still two weeks away, but that doesn't mean interim Head Coach Rob Howley hasn't got a few head scratching conundrums to sort out before his team will be ready to face Australia on November 5th.

What players are available?

This is probably the biggest story at the moment, with half a dozen different stories and decisions going around as to who will and won't be available. Through combination of players still coming back from injuries and those playing outside of Wales it is surprisingly difficult to predict what Wales team will be running out of the tunnel. 

Faletau is not expected back until the Argentina game at best.

In terms of injuries the two most notable are Talupe Faletau & Sam Warburton. Captain Warburton was expecting to return this weekend, but has been handed another set back after fracturing a cheek-bone three weeks ago. All this means he is unlikely to be match fit in time for the first Test. Faletau is a different story altogether, having played only 12 minutes of rugby all season, getting injured in his first match for Bath. He is guaranteed not to be fit in time for the first game, although the coaching staff are hoping he'll be ready for the final two matches.

Halfpenny is back
after a year out.

With Faletau missing Wales are sorely lacking, it was a chance for Ross Moriarty to show his international ability at the base of a scrum. Sadly it looks like his chance will be blocked by the upper echelons of the English Premiership. The story has been a continual round-a-bout with the availability of non-English international players having no clear answer. Initially the PRL had stated simply only English players would be released for games outside the international test window. The Welsh camp responded saying they expected their players to be available for their first test - which is outside the three week window. This prompted a flurry of statements from clubs, players and coaches about what they thought was the right answer. At the time of publishing we are still no closer to
knowing if the likes of: Moriarity, Roberts, North and Faletau will be available for the Wales v Australia game or not. 

As a small piece of positive news for Howley it does seem that Toulon star Leigh Halfpenny will be available for selection as per his contract with the French giants.

Style of Play

Wales went to New Zealand during the summer with an expansive game style designed to take on the world champions on the score board. Looking to score tries and put the Kiwi's under pressure on their own park. The question is are Wales - under Howley - going to look to bed in this new system and try and work out the kinks; or are they going to revert to "Warrenball" and what they know inside out in an effort to win the games before the World Cup pools are decided in April next year.

Williams shone with Wales' new system, in New Zealand.

For me I think the correct response would be to continue the style that worked so well - one test
excluding - in New Zealand. It made Wales look dangerous, they scored some great tries and performed better than both Australia and South Africa have managed against the All Blacks this year. The system in itself is not too disimilar to the 2-4-2 system that the Kiwi's operate under, and it's blatantly obvious how effective that has been against the other Southern Hemisphere sides this year. This sort of positive, expansive, expressive rugby is what will get the fans on board and could yield the results the entire nation craves.

Obviously the risk with that option is that Wales do not have the same skill set, speed of thought or level of ability as the All Blacks and are likely to make mistakes which good teams will punish them for. Australia showed how to exploit mistakes when they faced Argentina at Twickenham - scoring all their tries through Argentinian errors. Mistakes are apart of rugby, and for me the rewards far outweigh the potential risks, and if this is the sort of rugby that Wales want to be playing by the World Cup in Japan they need to start it now.

Selection Issues

This one can't be resolved until the other two problems have been dealt with, but it is certainly an interesting conundrum. For the majority of the "Gatland Era" the Wales team has practically picked itself: Roberts & Davies in the centres; Lydiate, Warburton, & Faletau in the backrow; Halfpenny at fullback. The reason for this was because Wales picked the players that allowed them to play "Warrenball" so effectively. The centres were big and strong, the back row efficient in defence and at the breakdown, and the lethal goal kicking of Halfpenny giving them the points. However currently it looks like three of those players will be unavailable for the first game, and that's before you even start to think about whether these players are right for the new Welsh game.

Tipuric has been outstanding for the Osprey's this season.

Under the expansive game the likes of Scott Williams and Justin Tipuric suddenly have a lot more reason to be selected - not that many supporters didn't think they should be in the team already. Williams and Tipuric showcase a lot more pace and ball skills than their counter parts of Roberts and Warburton. Obviously the issue with Tipuric vs Warburton is that one of them is the captain of the team. This could potentially have a very simple fix, with Warburton shifting across the scrum to the blindside. He has the necessary physicality to operate in that position effectively, in fact he spends a lot of his time playing for the Cardiff Blues in the 6 shirt. 

There are similar competitions across the park: Halfpenny or Liam Williams at fullback? Biggar or Anscombe at fly-half? Bradley Davies or Charteris alongside Alun Wyn Jones? It is a glut of problems, positive problems because which coach isn't thankful for the strength in depth Wales seem to possess at this time, but make the wrong call and it could end up costing Wales a lot. I do feel there is no better time than for Wales to pick players on style and form over their previous performances, although the pragmatist inside me wouldn't change everything at once.

Wales' strength in depth has really developed over the last few years, it has given the coaches a lot
 of decisions to make.

Wales XV vs. Australia (Nov 5th 14:30)

15 - Leigh Halfpenny

14 - Liam Williams

13 - Jonathan Davies

12 - Scott Williams

11 - Hallam Amos

10 - Dan Biggar

9 - Rhys Webb

1 - Gethin Jenkins

2 - Ken Owens

3 - Samson Lee

4 - Alun Wyn Jones

Davies & Williams get a chance to take their partnership
to the international scene.

5 - Bradley Davies

6 - Sam Warburton (C)

7 - Justin Tipuric

8 - Dan Baker

This team is picked on the belief that the players based in England will not be available. Liam Williams plays wing but given the license to roam like Shane Williams used to have, Halfpenny returns to his famed 15 jersey to offer solidity in the backfield, and Amos holds the jersey until North returns. Davies & Williams continue their centre partnership, with Williams given a chance to stake his claim over Roberts. The life long friends Biggar & Webb continue at half-back, Biggar especially is under pressure to perform under the new system and attack the line, Gareth Anscombe is waiting in the wings. 

The front row offers both set piece solidity, and mobility around the park, although Ken Owens has struggled at little at the lineout this season. Jones and Davies pair up in the second row to offer some ballast and strength in the scrum, and both are capable of passing the ball surprisingly well. Warburton shifts to 6 to accommodate the sheer class of Tipuric at openside flanker - who has been simply superb all season in attack and defence. The final choice is at No. 8, with Wales without Faletau and Moriarty it is a chance for Dan Baker to take his regional form into the red of Wales.