Bit between his teeth: Nick Easter
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Harlequins Director of Rugby Conor O'Shea believes Nick Easter should be England's number eight, regardless of his age.
O'Shea called on England coach Stuart Lancaster to recall Easter after the 34-year-old led the Premiership champions to a 22-9 win away to Leicester on Saturday.
Victory, in a repeat of last season's final, left the Londoners on top of the table with four wins in as many matches.
It was also the first time Leicester had lost at home since Quins stormed the Welford Road fortress in October.
Experienced number eight Easter, who hasn't played for England since winning his 47th cap in the World Cup quarter-final defeat to France last year, led the way as Lancaster watched from the stands.
Lancaster has been looking to blood a new generation of internationals but former Ireland full-back O'Shea insisted Easter still had plenty to offer heading into this November's international programme.
"To me he is the best number eight in England," said O'Shea.
"I don't care whether you are 19 or 34, if you are the best you are the best.
"For the last year he has been playing absolutely unbelievable rugby for us, and long may that continue. And it will because he has got the bit between his teeth. I thought he was magnificent tonight, taking the fight to them.
"I don't want to comment on other number eights, all I know is what we see and what we have in Nick.
"He drives the group, he is incredibly ambitious and proud. He has not written off his international career.
"(New Zealand's) Brad Thorn was older than he was playing in and winning the last World Cup. If he (Easter) can keep himself in shape and plays the rugby he does, he will knock his way back in there."
Quins scored the only try of the match through wing Tom Williams while former All Blacks fly-half Nick Evans kicked four penalties and a conversion, with England scrum-half Danny Care adding a drop-goal.
"Any time you come to Leicester and get a win is exceptional, added O'Shea.
"In the first half we showed we were a pretty good rugby side, in the second we showed the heart you need to be a great rugby side.
"It's only four games in 22 and next week we play Saracens but I could not be prouder of the guys because they put the effort in and showed a willingness to play.
"We know we need to be more clinical but it's early doors and we are happy with how we are progressing."
Comments
jamesliveinhope says...
This is surely part of a wider debate over experience vs youth. What Lancaster needs is depth in every position and the only way to achieve that is by facilitating game-time for younger players so that they can gain the experience necessary to step up to the plate without a noticeable loss of form.
Easter has never let England down as an 8 but is that good enough to stop two hugely exciting prospects in Morgan and Waldrom from getting the nod ahead of him.
Successive England coaches since 2003 (Brian Ashton excepted) have looked at the now rather than the future and achieved at neither. Lancaster will have specific objectives, his job is to deliver on those the best way he can.
@chubbylugs - quite right, the Lions tour is a completely different issue but the question then is not one of his age but whether he is one of the top 2 or 3 8s in B&I.
Posted 12:06 27th September 2012
BWJC says...
lawynd - nope you're wrong son, nowhere does CoS tell Lancaster to pick him, he's just saying in his opinion he's the best 8 in England and that form could see him get a recall.
And I didn't say Waldrom was playing, I said Easter gave him a masterclass in playing no8, its not a hard job seeing as Tommy Tank Boy got a great view from the bench!
Posted 15:01 25th September 2012
Rugby_rockstar says...
DOR's will always push their players for england inclusion. Because an england rugby star is a better crowd draw than an uncapped player or ex-england player.
This is a par for the course aviva story. as far as i'm concerned the england back row picks itself 6,Tom Wood, 7,Chris Robshaw and 8, ahem... Cockney Ernie Jubert.
Posted 09:39 25th September 2012
lawynd says...
@BWJC - No, O'Shea is all but saying that Lancaster should pick Easter; the headline is accurate. There's six separate soundbytes relating to the topic for chrissakes.
And he'd have had a hard job giving Waldrom a masterclass, given that Jordan Crane was playing 8 opposite him all afternoon...
Posted 17:38 24th September 2012
BWJC says...
If anyone actually bothered to READ what Conor said rather than knee-jerk reaction to the misleading PR headline, you'll see he's not calling for his inclusion, merely saying he's the form 8 in England and could force his way back in.
And he's right on both counts, Easter gave Waldrom a masterclass on Saturday.
As for 'building for the future', you do that by winning your next game, Lancaster is so obsessed with blooding new players he's forgotten that. 2015 will be here before we know and all we'll have is a record of losing against the SH and another QF exit. I dont rate him at all.
Posted 13:32 24th September 2012
APV1 says...
Whilst he may be the best 8 at the moment (that's a different debate), I can't see morgan not being better then him by 2015. And, as such, let's bring Morgan on and develop him.
No 38's not too old if you're the best, but i can't see his form lasting. If it does - great, another option.
Posted 10:48 24th September 2012
Propmelsey says...
I'd expect nothing less from an irishman than to recommend an old bloke for England selection .... he'll be calling for Jason Leonard to be included next!!! :))) x
Posted 08:48 24th September 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
I think Nhsaints point is valid. perhaps not Armitage but then Croft or Robshaw. Pick those 3 for England back row and its a great mix and groom one into an 8. Robshaw if Care at 9. Croft 8 if Youngs 9. So they can plan together before England squad gets together.
Posted 21:25 23rd September 2012
Jediboy says...
The money probably won't be good enough for him!!!
Posted 18:08 23rd September 2012
kybone says...
pierredelot1- I think if he'd never been away no-one would have questioned his continued inclusion. But to bring him back, over a year after his last cap at the age of 34, would raise questions over the direction that SL wants to take the team. I don't see it. SL has been picking a lot of young players in an attempt to galvanise the squad and build a group which will be together up to and beyond 2015.
NHSaints - Not sure Delon Armitage is cut out for No.8 to be honest! LOL. Yea i realise you meant Steffon. Im still not sure. On the international scene he'd be a very small 8 and it'd be another case of trying to shoehorn a player into the side.
Posted 17:11 23rd September 2012
pierredelot1 says...
he's certainly consistently the best number 8 playing with English qualifications and seems to have a brain as well. Not the out and out pace that so many have but the ability toread a game and save energy by nor careering around a park on failed missions.. Time and time again he's in the right place at the right time for Harlequins, who are playing an exciting brand of rugby and won the championship by doing so. Should he be picked, if he's the best why not, let the young bucks show their mettle and displace him. I just get the feeling that Lancaster isn't going to go that way. But he should be in the squad simply for his experience, the game needs a cool head at times.
Posted 16:42 23rd September 2012
NHSaints says...
I think we should do with him as we've done with Wilkinson and Dowson over the past few seasons...bring them into the squad to add some experience to the mix and to close out frantic games. Otherwise I think our best option is Morgan or Haskell (yes I know Waldrom is good but his skill set mostly consists of running over people). My wonder is if we could turn D.Armitage from a 7 to an 8? Because if we could we'd not only find a place for his skillset in the team but we'd also have one of the best backrows in the world (6-Wood/Croft, 7- Robshaw, 8-Armitage with Haskell or Dowson on bench duty).
Posted 16:10 23rd September 2012
TVaddict says...
Please no! I didn't rate him when he was younger, and right now we need to be building for 2015 with the likes of Morgan and Vunipola. He is a great club 8, and he was England's best choice at 8 for a long time, but wasn't really up to international standard.
Posted 15:39 23rd September 2012
melkdave says...
Well his stil playing well enough,but the question remains,is he going to be fit enough ect come 2015,when his 37.SL and co and most England supporters want to find the next N.Easter /L.Dalliglio ,N.Easter is not the future as Englands 8 .While B.Morgon ,T.Waldroum and perhaps B.Vanipolo/T.Guest ect are for the forseeable future,and need to be tried and to gain experiance at the highest leval.So far none have let England down ,and seem to be improving every game along with the rest of the England squad.Remember we are trying to build for 2015 and the longterm ,not to just win single matches .
Posted 14:09 23rd September 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
He got dropped too soon. You can't pick every player for 2015 in 2011. We could have won in SAf with Easter. Lancaster instead should have eased him out in 2013 through further improvements from Morgan and co. Makes no sense to bring him back now except perhaps short term for the autumn games if he is the best as he seems to be.
Posted 13:56 23rd September 2012
Chubbylugs says...
Of greater relevance could be the lions tour next year. He didn't make the last tour, but were not awash with great 8s. If wilkinson is supposed to be up for selection then this shouldn't be a great suprise
As for England, I think only injuries would get him a look in
Posted 13:25 23rd September 2012
Tesh says...
Think k bone's probably written the be all end all perfect response to this idea. Much as I live both o shea and Easter, it's the wrong call at this point.
Posted 13:10 23rd September 2012
Nicholas41 says...
There won't be many agreeing with O'Shea on this one, which means we are probably all wrong. Is Lancaster going to pick on form or on future...?
Posted 11:55 23rd September 2012
kybone says...
A very good player playing very well at the moment, but do we really want to be giving a recall to a 34 year old when we are still 3 years out from the World Cup. I agree that right now he is the best 8 in the country, probably by some distance actually. But we've made these mistakes before where we've selected the 'old guard' right up until they have nothing left or until we realise that we need an injection of youth. We've then been left in a situation where we're blooding youngsters and uncapped players 6 months away from a World Cup. If SL brings him in to add some experience to the squad for the 6N and he still happens to be playing this well in 3 years then thats a different story, but if he becomes the first choice 8 with a view to him still being there in 3 years, i wouldn't support that. We have other, younger, options at 8 such as Ben Morgan- a player who i think could be better than Nick Easter was and is by the time the World Cup is here. But only if he gets his chance to gain experience in the meantime.
Posted 11:33 23rd September 2012
lawynd says...
He is a great player, but I suspect his form is partly down to being able to concentrate on playing for Quins and not worrying about England. He'll also be 38 by the time the RWC rolls around so England have to build for the future I'm afraid.
Posted 11:26 23rd September 2012