Clive Woodward’s ‘two points’ argument for starting Noah Caluori in South Africa and how Wallabies ‘blueprint’ can help England win ‘blockbuster’
Ex-England coach Clive Woodward, inset, wants Noah Caluori to start against South Africa in July
Former England boss Clive Woodward has argued his case for 19-year-old PREM Rugby sensation Noah Caluori to be given a Test debut by Steve Borthwick against the Springboks in July.
Borthwick’s position is still the subject of an RFU review following his team’s fifth-place finish in the recent Six Nations, a campaign that started with a comfortable win over Wales and was followed by defeats to Scotland, Ireland, Italy and France.
England are scheduled to return to the pitch in July for their opening three fixtures in the new Nations Championship, and Woodward has called on Borthwick to be bold and pick the teen Caluori for their tour opener in South Africa.
Including the youngster for the following week’s match against Fiji in Liverpool has potentially been spoken about as the best place to give Caluori his debut, but 2003 World Cup winner Woodward wants to see him involved a week earlier against the Boks in Johannesburg.
“He has been handled well to date…”
Insisting in his latest Daily Mail column that age should be no barrier to selection, the retired coach, who gave Jonny Wilkinson his Test debut as an 18-year-old in 1998, claimed that the time was ripe to get Caluori into the thick of it on the field.
“It was sensible Caluori got a taste of the senior England set-up last autumn and then played for the A team during the Six Nations,” wrote Woodward. “He has been handled well to date, both by Mark McCall at Saracens and Steve Borthwick with England.
“But now is the time to give Caluori a first cap. I would bring him straight into the team for England’s next game – the blockbuster Nations Championship clash with South Africa in July.
“That statement is based on two points. The first is that Caluori clearly has the skills to excel in an England shirt. The second is that only by playing him can you find out what he can do at the highest level. If Borthwick – so long as he survives the RFU’s badly misguided post-Six Nations review into his position – thinks he’s ready, then I would urge him not to delay.
“Some people would say giving Caluori a Test debut against the double world champion Springboks in their own backyard would be brave, or even brainless. But as a coach, you have to be more pragmatic than that, looking at only the facts and not taking in too much emotion.”
Woodward explained he has been captivated by the “wow” moments that Caluori has produced for Saracens, scoring 18 tries in nine appearances. It’s an impact he felt “can’t be ignored”, but how would the England selection be reshuffled to accommodate the teenager?
Impressed by the recent form of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Woodward named him as one of his wingers in South Africa and then, to free up a spot on the other wing for Caluori, he suggested that Borthwick consider Tommy Freeman as a midfielder and not as pick out wide.
“England have lots of good wingers,” he continued. “Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was a huge miss during the Six Nations, but he has been in superb form for Exeter since returning from injury and is a certain summer starter.
“Tommy Freeman is also on fire for Northampton, but as I have long maintained he should start at outside centre. That leaves a spot on the right wing, with Caluori facing competition from the likes of Tom Roebuck and Henry Arundell.
“Caluori has had a stronger season domestically than both of them. He has the ability to bring a real excitement to this England team alongside Feyi-Waboso, and that will be much-needed after the Six Nations which was more than disappointing.
“While Caluori is still very young and has lots of room to grow, he has all the attributes of a top-end wing. He is incredibly fast and, as he proved against Leicester, an exceptional finisher.
“Caluori is also exceptionally good in the air which is now, unfortunately, a big part of the game. Caluori’s defence has improved across the season too.”
Further emboldening Woodward’s case for Caluori’s inclusion was the manner in which Australia went about defeating the Springboks at Ellis Park last August in the Rugby Championship.
He felt that the way the Wallabies played in their comeback victory was the way for Borthwick to plot an England victory at the same ground.
“If Australia can down Rassie Erasmus’ men in South Africa – as they did in last year’s Rugby Championship, stunning their hosts 38-22 having trailed 22-0 – then so too can England.
“That Wallabies performance was full of attacking verve and can be a blueprint for England because with Feyi-Waboso, Caluori, Freeman and George Furbank in their team, England can certainly play the same way. Now that is a side I would have liked to coach!
“Borthwick is certainly under pressure after a Six Nations of just one win, but South Africa represents a chance for him to blow all that criticism away in the space of just 80 minutes. Caluori can be central to that plan.”
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