Rugby World Cup: Matt Dawson calls for consistency in England team selection for Japan match | Rugby Union News
“It was desperate to win for momentum, and they did it well. I just can’t see England ringing the changes,” says Matt Dawson, who has called for Steve Borthwick to retain some ‘consistency’ with his team selection for England’s next World Cup match against Japan on Sunday
Last Updated: 15/09/23 12:34pm
Steve Borthwick liked what he saw from his England players in Marseille
Former World Cup winner Matt Dawson has called for consistency in Steve Borthwick’s team selection ahead of England’s “must-win” match against Japan.
Dawson, who was part of England’s triumphant squad in 2003, does not expect Borthwick to name a much-changed side for Sunday’s match against Japan.
But one of the certain changes in Nice will be the omission of Tom Curry, who was red-carded within minutes of England’s World Cup campaign getting underway against Argentina last Saturday.
“It’s going to be tough – they played against Argentina with so much at stake for England off a terrible run, low in confidence”, Dawson told Sky Sports News.
“It was desperate to win for momentum, and they did it well. I just can’t see England ringing the changes.
Kevin Sinfield says despite three red cards in four games, England do not have a discipline problem and there is too much ‘noise’ around the squad
“I think they’re likely to shuffle the back row potentially, to fill in the gap for Tom Curry.
“Also, consistency in selection is really important. It gives that team the flow, an energy and momentum that the whole squad can build from because there has to be an acceptance from that extended squad that only 15 players are going to go on the pitch, and 23 people are going to win the medal,” said Dawson.
“Some of the great players and great individuals of back in the day in ’03 didn’t get on the pitch in that final but they got a medal and everyone is proud of one another within that squad.
England attack coach Richard Wigglesworth assures that there are more strengths within the team’s ‘armoury’ than George Ford’s drop-kick ability ahead of their clash with Japan on Sunday
“So, I think it’s really important that England do have that consistency. It is a must-win game for England to get themselves pretty much into those quarter-finals.
“I think England will be going strong, and if they went strong against Argentina last weekend, why would they not go with the consistency to go with the same team?”
Dawson: This is the opportunity to nip high tackles in the bud
While Dawson called for consistency with England’s squad selection, he vented frustration at the inconsistency with refereeing decisions on high tackles at the tournament so far.
France were fortunate to avoid a red card in Thursday’s win over Uruguay when a high challenge from lock Romain Taofifenua on Santiago Arata was deemed only to be a yellow card after a review in the bunker.
“There lies the main issue – the inconsistency”, said Dawson, reacting to Taofifenua’s tackle.
“It’s what the players require, it’s what the coaches, the fans, the game needs.
Former England scrum-half Matt Dawson calls for more consistency from officials on dangerous tackle decisions after a number of incidents at the Rugby World Cup
“In England vs Argentina, you had a letter-of-the-law red card for Tom Curry. I feel that he was a little bit unfortunate because of the scenario – it wouldn’t have been that long ago that it would have been a rugby incident. But, quite rightly, head on head is a red card.
“But then there have been two or three incidents like last night where you do think there’s an opportunity to nip this in the bud around high tackles, head on head, shoulder on head, any kind of head contact.
“We talk about player welfare a lot within the game. This is the stage, this is the opportunity to absolutely nip this in the bud and say that if in doubt – and I don’t think there was much doubt last night – we’ve got to give the responsibility to the player to lower their height or they’re going to get sent off.”
Tom Curry has been handed a two-match ban for his head clash with Juan Cruz Mallia after England decided not to contest the decision
On whether Curry has been hard done by, Dawson disagreed. However, he warned that England must tighten up their discipline for later in the tournament.
“I don’t think so, you’ve probably got to look at it the other way that France, South Africa, there was another one in the Japan-Chile game, they’re the lucky ones”, said Dawson.
The England cricket players have a selection meeting in the Oval pavilion to determine who would make their rugby XV
“The Tom Curry scenario – he’s going to look at that video and think ‘just by a whisper, I’ve got my height wrong, I’m going to run the risk’.
“My view on that is that because Elliot Daly was in the contact and got his height right, the TMO is looking at that thinking, ‘if Daly’s got it right, why haven’t you?’
“Head-on-head collision – it looks bad. It was bad.
“It seemed to rally England if anything, but when you’re going into the knockout stages, you can’t be playing with 14 men against the top eight teams in the world.”
