Kiwi to solve Pom pivot problems?
12 Jan 2009
Saracens coach Eddie Jones has urged England coach Martin Johnson to include New Zealand-born flyhalf Glen Jackson in his revised Six Nations squad on Wednesday.
This after Jones watched Jackson turn in a sublime performance against Bristol on Sunday. Jackson, a former Chiefs player, qualifies for England selection after spending three years in the country, and Jones believes he’ll be an asset to the beleaguered Poms, who’ve struggled to replace the injury prone Jonny Wilkinson.
“His goalkicking was good and his out-of-hand kicking is just wonderful. England should really consider having him in the squad,” Jones said.
“If they are going to have [Danny] Cipriani and [Toby] Flood as their major stand-offs maybe they should have someone like Jackson, who understands the game exceedingly well, in the squad to teach these younger guys how to play because I think they need a mentor.”
The 32-year-old Jackson said he would be open to an approach from Johnson.
“I’ve just had a son who is an Englishman, and in terms of where we live this is home,” he said. “There would be no greater honour than to play for the country that you live in, in terms of England.”
21 Comments
12 Jan 2009, 08:16 am
As per usual England needs the Southern expertise to help them out
12 Jan 2009, 08:54 am
There is absolutely no talent in England in any of their sporting teams..thats why they constantly steal players from other countries, it wont end until their entire team is made up of south africans,kiwi’s and aussies! just like the premier league, their are hardly any poms!
12 Jan 2009, 08:55 am
I thing Toby Flood needs a solid knock, that oke is a doos in my eyes after he sheepishly pushed Monty over the barriers into the cameras at the world cup.
Glen Jackson would without a doubt be an asset to England. Im surprised that he is eligible after only 3 years in the country……am I missing something?
12 Jan 2009, 08:57 am
Welcome to the spaceman…woohooo.
By the Springbok Nude Girls.
Hehehehehehe…….
12 Jan 2009, 09:28 am
The Poms flyhalves are about as **** as ours. Danny Cipriani? He is in the same league as Earl Rose.
12 Jan 2009, 09:30 am
If the Poms need an experienced ten then why do they not just pick Johnny?
Pump him full of the drugs the convicts use on their players then tada a fit and experienced Johnny is back.
12 Jan 2009, 09:48 am
3 years is far too short for a player to qualify for another country. It should be at least 5 years.
12 Jan 2009, 09:50 am
Jondood and Spaceman. Its not a question of their being no English talent or needing Southern H expertise to help the national side out, notwithstanding that both statements being true but the question should be why is this happening…..
English youngsters are not coming through to the national team because the Premiership clubs are full of SA Assie Kiwi Argentine players etc. Players who prefer to play for the bigger money in the UK rather than play off the bench in a **** provincial game in the sticks in SA and Australasia.
So you can forgive the inevitable follow-on strategy to look for any possible legitimate way to try and make one’s national side competitive. You can’t have it both ways guys. ie jobs for your guys whilst the English game stagnates….
12 Jan 2009, 10:36 am
Do you think, it would be necessary for the Northern Hemisphere Club to Contract players from out of their region, if they had players available?
Truth of the matter is that there is not a lot of talent coming through in the UK.
This is not only limited to Rugby, but also to Cricket, Athletics and Soccer.
The participation numbers at junior (school) level has reduced by a huge percentage over the last decade and this has (and will for a long time to come) have a huge influence on Sport. (in the UK and even in the USA).
12 Jan 2009, 11:15 am
The gospel according to Eddie.
Surely things cannot be that bad, that Old Bighty need to pick a 32 yr old Kiwi who was “an average to good” S12 player.(back in his prime).
If the youngins need experience, play them……and stick with them.
12 Jan 2009, 11:59 am
#8 Jester: So it’s the SH players fault for taking the places of English qualified players? Hahahaha.
No. Club owners are selfish and want success for their clubs and don’t really give a sh*t about England’s international success. In order to get that, they open their cheque books in order to attract the best global talent money can buy. Sadly for England, not much of that talent lies in England right now.
I’ve got a suggestion though – the RFU should stop the clubs giving non-Englishmen contracts. Ah, but they can’t really, because they can’t enforce it on the clubs. The English elite players agreement in theory is good news for English rugby, but in practice, the English clubs hate it because those that have strong English player contingents, i.e. Wasps, are penalised. I expect to see more foreigners getting contracts over Englishmen because of this. In England, in the eyes of the professional clubs, club comes before country. Without changing the ways players are contracted, ala the SH way, this won’t change.
However, if that does happen, i expect to see the attendances drop and the GP and European games growth grind to a halt, as fans don’t want to see sub standard teams play each other. If you want an example of that, look at the apathy of Kiwi fans when their diluted NPC teams play each other.
Like you say, you can’t have it both ways guys.
12 Jan 2009, 12:10 pm
#11 stodders:
Sir Dad,
Happy new year.
12 Jan 2009, 12:13 pm
#12 cane: Thanks Cane. Only on here quickly to catch up on the goings on. I just couldn’t resist replying to Jester’s post.
12 Jan 2009, 12:13 pm
#12 cane: Happy New Year to you too btw. And to everyone else on here, including Keo and the lads.
12 Jan 2009, 12:17 pm
#13 Sir stodders:
I raise my glass in honour of the wee chappie.
slurp.
12 Jan 2009, 12:52 pm
#10 cane
Totally agree cane. I would rather England take a few beatings blooding the youngsters rather than use almost over the hill SH players to patch up the cracks in the wall.
12 Jan 2009, 16:01 pm
#3 Mackie:
I take it you missed Pedrie Wannenburg’s tackle on him in the Barbarians game??
Ticked all the boxes for “solid knock” and took him out for almost 2 months I think.
12 Jan 2009, 16:08 pm
#8 Jester:
No YOU can’t have it both ways!
In fact even when you have to use foreign players to help strengthen your national sides (KP in cricket and Mike Catt in rugby) we still come over and whip your asses!
It’s a sad situaution when some of the best players in your national sides aren’t even from your own country and have had their talent developed elsewhere.
The truth is, you have a country with weather that is just not conducive to any outdoor sports and a playstation culture that results in 1 in every 4 children suffering from obesity.
You are the ones that have the issues, not us my friend!
12 Jan 2009, 18:04 pm
#2 Spaceman: nonsense
#5 Loosehead: not really, Cipriani is ace
#6 RedLion roars again: Jonny will be back soon, was on crutches for a while, he’s only 29 btw
#7 wooden spoon: true, but Jackson has been here for 5 years
#8 Jester: not really a huge factor imo, its a 65/35 split, the real problem is injuries, we have two top 10s but they’re both injured
#10 cane: things aren’t that bad, Eddie Jones just likes promoting his own players. Flood outplayed Carter at club level not so long ago so he’s obviously not that bad.
12 Jan 2009, 20:05 pm
I think they should make toby no1 with gerhaty as back up.
13 Jan 2009, 01:44 am
#19 Big Hit:
Big Hit,glad to see you back
Flood outplayed Carter in a club match a?
Oh well maybe once in a while Carter has an average game and lets people like Flood who has a blinder of a game look better than they actually are.
Flood is average and Cipriani isnt that much better if at all.Carter is better in all areas than those two and have proved it on the international circuit.But it is nice for you to see that Flood outplayed Carter in a game where Carter is only there for fun and money,we all know that.
So as i said,England have \two young average players at #10 at the moment,you can paint them up all you like but until we see them performing on International scene,they are average
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