If the majority of those England players involved in the 2011 World Cup campaign will be working as hard as possible to forget the whole wretched episode, one man who will be desperately hoping for a repeat is Joe Simpson, who was a late addition to the squad four years ago when Danny Care dropped out with an injury.
No player would ever wish such horrific luck on a rival, so right now Simpson’s focus is on getting himself as fit as possible and waiting by the phone. After suffering an untimely knee injury at the end of the Premiership season, the scrum-half says he is close to 100% fitness again.
“If everything goes to plan, I will be fully fit,” Simpson said. “If there had been a match this week, I would have been available for Wasps. I’m running, I’m feeling good, I’m not feeling my knee at all. I need to get some volume back into my legs.
“The physios are telling me to calm down, to slow down, but I am desperate to push on. They have got their timescale, and they will make sure that I am firing on all cylinders when they give me the all-clear.
“I find myself desperately trying to throw in rogue sessions, just to speed up my recovery. I’ll want to do a running session where I’m really opening myself up, but they’ll want me to go running in a swimming pool. They’re reigning me in.”
Since 2011 Simpson has blossomed into a more-rounded player, honing his game management and service alongside his more raw physical attributes. And yet he arguably faces a more difficult path to final squad – four years ago he spent the entire summer in the training camp, missing out on initial selection but making him the obvious choice when Care got injured. Now, he is probably the fifth cab off the rank.
“If I had been part of the squad from the start, then who knows?” Simpson added. “I have my work cut out now. I know I am a long shot, but I have the possibility of being called up into an England training camp, and that for me is special and gives me great drive.
“Ben Youngs had a fantastic year for England, so he will be number one. Richard Wigglesworth will probably be number two, and then the third spot is to scrap for. The other two nines I am competing against haven’t been at the top of their game this season, probably by their own accounts.
“Dickson has probably fallen away slightly with his [club] competition with [Kahn] Fotuali’i, but he is still a great player and he has been above me for the last three years.
“At the same time, I feel my form does give me an opportunity to put myself in the mix – probably not for a starting place if we are honest – but as a squad player and possibly an impact player off the bench. That could possibly be my role if I was lucky enough to get called up into the squad.”
Given some of the tries he has scored in the past season, the impact he could provide from the bench must make him a tempting option for Lancaster. For now, all he can do is remain positive and keep pestering the right people to put in a good word for him. You can bet his phone will remain firmly by his side for the near future, turned up as loud as possible.
“I had a nice message from Phil Vickery, who reminded a few of us that you can never tell what might happen. So don’t lose hope.
“I have always been one to look on the positive side of things. Negativity makes you old, boring and grumpy, so I want to stay youthful and enjoy myself, so I am keeping hope and giving myself a shot. That is all I can do in my position.”
By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
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If ‘Since 2011 Simpson has blossomed into a more-rounded player’, how come ‘Now, he is probably the fifth cab off the rank’? Surely this doesn’t make any sense.
For me he ought to start for England. He has searing pace as well as a sharp, all round game whereby he can pass, run & kick. He also seems to play without fear & brims with confidence much like Mike Brown did a year or so back. His speed in decision making & variety of play options therefore offer more of a threat than his England contemporaries.
Do any of his rivals possess all of these attributes? If he really is only 5th choice, then maybe Stuart Lancaster thinks so.
Don, if he hadn’t got injured at the end of the season, he’d probably be third. As it is four other guys have been training with the squad, and will go on the trip to Denver, which he will almost definitely miss out on also. After that there is so little time until the warm-up games start it’s difficult to see how he can force his way in.
That passage was written purely with the injury in mind.
J, I know he was injured, but I just don’t see why ‘he’d probably be third’ if he has all the skills I think he has. Surely Lancaster should take him to Denver & fast track the guy. I mean, as England have oscillated mostly between Youngs & Care, are either of them really up to it? Do they offer more than GI Joe? I don’t think so… & there’s a WC to win!
And as England have already ‘lost’ a 1/3rd of a team, can they afford to squander a 1/2back who is more likely to frighten the oppo with his unpredictable variety in attack? Again, I don’t think so… but then S. Lancaster I ain’t.
Ah well, no skin off I suppose, but as a rugby purist, it frustrates me to see SKILLED players wasted by being stuck in some nebulous pecking order. They’re either good enough or they’re not. For me, Joe Simpson is the former.
I don’t disagree, but I do think the most recent performances of players in the international team count for a lot – and quite rightly. With that in mind, B Youngs is comfortably first choice, Wigglesworth probably second and then it’s a shootout for that third spot – personally I would definitely have Simpson in the squad, and probably put him on the bench for impact.
To flip the situation back to you, do you advocate starting Cane/Barrett over McCaw/Carter for NZ (amongst other examples)? The former are just 2 examples of players in form that are likely to miss out to players in worse domestic form, but higher in the international ‘pecking order’. For a WC, experience counts for a lot.
Particularly in WC sudden death games, start with yr best players, i.e., those whom are likely to score/create most points, yet give away the least. Therefore I’d go with Carter (e.g., kicked 9 from 10? v Samoa) & McCaw. What’s the point in having your captain on the bench? May as well appoint another skipper if the incumbent’s not a starter.
However, it’s also about the best team executing game plans under pressure & not just the shuffling players for so called ‘impact’, or ‘fresh legs’ effect. Subs should bring something different from those being replaced IMO.
Barrett runs @ defences & is less orthodox than Carter. He’s also as quick as some wingers, but his goal kicking didn’t help the Canes in the S15 final.
Cane is, I think, taller, heavier? & more rangy than McCaw. Harder to stop near the try line, but also less exp, less wily.
In respect of Simpson, he’s offers more variety, has more bow strings than the other England 1/2s. He is also less predictable & less known to opposition. Therefore he more of a threat.
Takes a different mindset to choose him though… bit like that of the England cricket team’s?
Youngs was fantastic for England in the 6N it was a toss up between him and Joseph for the best English player of the tournament.
Fully fit and on form Simpson probably offers more than Care or Wigglesworth
Assuming “fully fit and on form”… Surely a fully fit and on form Youngs, Care or Wigglesworth offers more than a fully fit and on form Simpson? Yes, Simpson has been better this season – but there’s a reason the others are above him, and that’s because in the past they too have played some scintillating stuff, in the case of Youngs and Care that stuff has been at international level too. Simpson may offer that “fear factor” but so do an in-form Youngs or Care, and Wigglesworth has such a good kicking game that at international level can be so important! Simpson is good, yes, but I’d be very happy not to see him in the squad (the same way I’d be very happy to see him there – I believe any 3 of those 4 SHs will be very good for England, and be happy with any)
When you state that the other 1/2s ‘offer ‘more’ than Simpson, specifically what do you mean?
Simpson has searing pace that the others don’t have. He runs kicks & passes… & is more unpredictable.
Youngs, e.g., makes some breaks & kicks, but his passing can be sus. Care is the opposite, i.e., although he too can make breaks, his kicking is more erratic, but his passing is better (than that of Youngs). If either were that superior, then why the chopping & changing with them?
Ah the Simpson debate.I have to agree with Jamie on this one and say that he is not my first choice, nor is he my second. If I’m honest i think Dickson pips him in my books too. He’s had a fine season and its a shame that he got injured in the run up to the world cup but I don’t think he would have made the cut against Youngs or Care.
Last year Care ruled the roost and this year Youngs is reminding his form which made him as good as he was 2 years ago. Dickson isn’t exactly a bad shout either but Lancaster will only take two 9’s.
Two 9’s? Can’t see that happening – he will need 3.
I’m struggling to see outside of Youngs, Care and Wrigglesworth. As much as I like Simpson, I’m not sure I’d take him either. Youngs goes as first choice, Wrigglesworth offers something different so he goes. Then it’s a shoot out between Care and Simpson; personally I do think Simpson is the better player right now, but Care’s experience gets him ahead.