If Alex Mitchell makes it on to the field against Tonga on Saturday, the Northampton Saints scrum half will be the 100th player to have won an England cap under Eddie Jones.
The list of those who have toyed with international rugby under the Australian but have yet to win a cap is almost as long. In a five-year period that has comprised non-cap matches against the Barbarians and two British & Irish Lions tours — as well as Jones’s penchant for surprises — analysis by The Times has revealed 170 names in England squads, though it is possible that others exist.
There have been brief injury covers, World Cup bolters and apprentices. Marcus Smith is the most garlanded of the trainees, having first carried the tackle bags at 18 and now, at 22, slated to carry the hopes of a nation (albeit from the bench for now).
Others in the asterisk gang have taken different pathways: Zach Mercer earned two caps after his apprenticeship but is at Montpellier, out of the picture; Gabriel Ibitoye is uncapped, now at Tel Aviv Heat; Josh Hodge, 21, is still with Exeter Chiefs; and Mitchell may graduate fully this weekend.
Some players have had short stints in camp — Micky Young, the Newcastle Falcons scrum half, was called up for three days in May 2016 due to injury concerns — while others have been named in squads but never so much as run out on the training paddock.
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The favourite sons
George Ford was one of four high-profile players left out by Jones this autumn — the Vunipola brothers remain absent, although Jamie George has been called up because of injury and starts against Tonga. Ford has won 60 of his 77 caps under Jones, making him the most regular face in the Australian’s tenure. Owen Farrell, the captain, may overhaul that figure this month.
Farrell has previously started at fly half 16 times under Jones. His stints in the No 10 jersey have been sporadic, with only one consistent run: half of the 16 matches came in the autumn of 2018 and 2019 Six Nations. England’s Nos 9 to 13 against Tonga (Ben Youngs, Farrell, Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Henry Slade) lined up together in five matches in 2019, including the World Cup quarter-final. Farrell is the only member of Jones’s first starting team from 2016 to be in the XV for Saturday; Anthony Watson might have joined him without injury, while George, Courtney Lawes, Joe Marler and Youngs were involved five years ago.
Some themes have been consistent. When Jones named his first squad in January 2016, among the talking points were the injury doubts of Tuilagi, whether or not Chris Ashton (yes) and Danny Cipriani (no) were involved, and why on earth Joe Simpson had not been selected. (Simpson’s role as passed-over passer would soon be filled by Dan Robson.)
The waiting game
“Come into modern rugby,” Jones told journalists at the 2019 World Cup after Ford was on the bench for the quarter-final. Rugby had changed, he said, and was a 23-man game. “I didn’t drop him, mate. I changed his role.” Such is the ubiquity of replacements that being on the bench almost inevitably leads to a cap that same afternoon — but Jones has kept novices waiting on the sidelines before, and Mitchell is not guaranteed to come on.
Ollie Devoto was an unused substitute in Jones’s first match (joined in getting cold by the previously capped Alex Goode), eventually making his debut three months later when he came on against Wales, then winning a second cap in France in February last year (before sitting unused against Scotland the following week). Nine minutes for two caps, 160 minutes for none.
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Devoto was joined on the bench at Murrayfield by Tom Dunn, who finally made his debut eight months later. Jack Singleton was twice on the bench in Argentina in 2017 but did not win his first cap until August 2019. Jonny Hill was a replacement in South Africa in 2018 and made his debut in October 2020.
Lost talent
A handful of players picked by Jones for England camps have gone on to represent other countries.
Callum Sheedy and Johnny Williams played against the Barbarians in 2019 but made their Wales debuts 12 months ago. Cameron Redpath and Gary Graham were in squads in 2018 but went on to emulate their fathers by playing for Scotland. (Redpath starred against England on his debut this year, his only cap thus far.) Mike Haley played against the Barbarians in 2017 and won his solitary Ireland cap to date in a World Cup warm-up match two years later.
Many players inked into press releases remain eligible for England and other countries. Ben Vellacott was in the elite player squad in 2018 but never featured. He joined Edinburgh this season and could yet play for Scotland, whom he represented at age-group level. Sam Moore, the son and nephew of former Wales forwards, was an apprentice in 2018 but now plays for Cardiff Rugby. Louis Lynagh, son of the Australia great Michael and born in Italy, is in England’s squad at present, and Paolo Odogwu, who also qualifies for Italy, was in England’s most recent Six Nations squad without playing. It is not over until the first anthem is sung, the first cap awarded.
Halting the Barbarians
Warren Gatland played 17 times for New Zealand but never won an official Test cap. England have played the Barbarians in 2017, 2018 and 2019 in non-cap matches, meaning a number of players have had a flavour of the Gatland experience.
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Josh Beaumont has played in all three matches (and a fourth in 2015), but never in an official international. Others to have worn the jersey but not the hat include Sam James, Jamal Ford-Robinson, Ross Harrison, George McGuigan (formerly of Ireland Under-20), Tom Ellis, Henry Trinder, Elliott Stooke, Nick Schonert (formerly of South Africa Under-20), Simon Hammersley, Piers O’Conor (formerly of Ireland Under-19, born in Australia), Ehren Painter, Will Spencer, Ben White and Ben Loader.
One-cap wonders
Adam Radwan is set to leave the one-cap club against Tonga. Those still in it include Ollie Thorley, Jack Maunder, Josh McNally, Harry Wells, Tommy Taylor, Ben Curry, Jacob Umaga, Trevor Davison, Dan Kelly, George Martin and Alex Dombrandt, who will win cap No 2 if he comes off the bench.
