Stuart Lancaster has fast-tracked Sam Burgess into England’s World Cup squad, as reported in The Times this morning.
The England head coach has confirmed that Burgess, just nine months after he first stepped onto a rugby union field, had been preferred to Luther Burrell in a 31-man squad that features 17 forwards and 14 backs.
Ben Morgan has succeeded in convincing the England management that he is fit enough to claim a No 8 berth ahead of Nick Easter, despite having played just 40 minutes since breaking his leg playing for Gloucester in January.
Kieron Brookes has been preferred to Alex Corbisiero, whose career has been hindered by injury since his star turn for the Lions in 2013, while George Kruis fended off a challenge from Dave Attwood to claim one of the lock berths.
Jamie George has won selection ahead of Luke Cowan-Dickie as one of three hookers, while Danny Cipriani and Calum Clark were informed yesterday that they had failed to make the final cut.
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“It’s really positive that we have such depth and options to choose from,” Lancaster said. “Selection wasn’t easy and it is tough to leave anyone out but it’s important to stress that the players not in this group are still part of our wider squad and could come in at any point.
“After ten weeks in camp we have made our final selection of players and we believe we have a great group to take us into the tournament. With three weeks to go before we play Fiji we feel we are in good shape as we head into next Saturday’s game against Ireland.”
Burgess is a wildcard selection. His inclusion, alongside Henry Slade who also made his international debut against France on August 15, leaves England with four specialist centres boasting a combined total of just 36 caps.
Burrell, who was told he had not made the cut in a meeting at 8am today, started England’s last ten Six Nations games and he has been a fixture in the squad for two years, while Lancaster has invested a lot of time in Billy Twelvetrees, only to cut him at the last.
Lancaster had said it would be a “big step” to select Burgess together with Slade, who also made his international debut in England’s win against France on August 15, while giving every indication that he would not do it.
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However, the England management have had a change of heart over the last fortnight. Slade, the Exeter Chiefs playmaker, did enough in a stylish performance at Twickenham to earn his place at the World Cup - and Lancaster has now taken that giant leap of faith by selecting Burgess as well.
The final decision between Burgess and Burrell went down to the wire. They played opposite each other in yesterday’s internal trial match. Andy Farrell, the England backs coach, is thought to have been pushing the case for Burgess in last night’s late selection meeting.
Lancaster helped to pave the way for Burgess’s cross-code switch from South Sydney Rabbitohs to Bath but he maintains that there was nothing pre-ordained about his rapid rise into the World Cup squad.
Burgess’s elevation represents the biggest selection gamble of Lancaster’s tenure as England coach and it flies in the face of his usual policy, whereby players are told they must earn their place in the national squad.
Burgess played for the Saxons in January and was invited to train with England during the Six Nations before making his international debut in the first warm-up game against France 12 days ago.
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The biggest question mark over Burgess is his defensive alignment – a point raised last night by Will Carling, who fears he will be exposed in the World Cup - but the England management have been won over by the power he could bring to their midfield and the leadership qualities he has shown around the camp.
Burgess did not look out of place at Twickenham, albeit against France’s second-string midfield, and some of the tackles he put in were well-read and shuddering in their power, which had a galvanising force effect on the team and the crowd.
The decision over the No 8s also went to the wire. Morgan played the first half of England’s win against France but he was not involved in the return match in Paris, where Easter delivered an eye-catching performance off the bench.
Morgan was told that his chances of making the squad rested on proving his fitness in yesterday’s internal trial match and he came through unscathed. Easter was told this morning that he had missed out; his only chance now of competing at a third World Cup is as an injury replacement.