LONDON – Former England back Austin Healey has questioned the decision to couple Brad Barritt and Rugby League convert Sam Burgess in the midfield for England’s World Cup clash against Wales.
Exciting incumbent Jonathan Joseph is expected to miss the rest of the pool stage after suffering a Pectoral injury in the hosts’ opening Cup win over Fiji on Friday which leaves a gaping hole in the midfield. And England Coach Stuart Lancaster opting to include Burgess in the starting team at 12 presents worries for the team’s backline according to 41 year old Healey.
Healey suggested that Joseph’s injury provides a conundrum for Lancaster who needs to be mindful of the balance of his team.
“Burgess needs someone who can run lines off him and pick holes, someone like Jack Nowell or Henry Slade,” he said.
“I said last week that any injury to Joseph would be a massive blow and now he’s gone the problems are clear to see and you have to question why Lancaster is going with both Sam Burgess and Brad Barritt. You have to pick players that complement each other and these two just don’t or so it would seem.”
But despite suggesting that only Burgess or Barritt should be in the starting side, he said that he understood why they’ve chosen to go with the defensively-minded midfield.
“This is a stats-based decision. The coaching staff have looked back through all of Wales’ recent games looking at first phase gainline success. When positive Wales win, when less so they lose,” the former England and British and Irish Lions utility back said.
“What Lancaster is banking on is that Warren Gatland hasn’t got a plan B. So stop Jamie Roberts with the big hitting Owen Farrell, Burgess and Barritt and England go on to win a tight game. By dropping George Ford, England have left out the best attacking option showing they have little or no interest in playing any rugby against the Welsh – they are going to crash the ball and try to stop Wales defensively.”
“That should work and we’ve seen in the Six Nations that when that happens Wales don’t really have a plan B.”