Alex Goode still dreaming of Rugby World Cup spot after proving central to Saracens’ all-conquering attack

The full-back has not played for England for nearly two years but says the 'fire will never burn out' when it comes to representing his country

Alex Goode put in a man-of-the-match display (Getty)

There was a moment in Mark McCall’s post-match media briefing where smiles broke out among all of those in attendance. It was as soon as Alex Goode’s name was mentioned, and the smiles were because everyone knew the answer to the inevitable question that was coming.

The 30-year-old was at his dazzling best on Saturday to inspire Saracens to a landslide 50-27 victory over a second-string Bath side, laying on two tries for teammate Liam Williams as part of his hat-trick and scoring a wonderful individual effort himself. It prompted two immediate questions: when did Saracens’ bright young thing move into his fourth decade, and why does he not get even a look in with the England team?

If the first question takes you by surprise, the second will not. Goode has 21 caps to his name but has not been seen in an England shirt since November 2016, and his last international appearance actually came against his own nation when he turned out for the Barbarians in summer 2017.

All but two of his caps came under Jones’ predecessor, Stuart Lancaster, with a replacement appearance in Italy during the 2016 Six Nations and a run out against Fiji that autumn all the full-back has to show since Jones took charge as the Australian favoured Mike Brown, Anthony Watson and now Elliot Daly in the No 15 shirt. When the call came in December 2016, Jones informed Goode that he was dropping out of the squad and needed to do more to get back in.

“He didn’t say too much. He just said I wasn’t in the squad and he didn’t think I was playing at a good enough level really and we had a chat and that was it,” Goode said after his man-of-the-match display against Bath.

“I had to go out and keep working hard and put my best foot forward. You can’t let it grind you down or get too down about these things in that sense otherwise it just takes over all your thinking. I am very lucky to be part of a great club and I know what I want to do for this club and keep winning is a massive part of that.

“At this stage I am just very happy that I am at a great club like Saracens. Of course I would love to play for England. There is no doubt. Sometimes when the games are on you would love to be out there and representing your country. It is a dream come true and the pinnacle of my career but at the same time I can’t sit at home getting worried and thinking about it the whole time.

“I really appreciate the club and they appreciate me. It is lovely to be out here and play every week and enjoy my rugby and keep trying to improve here. It gives me even more happiness when we come away with wins here and are successful because it means so much to me.”

Goode's alley-oop style offload over his head sealed Liam Williams' hat-trick (Getty)

Jones’ insistence that Goode was not playing well enough in 2016 may have been fair given where England were at the time, but plenty has unravelled since then while Goode has discovered the form of his life. At times on Saturday he simply glided through the Bath defence, seen no better than when he cut in on a straight line off Alex Lozowski’s shoulder to spring through the first tackle and run unopposed in for his try. But the Cambridge-born full-back also has the X-factor that England sometimes lack, with his assist for Williams’ hat-trick-sealing try one of beauty as he beat Max Clark on the outside before drawing in three defenders and offloading the ball alley-oop style over his head to the Welshman’s awaiting arms,

The numbers back up Goode’s case, too. He led the way with metres made (207), defenders beaten (eight), clean breaks (five) and carries (15) that simply cut the Bath defence to shreds all afternoon. At times Saracens’ attacking play was irrepressible, with the link-up between Owen Farrell, Lozowski and Goode central to that, and McCall believes that it’s the option that Goode offers that makes them so dangerous with the ball.

“I think today it felt the most connected we’ve been in attack with options both sides of the ball and Alex Goode was obviously instrumental with that because his ability to get back into the game after doing something is extraordinary,” McCall said. “If you actually get a chance to watch his movement to be at the breakdown and then go and contribute somewhere else was really quite amazing.”

Goode was leading the Premiership in metres gained before this weekend, though Harlequins’ Nathan Earle has since overtaken him after his double at the weekend in their much-needed win at Gloucester – a first away victory in more than two years – while he is unrivalled with six try assists this season and sits third in defenders beaten with 23 already, sitting behind Gloucester flanker Jake Polledri (30) and Exeter back Santiago Cordero (29).

Premiership form is not always enough for Jones when it comes to England selection though. We’ve seen that before with Danny Cipriani, who managed to force his way back into the reckoning last season, started this campaign with Gloucester like a house on fire and was promptly bumped from the squad last week. Chris Ashton meanwhile is yet to play a second in the top flight since returning from Toulon, but the Sale Sharks wing remains in the reckoning.

Playing for your country is a dream come true. I always want to represent England, that fire will never burn out. It is a privilege to do that and is something I want to do

Alex Goode

Yet both are cause for optimism, given their long exiles from the international set-up eventually came to an end when Jones changed his mind, and it’s for that reason that the fire within Goode to force his way into the reckoning for the 2019 Rugby World Cup remains brightly lit.

“I can just take hope that I would love to be part of that World Cup and I am playing good rugby and keep on getting better and see what happens,” he explained.

“Playing for your country is a dream come true. I always want to represent England, that fire will never burn out. It is a privilege to do that and is something I want to do. I am on the outside, but all I can do is keep working hard. I am motivated at this club to not let the guys down, to win medals, to win trophies and to be part of a great side and I am very lucky I have great support from the coaches, the owners and the players and it drives me on to keep improving.

“I can’t do anything about selections, I have to keep working hard and see what happens. I am at a great club for that and hopefully that will take care of itself.”