Chris Robshaw returns as England co-captain as Eddie Jones named squad to face Barbarians
The Harlequins flanker was replaced as captain after the 2015 Rugby World Cup
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Your support makes all the difference.Chris Robshaw has been named co-captain for England’s match against the Barbarians this weekend alongside George Ford, just 15 months after being replaced as skipper by head coach Eddie Jones.
The 30-year-old Harlequins flanker lost his captaincy duties following the 2015 Rugby World Cup exit, having been former head coach Stuart Lancaster’s selected leader for the duration of his reign with the national team.
Jones immediately confirmed that Robshaw would no longer be his chosen captain – along with moving him from openside to blindside flanker – and named Dylan Hartley as his replacement for the 2016 Six Nations Championship, which England won as they secured a first Grand Slam in 13 years.
But with Hartley unavailable this weekend due to Northampton Saints’ participation in the European Champions Cup play-off final against Stade Francais this weekend – and vice-captains Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola absent through the British and Irish Lions and injury respectively – Jones has elected to trust Robshaw to guide a youthful team alongside fly-half Ford.
"I've decided to have co-captains this weekend with Chris Robshaw and George Ford,” Jones said. “We need the responsibility of leadership shared. Chris will look after the forwards and defence while George will look after the backs and attack. Its splits the responsibility nicely and with so many younger players there we need co-captains rather than just one guy responsible for everything."
The decision is all the more surprising given that Jones had not spoken to Robshaw about potentially taking on the captaincy before this week, while Mike Brown and Danny Care, along with Ford, were named as vice-captains to Hartley for the upcoming two-Test tour of Argentina.
Jones named eight uncapped players in his side that will face the BaaBaas, with Saracens providing three of those plauers in wing Nathan Earle, centre Alex Lozowski and lock Nick Isiekwe. Sale Sharks centre Sam James joins Lozowski in a very inexperienced centre partnership, while the front-row offers just one cap between them, with Leicester Tiger prop Ellis Genge the only current international alongside Worcester’s Jack Singleton and Harlequins’ Will Collier.
The other two uncapped players come in the back-row, with Sale’s Josh Beaumont starting at No 8 and Bath-bound flanker Sam Underhill named at openside flanker.
"I'm excited about this squad playing the Barbarians on Sunday," Jones added. "The players have trained really well with intensity over the last few weeks and now we need to put that onto the field this weekend.
"While we have some really experienced players starting the game there is a great opportunity for some of the younger players to show what they are about against a Barbarians team full of quality international players.
"We will be treating this game as a Test match and expecting the Barbarians to start the game quickly. This match will be crucial preparation ahead of our two-Test series against Argentina next month.”
Rob Buchanan, Ryan Mills, Nick Schonert and Marland Yarde were not considered for selection due to injury, with both Buchanan and Mills sent back to their clubs, while Ben Spencer and Tom Curry are on reserve should there be any issues ahead of Sunday’s encounter.
England team to face Barbarians:
Mike Brown; Nathan Earle, Sam James, Alex Lozowski, Jonny May; George Ford, Danny Care; Ellis Genge, Jack Singleton, Will Collier; Charlie Ewels, Nick Isiekwe; Chris Robshaw, Sam Underhill, Josh Beaumont.
Replacements: George McGuigan, Ross Harrison, Jamal Ford-Robinson, Tom Ellis, Ben Curry, Mark Wilson, Richard Wigglesworth, Mike Haley.
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