England’s younger gamers have ‘extremely thrilling’ potential for Eddie Jones and 2023 Rugby World Cup, says Conor O’Shea

Rugby Soccer Union’s (RFU) director of efficiency rugby Conor O’Shea says there’s some “extremely thrilling potential starting to bubble up once more” in England’s youth sides; Head coach Eddie Jones takes his senior facet to World Cup in 2023 after disappointing Six Nations this yr

Eddie Jones and England will head to France for the 2023 Rugby World Cup subsequent September

Conor O’Shea says England’s younger gamers have “extremely thrilling” potential and can inject vitality into Eddie Jones’ 2023 World Cup squad.

Earlier this month, Jones mentioned he wanted to refresh the group after a significant reshuffle within the backroom workers.

That was after England completed in a disappointing fifth place within the Six Nations earlier this yr, successful simply two of their 5 video games – towards Italy and France.

Chatting with Sky Sports activities, the Rugby Soccer Union’s (RFU) director of efficiency rugby O’Shea believes there’s sufficient expertise within the youth setup to offer the spark England want transferring ahead.

“We have got an impressive group of gamers that can go to 2023 when they’re all again and they’re match collectively in a standard surroundings,” O’Shea instructed Sky Sports activities.

“Hopefully a few of final yr’s under-20s can come and imbue an vitality and assist help Eddie main into that however then I feel past that and looking out on the work that is been carried out by the academies, by the pathway coaches in the mean time, I simply see – I feel everyone seems to be seeing some extremely thrilling potential starting to bubble up once more.

“Not simply common gamers, fairly particular gamers.”

Conor O’Shea, former Italy coach, is the RFU’s director of efficiency rugby

Whereas the RFU said it retained full support of Jones after England’s poor efficiency at senior degree, that they had no such points on the 2021 Six Nations Below 20s Championship, the place England gained all 5 video games on the way in which to a dominant win.

O’Shea mentioned Jones shouldn’t have been responsible for his senior squad choice and never providing alternatives to youthful gamers, because the coronavirus pandemic was a significant component.

“No, it is not [fair to criticise him],” he mentioned. “Quite a lot of speak final yr by way of choice and talent to bounce exterior of the norm given what was happening [the pandemic] was simply not there.

“The power to combine folks inside an surroundings – you were not in a position to, whether or not or not it’s having dinner collectively, breakfast collectively. You are in your rooms on a regular basis which is a really unusual surroundings.

England had a poor efficiency at this yr’s Six Nations

“So, I am trying ahead.

“I feel it will likely be a very thrilling group of gamers that Eddie pulls collectively this yr and hopefully we’ll help him any means we are able to.

“However our focus now could be ensuring we now have a succession and pipeline and gamers pushing on a regular basis as a result of that can maintain each participant trustworthy.”

Talking because the RFU printed its pathway and improvement framework designed to make sure long-term success of senior England groups, O’Shea mentioned he’s certain the longer term is vivid.

He mentioned: “I feel we have got a really particular group of gamers and the most important factor we are able to present is help within the subsequent two years main into 2023, and help to Simon Middleton and the Pink Roses main into 2022 in New Zealand [the Women’s Rugby World Cup].

“Hopefully these groups in 2022 and 2023 can encourage the following era and if you have a look at the expertise from final yr – the 17-20-year-old age group, that under-20 group particularly final yr -there’s loads of expertise coming by way of which is able to push a number of the older gamers on.”