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England XV 28 Barbarians 14: Young guns impress in final examination before Argentina test

It was a good day for England's rising stars, such as Nick Isiekwe, who went over for a try - PA
It was a good day for England's rising stars, such as Nick Isiekwe, who went over for a try - PA

England head coach Eddie Jones was entitled to feel mightily content with this victory over an experienced Barbarians side as past ghosts were exorcised and harbingers of a bright future announced.

His posse of youngsters, particularly teenagers Tom Curry, Nick Isiekwe and 22-year-old Nathan Earle, demonstrated huge promise. In his quest to uncover a hidden gem in time for the 2019 World Cup, it was those three who sparkled the brightest on a gloomy, dank Twickenham afternoon.

Earle, who is seen as Chris Ashton’s natural heir at Saracens, scored the first try. Second row Isiekwe, his Saracens teammate who is mentored by Maro Itoje, the second and Sale openside Curry, who came on as a replacement, played a part in both that score and Danny Care’s try at the death with a turnover and handling ability which contributed to his man-of-the-match award.

It was not the perfect afternoon. England lost both centre Alex Lozowski and flanker Sam Underhill to shoulder injuries. Jones is optimistic that will not prevent their inclusion in the 31-man squad for the two-Test tour to Argentina that he will announce on Monday. He is less hopeful on Tom Wood’s participation following the flanker’s red card for Northampton against Stade Francais.

Nathan Earle - Credit: REX FEATURES
Nathan Earle runs in for a try Credit: REX FEATURES

Moreover, the game was scrappy, with the breakdown and scrum descending into a mess under the officiating of referee Andrew Brace. That Jones’ side, with just 277 caps between them – 246 belonging to five players – were able to negotiate their way past such a quagmire against a Barbarians team with 812 combined caps is no mean feat.

Yet Jones’ greatest satisfaction was reserved for the performances of co-captains Chris Robshaw and George Ford. For Robshaw, this was his first time leading the side at Twickenham since England were eliminated from their own World Cup two years ago.

At that point, the Harlequins flanker’s international career was written off by many – Jones included, in his capacity as a newspaper columnist – and even if the Old Mutual Wealth trophy is hardly the equivalent of the World Cup, there was still a cathartic element to Robshaw getting his hands on some silverware.

“It was a bit of a cleansing act for Robbo,” Jones said. “I probably started part of the discussion when I was a journalist. I probably still haven’t apologised properly to him for that. But that was a different life. He gets rewarded for being a good player. It was a nice moment for him today. You could see he was proud carrying the trophy down the stairs. If we had 15 of him we will win the World Cup with that sort of attitude and that sort of commitment.”

Chris Robshaw - Credit: REX FEATURES
Co-captains Chris Robshaw and George Ford lift the trophy Credit: REX FEATURES

Ford, too, had his demons. It was in a corresponding end-of-season fixture against Wales 12 months ago that Ford missed six of his seven kicks at goal and was booed by sections of the Twickenham. Here he was far more composed. His kicking from hand was majestic and he marshalled his back division expertly.

The Barbarians were largely disappointing. They had their moments. Wing Timoci Nagusa had the crowd on their feet with a run that left four English defenders on their backsides and full-back Alex Goode proved a point to Jones with a composed performance.

Yet they were undone both by their poor handling and Brace’s interpretation of their scrummaging technique. Tries from Adam Ashley-Cooper and Joe Tekori at least kept England honest.

Concrete lessons probably cannot be learnt in a stop-start, uncapped match played before a largely indifferent crowd. The two-Test tour against Argentina will reveal far more about the youngsters’ readiness to take the next step.

“Today is like putting your foot in the shallow end,” Jones said. “You have to swim to the deep end now. They have got a fair bit to swim.

“Curry was good. I don’t know whether he was man of the match though. Young Nick Iziekwe really applied himself. Nathan Earle showed he could be a Test wing, although he has some work to do. Jack Singleton, for a guy who has barely played for Worcester, his performance was outstanding.”

Tom Curry - Credit: REX FEATURES
Tom Curry and Sam James tackle Steffon Armitage Credit: REX FEATURES

4:56PM

England XV 28 Barbarians 14

Well played England, that's an impressive win against a hugely experienced and talented opponent. Match report will follow v shortly.

4:55PM

TRY ENGLAND!!!!

England finish in style. It's two of their most experienced men, Ford and Care who do the business, with a helping hand from Tom Curry. Curry slips the ball, nice run from Ford and it's out to Danny Care who shows some pace to get home.

Tom Curry is named the man of the match, well played young man.

Ford misses, by a long way, with the conversion, and that is the end of the match. England 28 Barbarians 14

4:51PM

TRY BARBARIANS!!

More pressure. Sustained pressure. Thierry Dusautoir manages to offload it to Joe Tekori a couple of yards from the England line, and you're not going to stop Tekori from there. He's over, it's a try, and is there a hint of a sniff of a chance for the Barbarians? Almost certainly not but good to see them on the scoreboard again.

Conversion is good.

England 23 Barbarians 14

4:48PM

73 mins

Barbarians have a penalty about ten yards out and try a smuggling wall thing more usually seen in prep school rugby. England are surging, eager, swarming in defence. They smother the Barbarian attack.

4:45PM

72 mins

Earle, who has been good in both attack and defence, comes off. Wigglesworth on.

4:41PM

ENGLAND TRY!!!

England have not had that many opportunities but they have been excellent when they have done.

Ford and young Tom Curry combine to turn the ball over. Danny Care and Jonny May combine to good effect, and hand it off to Nick Isiekwe. The second row is over the line.

The conversion is good and that, in all likelihood, is the ball game for England. Now they'll just be hoping to get everyone to the final whistle in one piece.

England 23 Barbarians 7

4:38PM

65 mins

4:38PM

63 mins

A lot of injuries in this match, hard to keep up, we might have to do a headcount of the walking wounded at the end.

4:36PM

61 mins

Here's fun though! A terrific run on the break from Barbars' number eight  Facundo Isa as England make a mess of a lineout. Just about stopped, good crossfield kick and May has to tidy up.

4:25PM

Yellow card for Mikheil Nariashvili

Not scrummaging straight.

4:24PM

First hints of argy bargy

Barbars argy bargy - Credit: Sky
Credit: Sky

4:23PM

Alas....

4:15PM

Barbarians are over the line! Jeremy Thrush the ball carrier

But the ref is checking something. He thinks the ball might have gone forward. Vern Cotter shakes his head, he does not like that decision one bit.

4:14PM

England bang in another penalty

England 16 Barbarians 7

4:11PM

Oh a couple in the crowd

got engaged at half time. That's sweet.

Couple engaged Twickenham - Credit: Sky Sports
Credit: Sky Sports

4:10PM

TRY BARBARIANS!!!!

Robbie Fruean has punched through the England line!  Mike Haley the man who gets bullied in the tackle, the ball is moved out wide and here is the 33-year-old Adam Ashley-Cooper showing that there's life in the old dog yet!

A really good conversion as well from Madigan.

England 13 Barbarians 7

4:07PM

41 mins

England come out firing, and are harassing Adam Ashley-Cooper after a kick. Starting to rain at Twickenham, which will suit England more than their guests.

4:06PM

Ready for the second half?

Let's play.

3:51PM

Half time: England 13 Barbarians 0

A try for Earle, converted by Ford. Ford then added two penalties (missed one as well).

England have been impressive, tidy, eager, precise in defence. The Barbarians flattered to deceive, thrilling stuff in the first quarter of an hour but then increasingly dogged by handling errors, and unable to stand up to England pressure.

3:50PM

40 mins

Nice and straight, tucked away with no fuss by Ford.

England 13 Barbarians 0

And that is the last action of the half.

3:49PM

39 mins

England get a kickable penalty and opt to, well, kick it. 

Boos ring around Twickenham. Erm, what else would you expect them to do?

3:48PM

38 mins

Tom Curry comes on for Sam Underhill.

3:48PM

37 mins

Another fine Barbars move comes to a premature end due to a handling error. England exerting good pressure. I reckon Jones will be pretty pleased with this performance so far from a callow side.

3:45PM

36 mins

Wrigglesworth's first action of note is to ankle-tap Alex Goode, while Goode does not have the ball. 

Ref gives just a penalty.

Unrelated, Wrigglesworth is taken off.

3:43PM

35 mins

Curious game so far. England absolutely battered for the first 18 minutes or so, then they scored.

And their professionalism, unity and discipline have since blunted their exciting opponents.

3:39PM

29 mins

Mike Brown is jogging off the pitch, needs a bit of a look from the medics for a head injury, and here's Richard Wigglesworth into the fray.

Ford gets a chance to make amends for that miss, and has potted this simpler chance without much fuss. The penalty came about due to a late tackle on Brown.

England 10 Barbarians 0

3:34PM

27 mins

First commentator use of the expression "England are not here to entertain, they are here to win games," which was for many years the motto on the RFU coat of arms as I understand it. In keeping with their credo, here's a penalty to England, here's Robshaw summoning Ford to kick it at the posts.

However, he has missed it.

3:33PM

25 mins

Lovely crossfield kick opens it all up for the Barbars and here is the unmistakable figure of Richard Hibbard trying to bundle over. Knock on sadly.

3:29PM

Respectful minute's silence before the match

England at Twickenham - Credit: PA
Respect: England line up Credit: PA

3:28PM

21 mins

A neat summary.

3:27PM

19 mins

Impressive from England, weathering the storm and hitting back incisively. 

They look to build on that now, enjoying some territory, and here's May again putting the scratch side under pressure. England have a pen. They take it quickly.

It's out to Nathan Earle again! The young man is having an eye-catcher and is very close to powering over again, but a fine tackle from Census Johnston dislodges the ball from his grasp. For a brief moment it looks like it might have come off the Barbarian foot but after video, the ref rules a knock forward.

3:22PM

TRY ENGLAND!!!

Against the run of play, England have scored. A superb counter attack, Mike Brown gathers a box kick. Sam James with a powerful run and a super offload, Nathan Earle has followed him stride-for-stride and gathers well to run it in. 

Ford obliges with the conversion.

England 7 Barbarians 0

3:20PM

15 mins

Jonny May trying out for the Barbars here, he tries a no-look reverse pass but sadly for him, it goes out into touch and the ball is handed to the Barbarians.

3:19PM

14 mins

And hard lines for Alex Lozowski here as he has to come off injured.

3:18PM

13 mins

But an opportunity here for England to break, it flounders on some poor handling.

3:12PM

10 mins

Scoreless so far. England should ask for another ball - the Barbarians aren't letting them touch this one!

Goode with a little chip forward. he's got two runners out on the left... just overdone it.

88% possession so far for the men in black and white. 

They get a penalty and kick it into the corner.

Collier, though, has done superbly to pinch that and effect a turnover.

England vs Barbarians: What time does the match start at Twickenham, what TV channel can I watch it on and what is the team news? - Credit: REX FEATURES
Eddie Jones has named George Ford (left) and Chris Robshaw (right) co-captains Credit: REX FEATURES

3:11PM

7 mins

England's Singleton overthrows the line out... Barbars pounce. Timoci Nagusa gets down the right and sends it to Goode, who is over the try-line... ooh, that was just forward.

3:09PM

5 mins

This inexperienced England side have their work cut out here! Exciting rugby from their visitors, and they've got two v one here, but Earle has done well to get a tackle in - and England have a penalty well into their own half.

3:07PM

4 mins

Vintage Barbarian rugby! Alex Goode behind his own touchline, he flicks it to Timoci Nagusa who sets off on a glorious run. Robshaw among the players he mugs off with fancy footwork and handling! Eventually England manage to halt this free-flowing move.

3:05PM

Vern Cotter making some last minute prep

Cotter and Barbars - Credit: PA
Credit: PA

3:04PM

2 mins

England work the ball out to the left, and here's Nathan Earle, he is eventually massaged into touch.

3:01PM

1 mins

It will be England to kick off. George Ford has the ball. The Barbarians gather that safely and begin the business of running at England.

3:01PM

Kick off

What a fixture, exciting. 

2:37PM

Eddie Jones

"Nathan Earle on the wing, pace, power and potential.

"You never know in these sort of games what the Barbarians are going to bring.

2Our leaders will look after the young lads and it is about going out there and doing the simple things well."

2:26PM

Congratulations to Lancashire

The Lancashire players celebrate after victory during the Bill Beaumonth Division 1 Cup Final between Lancashire and Cornwall at Twickenham Stadium on May 28, 2017 - Credit: Getty
Lanky Lanky: The Lancashire players celebrate after victory during the Bill Beaumonth Division 1 Cup Final between Lancashire and Cornwall at Twickenham Stadium on May 28, 2017 Credit: Getty

2:24PM

County news

2:05PM

As for the Barbarians

15 Alex Goode (Saracens & England) 21 caps

14 Timoci Nagusa (Montpellier & Fiji) 24

13 Yann David (Toulouse & France) 4

12 Frans Steyn (Montpellier & South Africa) 53

11 Adam Ashley-Cooper (Bordeaux-Begles & Australia) 116

10 Ian Madigan (Bordeaux-Begles & Ireland) 30

9 Kahn Fotuali’i (Bath Rugby & Samoa) 31

1 Mikheil Nariashvili (Montpellier & Georgia) 41

2 Richard Hibbard (Gloucester & Wales) 41

3 Census Johnston (Toulouse & Samoa) 59

4 Patricio Albacete (Toulouse & Argentina) 57

5 Jeremy Thrush (Gloucester & New Zealand)12

6 Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse & France, captain) 80

7 Steffon Armitage (Pau & England) 5

8 Facundo Isa (Lyon & Argentina) 25

Replacements

16 Schalk Brits (Saracens & South Africa) 10

17 Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand) 47

18 WP Nel (Edinburgh & Scotland) 15

19 Joe Tekori (Toulouse & Samoa) 34

20 Gillian Galan (Toulouse)

21 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa) 88

22 Robbie Fruean (Bath Rugby)

23 Horacio Agulla (Castres & Argentina) 63

2:03PM

Opportunities for some of these up-and-comers

2:01PM

England team

Starting England team to face Barbarians for the Old Mutual Wealth Cup:

15. Mike Brown (Harlequins, 60 caps)

14. Nathan Earle (Saracens, uncapped)

13. Sam James (Sale Sharks, uncapped)

12. Alex Lozowski (Saracens, uncapped)

11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 25 caps)

10. George Ford (Bath Rugby, 35 caps)

9. Danny Care (Harlequins, 71 caps)

1. Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)

2. Jack Singleton (Worcester Warriors, uncapped)

3. Will Collier (Harlequins, uncapped)

4. Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 3 caps)

5. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, uncapped)

6. Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, 55 caps) 

7. Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, uncapped)

8. Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks, uncapped)

Subs:  16. George McGuigan (Leicester Tigers, uncapped) 17. Ross Harrison (Sale Sharks, uncapped) 18. Jamal Ford-Robinson (Bristol Rugby, uncapped) 19. Will Spencer (Worcester Warriors, uncapped) 20.  Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, uncapped) 21. Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons, uncapped) 22. Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 27 caps) 23. Mike Haley (Sale Sharks, uncapped)

1:59PM

Good afternoon

Tyers here. Hope you're having a restful/debauched Bank Holiday weekend. We turn now to rugby football, where an inexperienced England side take on the Barbarians at Twickenham. Let's get the team news...