Shane Geraghty has outside chance in race for England’s central role

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/oct/02/shane-geraghty-england-new-zealand-london-irish

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Another week and another No12 is added to the mix. Without struggling, it is easy to think of close on a dozen names mentioned in connection with England’s “problem” position.

So step forward Shane Geraghty, who is hardly a new face – in 2007 he was earning rave reviews after carving open the France defence to set up Mike Tindall at Twickenham – but he is presently hot because London Irish are upwardly mobile and Geraghty is the player pulling the strings and kicking the points.

His penalty two minutes from time took last Saturday’s game away from Leicester and the headlines are hardly likely to stop if he does the same against his old club and the table toppers, Northampton on Saturday. But is he the answer? Probably no more than any of the others who have been doing the job or who are fancied to wear the No12 shirt.

Just think of the names. Billy Twelvetrees is the man in possession and loyalty counts with England. While he isn’t exactly pulling up trees with Gloucester, he is the guy – barring injuries – expected to be standing between Saracens’ Owen Farrell and Northampton’s Luther Burrell (two more mentioned for the No12 slot) when the All Blacks visit Twickenham next month.

However, those three are a long way from being the only names mentioned. The experiment with Manu Tuilagi on the wing in New Zealand was not exactly a raging success, but how can he be left out? And after ripping Leicester apart, Bath’s Kyle Eastmond jumped to the head of the queue for those who had forgotten New Zealand in the summer. Then there is Henry Slade, a 10 turned 13 with Exeter, a class act for sure and someone who looks like he can play anywhere.

And then there is Brad Barritt, Stuart Lancaster’s go-to man when, above all else, he wanted a non-porous midfield. Ditto Anthony Allen, Mr Consistency with Leicester and before that and all the way back to the days when he earned a couple of caps from Andy Robinson.

And what about shifting Farrell from 10 to 12 with either Danny Cipriani or George Ford coming in as the primary playmaker? The argument is England will need more ambition and inspiration if they are to unpick the Springbok or All Black defences. The flipside is with creativity comes weaker England defence.

It was ever thus. Sir Clive Woodward took a while before settling for Will Greenwood. New Zealand’s Sir Graham Henry chopped and changed before Ma’a Nonu became a fixture alongside Conrad Smith. The only way those two World Cup-winning knights discovered they had the right men in place was watching them on the Test stage.

Luckily, both were given time, which is why this week’s announcement that Lancaster has the England job for another six years, not just beyond this World Cup, but for 2019 in Japan as well, is such a shot in the arm for England rugby as well as for the head coach. The last thing Twickenham needed to do ahead of their own global gathering was to try a little brinkmanship with their coaches and their generosity will not lessen the desire of Lancaster or his coaching panel, Graham Rowntree, Andy Farrell and Mike Catt, to triumph next autumn, or this for that matter. It will give them the confidence to back their judgments, especially when long-term decisions have to be made.

No way am I asking for anyone’s tears but coaching is an exposed job and to know your bosses are happy enough to give a six-year endorsement – and sadly it is contracts that give us confidence – not only eases burdens like endless string of injuries but encourages a bit of risk taking, particularly when it’s with an eye to the future.

Remember it was Lancaster who took the gamble on giving the 21-year-old Farrell his first England start – and at inside-centre – so he is now less likely to retreat into his shell when it comes to trying another 21-year-old like Slade, and possibly against Samoa this autumn, to see whether all that Premiership promise translates when the stakes and the pace go up a notch or two.

And then there is the great unknown. On Sunday at the ANZ stadium in Sydney, Sam Burgess plays in the NRL Grand Final for South Sydney Rabbitohs against Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Ten days later he is due at the Rec in Bath and the clock starts ticking to see whether he will be yet another with a hand on the England No12 shirt when the World Cup kicks off.

The time span to convert undoubted rugby league skills is tight but ask Andy Farrell – a man who understands the difficulties in swapping codes – and he will tell you that Burgess is not here for the money; he wants to be England No1. Farrell and Burgess go way back and if the coach says he has never known anyone so driven, that’s a fair starting point.

My guess is if anyone is going to upset the applecart, it’s Burgess. And until someone does and dominates at 12 for England, you can be sure the debate will go on.