England's strength in depth is best exemplified by Tom Wood, Courtney Lawes and Geoff Parling being released to their clubs to prove form and fitness. The 26-man squad released by Stuart Lancaster reveals the coach's thinking ahead of Sunday's highly anticipated showdown in Dublin.
Injury concerns means three additional players have stayed in contention for the match-day squad, which will be released Friday morning.
Mike Brown will be given every chance to recover from the concussion he sustained against Italy on February 14th.
Stationary bike
This is despite last Friday’s relapse, while cycling a stationary bike. Brown resumed the six-day return-to-play protocols on Sunday. On Monday he did light aerobic exercise and yesterday he completed pitch-based rugby specific exercise with no contact.
"Brownie completed a running based session this morning, which is great news for us," said England assistant coach Graham Rowntree.
“We’ll take it day by day, ask a specialist, but it was great to see him training today, a running based session.”
Brown's recovery would alter the way England handle Ireland's guaranteed bombing of their back field. Alex Goode is poised to start at fullback if Brown fails to prove his fitness.
Jonny May has been dropped with Jack Nowell set return to the wing after shining for the Exeter Chiefs last weekend. Danny Care, scorer of a fabulous try in last season's 13-10 defeat of Ireland at Twickenham, is one of 10 players released to play club rugby.
The explosive Bath centre Jonathan Joseph will probably partner Luther Burrell again as Manu Tuilagi completes his rehabilitation.
The forwards that saw off Wales and Italy have been retained en masse.
“We’ve had to make some tough decisions but it’s a good position to be in and those players going back to their clubs have another big weekend ahead to lay down a marker for later in the tournament,” said Lancaster.
Ominous
It could be seen as ominous or opportunistic for Ireland. George Kruis and Dave Attwood are trusted in the secondrow despite the availability of Parling and Lawes. That’s an enormous show of faith or a longer term plan.
Rowntree, meanwhile, said he had not seen Leinster scrum coach Marco Caputo's comments that Cian Healy was Dan Cole's bogeyman.
“I was pleased with Dan’ performance against Wales. He has been doing a lot of conditioning and backed that up against a very good Italian scrum.
“I’m not going to get focused on Cian or Jack McGrath. All I can work on is Dan’s detail.”
The detail, from England, being unquestionably focused as the stakes are raised on what could well be their last venture off their own island in this World Cup year.
England (possible): Mike Brown (Harlequins)/Alex Goode (Saracens), Anthony Watson (Bath), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Jack Nowell (Exter Chiefs); George Ford (Bath), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Togers); Dave Attwood (Bath), George Kruis (Saracens); James Haskell (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), Billy Vunipola (Saracens). Replacements: Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)/ Henry Thomas (Bath), Nick Easter (Harlequns), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester).
