One of the toughest jobs Steve Borthwick has had after the World Cup has been deciding who will replace Courtney Lawes as England’s long-term blindside flanker.
It is not the lack of options that proves problematic for the head coach, rather the abundance of options, with each contributing unique attributes and styles. In addition to having to replace one of the best players to ever don an England jersey, Borthwick has the difficult chore of making sure he has chosen the right guy.
However, the 105-cap England international himself is the best person to recommend Lawes’ replacement at blindside flanker following his retirement from international duty last year. Luckily for Borthwick, the Northampton Saints player did just that when he predicted George Martin of the Leicester Tigers to be his long-term replacement on The Rugby Pod.
The 22-year-old Martin has primarily been used as a lock by Borthwick and Eddie Jones across his nine England caps, but is just as skilled at wearing the No. 6 shirt for England as Lawes was. Three characteristics of Martin’s game that Lawes identified—his great physicality, workrate, and lineout expertise—were strikingly comparable to those of the Saints star.
Martin has returned to the Guinness Six Nations team that will get ready to play Scotland in the third round, having missed the first two due to a knee injury. His final appearance in white was during the World Cup semi-final match against South Africa, where he performed incredibly well in the second row. Martin used the presentation to highlight his qualifications to be an England starter for many years to come, regardless ofhat position.
Exeter Chiefs’ Ethan Roots has been granted the No6 jersey for the opening two rounds of the Championship, and has done a very good job in staking a claim to keep hold of it. But that competition will only increase now with Martin’s return, Lawes believes.
The five-cap British & Irish Lion remarked, “I think we have a lot of work ahead of us in the back row.
“Because Benny Earl and Unders [Sam Underhill] are comparable players.” But regardless of the guy they choose, the sixth spot will be crucial. Because England has a large number of back row players that are extremely well-rounded.
As in the case of Unders, Tom Curry, Ben Curry, Ben Earl, and Ben Curry each possess superhuman abilities. Additionally, Tom Pearson has been exemplary for us even though he hasn’t had a peek in. We have a ton of back row because Chandler [Cunningham-South] and [Ethan] Roots are coming through. Now
just about finding the right balance for it.
“It’s tough, because you definitely need nowadays a jumping six, or at least a jumping back row, otherwise you’re just leaving yourself so exposed at the lineout.
“So I think George Martin may play six eventually. I think, personally, he might be the next big six- a workhouse, bangs, physical, maybe not quite as athletic as the other back row, but he can do a really good workhouse and lineout job.
“An extremely big physical bloke.”
