SECOND ROW JOE Launchbury has given England a fitness scare ahead of the first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg Saturday.
The Wasps forward nursed a calf injury during training Tuesday in Indian Ocean city Durban, where the Red Rose will be based during the three-international series against the Springboks.
Launchbury, who has been capped 52 times, underwent a fitness test watched by the England physiotherapists.
“Joe has just got a small niggle on his calf and we will see where he gets to with that,” scrum coach Neal Hatley told reporters.
“It is hard to tell how much of a doubt he is for the Johannesburg Test — we will have a look at what he has done today.”
If the 27-year-old lock is ruled out of the Ellis Park Test, England coach Eddie Jones could select an all-Saracens second row of Maro Itoje and Nick Isiekwe.
“Other than Joe everyone is fit and ready to go,” added Hatley as England seek to win a series in South Africa for the first time.
The Springboks have won three of the previous five multi-Test tours by England and drawn the other two, winning eight internationals, drawing one and losing two.
After the Johannesburg Test, the countries clash in Bloemfontein on 16 June and in Cape Town on 23 June.
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Disappointed him and Blade have been overlooked for JGP,
@Al Byrne: why??JGP is who Sexton wants in the squad
@Paddy Moran: you seriously believe sexton picks the squad. There must be someone you can talk too.
@Chris Mc: did I say he picks the squad??your delusional if you think he dosent have a say on who plays at 9 inside him,
@Paddy Moran: so if that was the case why whould he pick JPG for ireland and i’d guess you also believe he also picks the 9 at leinster with mcgrath selected as first choice at the club?
See delusional i might be but i just think farrell, cullen and Lancaster make their own choices.
Oh did sexton also pick casey for the squad or was that jacob stockdales pick?
@Paddy Moran: it’s well known Sexton is why Cooney isn’t in the squad like. He apperantly hates him from the Lenister days
@Dara (Alex): thats just daft.
@Chris Mc: dude it’s not, its all over most lenister and Ireland sites, you either don’t want to know about it or just selectively read articles and comments. Not my problem which it is tbh but it’s legit apperantly. Same with the stuart mccloskey issue he slighted Joe Schmidt years ago when he wouldn’t go on standby for a tour due to his wedding, low and behold never picked under him again regardless of form or however many Ulster fans cry and moan. This stuff is nearly always due to someone being annoyed players and coaches are human also. If Sexton is on 400 grand + and he doesn’t like a slightly better player then Murry at the time he won’t be picked have to keep the centrally contracted players happy
@Dara (Alex): hadn’t heard the McCloskey angle, but had heard the Cooney/Sexton story before.
If the Connacht that played Munster turn up it will be a good game, if its the Connacht that played Dragons, Ulster will have the BP before half time. Connachts issue for last few years is backing up big performances, hopefully they have managed it and we can look forward to a cracker. Feel sorry that Connacht gave up home advantage but look like they are not going to make any gains for doing so.
@Kingshu: one of the reasons their players dont make the international setup is because of the hot and cold way they play.
@Kingshu: part of that is squad depth. They’ve got a good first team but the standard drops massively below that.
@Rudiger McMonihan: Thats actually a very good point. It explains alot. Part of that is the small player pool, but I’d say budget plays a bigger part. Hopefully redeveloped sportsground means larger average crowds, but they really need to get much larger.
@Kingshu:
+1 for squad depth…
Connacht have huge drops sometimes and then there players out of position or playing with a knock…
Saying that Marmion v Doak should the game for Ireland No2 with Blade having a say too…
Casey has proven nothing and JGP is just journey man…
Can anyone here envision JGP being on a team that would beat the all blacks. Marmion did and even had the New Zealand Hearld questioning Aaron Smith future. Marmion only got one start in a warm up game after that..