Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Richard Wigglesworth: England's game with Wales will not be 'a selection shoot-out'

Written by 
Published in Rugby
Tuesday, 01 August 2023 10:08

England will not use Saturday's World Cup warm-up game with Wales in Cardiff as a "selection shoot-out", says assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth.

Head coach Steve Borthwick will confirm his 33-man squad for the tournament in France on Monday morning, three weeks before the World Rugby deadline.

Wigglesworth says it is important to give players as much "clarity" as possible over where they stand.

"We definitely don't want to see it as a selection shoot-out," he said.

Speaking to BBC Sport he added: "If we go into a game [with that attitude] then we are not giving the players the best chance of playing well.

"We all know players will be feeling selection is coming up, and that is huge for them, and it should be huge for them because you get to play for England at a World Cup.

"But we want to give them the best chance to play well at the weekend.

"We have a pretty good idea of what we want [as the final squad], and those conversations have been ongoing for a long time."

England play four matches this month, with a return fixture against Wales at Twickenham before a showdown with Ireland in Dublin and finally Fiji back at Twickenham on 26 August.

But Wigglesworth says the focus through August will be on preparation and building cohesion.

"We have carried quite a small squad all the way through because we didn't want everything to be around selection," Wigglesworth explained.

"We want as much cohesion and clarity in what we are doing as possible.

"I think those [final squad] decisions are always going to be hard. But it's best [to name it] now because we give ourselves the best chance to be the best prepared in France.

"We want everything to be around how well we can prepare. It could never come down to just one Test match and that's the only reason why someone would get selected or not selected.

"We are definitely not going 'if this guy plays well he goes'; it is way bigger than that and we want it to be more informed than that."

Wigglesworth went to two World Cups as a player, in 2011 and 2015, and says he has learned lessons from those experiences.

"I have been in camps and some parts of it have always been about: 'where do I sit? Where do I stand?'" he added.

"Those are natural feelings, but they aren't useful feelings for how well you can prepare a squad.

"I think all players have always wanted clarity, I wanted that as a player. Steve has done an incredible job of constantly meeting the players to make sure they feel like they have been treated really fairly."

Wigglesworth has also confirmed Ollie Chessum, Ollie Lawrence and Billy Vunipola are all "back in training" after rehabbing from injury.

For Chessum it completes a quick return after he suffered a serious ankle fracture in training during the Six Nations in March.

Meanwhile, prop Will Stuart says Saturday is a chance to bring together eight weeks of pre-season graft.

"It's the first chance for us to show people what we have been working on, and how hard we have been working," Stuart told BBC Sport.

"It's a chance to put a marker down and that is a big thing for this group, to show people we are at the races."

Read 130 times

Soccer

Southampton vs Liverpool: Slot hails resilient win

Southampton vs Liverpool: Slot hails resilient win

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLiverpool boss Arne Slot praised his team for mounting a second-hal...

Vini, Mbappé connect as Madrid ease past Leganés

Vini, Mbappé connect as Madrid ease past Leganés

Kylian Mbappé ended his goal drought with a thunderous strike and midfielder Jude Bellingham scored...

Marta, Orlando Pride win 1st NWSL Championship

Marta, Orlando Pride win 1st NWSL Championship

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsKANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Barbra Banda's goal stood up as the winner to l...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Sources: Hornets' Williams out for rest of season

Sources: Hornets' Williams out for rest of season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCharlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams sustained season-ending te...

'Phenomenal' Pippen Jr. shines in dad's ex-arena

'Phenomenal' Pippen Jr. shines in dad's ex-arena

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsScotty Pippen Jr. already had plenty of fond memories of watching h...

Baseball

Carty, 1970 NL batting champ with Braves, dies

Carty, 1970 NL batting champ with Braves, dies

EmailPrintRico Carty, who won the 1970 National League batting title when he hit a major-league-best...

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Outfielder Austin Hays and right-hander Kyle Finnegan -...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated