Tigers' back-line is looking unstoppable from next season.

Leicester Tigers have a made a huge statement of intent for next season with J.P Pietersen and Matt Toomua being primed for a season in the Aviva Premiership.

The 34 year old boasts 109 international caps

And if ex-Springbok captain Jean De Villiers signs an extension to his contract so that he stays on for another season, their back-line will be one to admire but fear.

JDV is yet to play for Tigers this season as he recovers from a severe leg injury that shortened his World Cup in September but Tigers fans, and I think secretly all rugby fans, cannot wait to see him pair up with Manu Tuilagi in the centre.

In our eyes, the JDV-Tuilagi pairing is almost perfect.

Why?

Manu Tuilagi is one of the hottest properties in world rugby and rightfully so. This meant that when he signed his new contract extension earlier this season, it was a massive middle finger to the French clubs which were circling to snap him up on a massive wage.

He has power, speed and not bad feet either for such a big man. His only criticism has been his kicking and distribution, not surprising when he needs neither to smash through defences.

The All Blacks getting to grips with Manu

What JDV will do is give that centre partnership the mind and feet of an experienced and world class centre so that if Manu is pulling players to one side so that they can get ready to bring him down, JDV will be able to rip them apart with skill and vision. Visualise it as if it were the perfect storm. It is hard to visualise how any team can defend against that.

But with next season already having players like Luke Charteris, Toby Faletau, Greg Holmes, Louis Picamoles and Schalk Burger joining from overseas, the competition will be the most fierce it has ever been.

But I think no back-line, noting that the players mentioned above are all forwards, can come close to what Leicester's could potentially be.

Leicester's back line could consist of 9-Youngs, 10- Toomua, 11- Pietersen, 12- JDV, 13- Tuilagi, 14- Veainu, and 15- Tait. And that's not even, arguably, their best line either!

All that can be said is that the Tigers will have the best back line from next season and their forwards won't be too far behind either.

Next season is looking to be the most competitive yet with each team boasting a few world class players. However ,I think next season is the season to watch the Tigers in terms of attacking play and I for one cannot wait!

Why Dylan Hartley's appointment as England Captain is the right one

In case you missed it earlier England Rugby announced on social media that Eddie Jones had selected Dylan Hartley as Chris Robshaw's successor as England captain, a decision that, as expected was met with a mixed reaction from England fans. Many people have slammed the Northampton hooker, who has spent a total of 54 weeks of his sidelined for offences such as gouging, verbally abusing a referee and biting, as being a poor example for younger players. However others are commending Jones on his decision to name Hartley as captain due to his proven leadership qualities from his time as Northampton captain. This is without a doubt a huge period of transition for English rugby, so here's a few reasons why we believe Jones has made the correct decision in appointing Dylan Hartley as England captain.

Dylan Hartley has been announced as England's new captain for the
2016 Six Nations replacing Chris Robshaw.

Proven Leadership Qualities
There's absolutely no doubt that Hartley possesses the skills required to lead a team at international level, having been captain of Northampton Saints from 2009 to eventually leading them to the Premiership title in 2014, a captaincy that is also the longest in the club's 130-year history. Hartley also became the youngest ever captain in Premiership history when he was named Saints captain in 2009 at the tender age of 23. Hartley has also shown he can lead an England team, filling in for Chris Robshaw in 2012 in England's 14-all draw with South Africa in Port Elizabeth. Hartley will certainly command respect from his teammates and shows all the credentials of being a great leader on the international stage.

Hartley captained Northampton Saints to the Aviva Premiership
in May 2014.

Bags of International Experience
With 66 England caps to his name Hartley is one of the most experienced players at international level in Eddie Jones' current England squad. This was a huge talking point when Chris Robshaw was named England captain in 2012 with only a single international cap to his name. However experience on the international stage is not something Hartley lacks in, making his official England debut against the Pacific Islanders XV in 2008 and making his first start in an England jersey in June 2009 against Argentina.

Perfect Fit for Jones' New Playing Style
It's no secret that Eddie Jones wants to bring in a new playing style to the England squad which will hopefully fire England back to the top of International Rugby, particularly in the forwards, and Dylan Hartley fits in perfectly with this new, aggressive and dominant style of rugby Jones is planning on bringing to the squad. It's also no secret that the forward pack was a huge problem for England during last years World Cup, so Jones will be hoping that Hartley can spearhead this England pack during the Six Nations and dominate the opposition in the scrum, line-outs and at the breakdown.

Fatherhood
A few of you may be scratching your heads as to why we have factored in that Dylan is a father in to this article, however having become a father to a baby girl in August 2015 this may have been the kick up the backside Hartley needed in proving his doubters wrong, turning his career around and rebuilding his repuation. There's no question that Hartley wears his heart on his sleeve and his disciplinary record doesn't make for good reading and this will no doubt have many people wondering whether he is the right man for the job. But, and this is a big but, one of the main responsibilities in being a father is being a good role model for your children. With this in mind Hartley will most likely think twice about biting, headbutting, elbowing and verbally abusing a referee on the pitch, we'd like to think so anyway.

Hartley became a father in August 2015, he celebrated by
posting this picture on Twitter.

It's time to wipe the slate clean and look forward, this is a fresh start for English rugby with a new-look squad, new coaches and now a new captain in Dylan Hartley, it's time for us as fans to stop bringing up and dwelling on things that have happened in the past and get behind our country and our new captain and look forward to the Six Nations next month.

Toulon to the Prem? No thanks!

Have you heard the rumour?

According to various sources across the UK this morning RC Toulonnais, or Toulon for short, have made an approach to join the Aviva Premiership and leave the French Top 14.

According to one source Toulon President Mourad Boudjella is 'serious' about moving his side over the channel, not literally that is, and play in the English league.

The Aviva Premiership has also confirmed that they have received a bid from the European champions and that there is some consideration being made.

But let's really think about this for a moment.

Is it right that a club that as wealthy as Toulon can just hop on the ferry and come over?

Is it not slightly disrespectful towards the Top 14, a league I should add is filled with world class talent?

My opinion on the matter is that the Aviva Prem is improving drastically with names such as Schalk Burger, Matt Toomua and J. P. Pietersen to name a few coming over next season to compete in the English top division.

It does NOT need a club like Toulon coming over disrupting the ebb and flow of it.

Yes, they have a squad that would fill stadiums.

Yes, they would provide real stiff competition.

But having a team as massive in our league would take something away from the European Champions Cup.

That competition needs the special nature of playing foreign clubs, especially a club like Toulon.

Keep the Aviva Prem an English league and let the incredible rivalry stay fresh and fierce.

Stay in France Toulon, we will see you in the EPCR!

Wilkinson to coach England? Yes please!

Who would've thought it?

Just 13 years ago Jonny Wilkinson was slotting over the world's most important and now famous drop-goal to secure the RWC for England against the Aussies in their own backyard. And who was the coach that was in charge of the Australia in that game? One Mr. Eddie Jones, the new head coach of England.

They do say time is the best healer and it certainly seems to be the case for Mr Jones with the RFU in talks with the retired fly-half to become a member of his coaching staff and we couldn't be happier!

If you think of the world's greatest ever fly-half's, Wilko is well, well up there.

His mastering of the game was out of this world and his ability to improve with age and not decline with it was something to be admired.

It has been reported that in the last couple of weeks Eddie Jones and Jonny Wilkinson met in a supermarket by chance and Jones suggested whether Jonny would be interested in joining his set-up.

Now whether anything materialises, that's another question.

Wilkinson was once before asked to join the England coaching team when Lancaster was in charge and he politely declined.

So what would be different this time?

Well...

England need a kicking coach at the moment with Steve Borthwick in charge of the forwards, Paul Gustard coaching defence, and Eddie Jones being the one to orchestrate our attack.

Jonny Wilkinson would slot wonderfully into this group and would make up a solid English group of coaches, something the RFU were keen on having with an Australian as main decision maker. What's more, Wilkinson would know that he'd be working for one of the most experienced and respected coaches in world rugby. This maybe being something he didn't feel he would be doing under Stuart Lancaster.

Jones is the first foreign coach the RFU have appointed for the top job and there was a lot of questioning on whether this was the right call.

We believe it absolutely is and having three former premiership players, (this including Wilkinson) being under his control, you'd have a brilliant knowledge of the English game working with the players as well as a master of the international game instructing from the top.

Exciting times for the Red Rose!

Who To Look Out For In This Year's RBS Six Nations

Now that the dust has settled following Eddie Jones' squad announcement yesterday, here at Against The Uprights we thought we'd take a moment to look at the some of the most promising English players named in Jones' EPS squad.

A lot of the talk on social media following the announcement was directed towards the players who Jones had left out of the squad, players such as Brad Barritt, Tom Youngs, Tom Wood, Geoff Parling and most controversially Danny Cipriani and since the announcement Eddie Jones has quite rightly said "there should be a lot of disappointed players when you're naming your national squad". However it's time to start looking forward and not think about what could have been had those players been included but what we have to look forward to from the players that are there. It's obvious that Jones is building a squad for years to come, naming seven uncapped players with an average age of 22.

Obviously, those uncapped players, bar perhaps one or two, will not be thrown in to the starting XV straight away but the experience of training and working in the England camp will be crucial for those young men. It's time for a new era of English rugby, so who can we, as fans, look forward to seeing in this years Six Nations?

Matt Kvesic
After what seems like an eternity, it seems that England have realised the need for an out-and-out openside-flanker and it seems that we may have one or two in our midst. The obvious first choice for the English Number 7 role would be Toulon's Steffon Armitage. However, with the RFU's somewhat controversial decision to stick with the policy of only selecting home-based players, this is not an option. Nevertheless, this has paved the way for Matt Kvesic. With three caps to his name and still only 23 years of age, Kvesic, who currently plies his trade at Gloucester, looks a great all-round number seven and very rarely gets caught the wrong side of the law.

Can Matt Kvesic be the number seven England need?

Part of England's problem in recent times has been the breakdown, a part of the game which Kvesic excels in greatly. Conor O'Shea recently praised his relentless work at the breakdown after his man of the match performance against Harlequins back in December. Generating quick-ball and sapping opposition ruck speed are the main concerns for a number seven and Kvesic seems to be the perfect fit. Let's just hope that Jones gives this promising young talent the game time he deserves.



Josh Beaumont 
It's clear to see that Jones has recognised the need for a solid back row in the English pack, the part of the team that over the last couple of years has never seemed to have a definitive line-up. As we said previously, Jones has really started looking towards the future with his recent squad selection and we couldn't be more excited to see how 23 year old Sale Sharks number eight Josh Beaumont fits into this England squad. Josh, son of former England captain Bill Beaumont, has excelled massively in recent years and has been one of Sale's standout performers this season. Since making his debut only three years ago, Beaumont has developed in to destructive back-row operator and looks to be a real force to be reckoned with.

Josh Beaumont, son of former England captain Bill, has
impressed during his time at Sale Sharks.

Having played as a back until the age of 17, Beaumont is incredibly confident with ball-in-hand,. However, he is not afraid to get stuck in to the "tight, nitty-gritty stuff, that's [his] first priority". Beaumont is also incredibly skilled in the line-out and may be able to finally offer stability in the English line-out. It's highly doubtful that Beaumont will start at number eight with Billy Vunipola looking to be the obvious first choice but training and playing for England, even if it is from the bench, will give Beaumont an enormous amount of confidence and will further his development into a world class back row.

Maro Itoje
For those who have had the pleasure of watching Maro Itoje at Saracens this season, you will know that the 21 year old is nothing short of a rugby machine. He is an incredibly strong tackler, very rarely misses tackles, he is confident when carrying the ball and his timing and decision making is incredibly impressive. However, where the Saracens lock really stands out and makes his presence known is at the breakdown. His awareness at the ruck is fantastic and is constantly disrupting possession. Standing at 6ft 5in Itoje is very impressive in the line-out and may be able to offer England something a little different.

Itoje was named the Aviva Premiership Player of the Month
for December.

There have been a few stories suggesting that Maro Itoje could emerge as a surprise candidate to take the England captaincy under Eddie Jones. Personally we believe that is too much pressure on an uncapped 21 year old's shoulders. However there is no doubt that Itoje can lead a national team, having captained the England Under 20's team to a Junior World Cup in 2014. Itoje also revealed recently that his nickname from his England teammates is 'F.E.C' which, unsurprisingly stands for 'Future England Captain'. We would love to see Itoje starting for England against Scotland, alongside Launchbury in the second row, however at 21 his place in the starting XV may not be secured just yet. But one thing is for certain, Itoje seems to have all the credentials to go and be a world class international rugby player and we can't wait.



As we said previously, it's clear that Jones' EPS selection is more about developing a strong squad for the future and bringing through the finest young talent that this country has to offer. Of course there will be players who will be disappointed that they have missed out but that shows the competitive nature of English Rugby.

So, it's time to forget about last Autumn's diabolical World Cup campaign and get behind this new-look England squad and coaching team and see how the new boys do in the white jersey.


AP

Eddie Jones' exclusions and what they mean.

Danny Cipriani, Ben Morgan, Brad Barritt, Tom Wood, and Tom Youngs are all players that new England head coach Eddie Jones has decided to leave out of his eagerly anticipated EPS, announced earlier today,

But what does it mean? Is it a sign of faith in new talent or a sign of poor selection from his predecessor, Stuart Lancaster?  Are his actions justifiable or is he just trying to put down a marker at the expense of those mentioned above.

Well... just to be really annoying, I think it's a bit of everything.

Eddie Jones is a man of exceptional experience having coached in two world cup finals, one of which he won with the Springboks and one he lost because of a certain drop goal from Jonny Wilkinson. He's coached in England with Saracens and made Japan look like world beaters in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

So it does seem that he knows what he is talking about. Arguably more so than Mr. Lancaster ever did.

But still, I sit here looking over the EPS squad with a sort of mixed reception.

Danny Cipriani is one of those players who is just unlucky enough to be competing against two players are pushing world class, Owen Farrell and George Ford. I think for him to get into that England he has simply got to carry on as he has been doing for Sale Sharks and wait out for a dip in form from either of his positioned rivals.

Brad Barritt's absence I think is one which leaves a strange taste in your mouth.

He is an unbelievable players with outrageous defence capabilities but I think Jones is looking for his team to be all about going forward and not going backwards. Barritt gives very little in terms of attack. This isn't to say he is a bad player, as he is not, but when looking at the others selected instead of him you can see far more attacking threat than you would from him.

Tom Wood is an aging player who, though is consistent and possesses quality leadership skills, is just not one Jones sees for the future. His drop from the team is one that I can understand from both Jones' point of view and Tom's. He is certainly good enough to be in the team if injuries crop up but maybe there are more exciting players out there to pick.

Now...

If there is one decision I cannot understand, it is the dropping of Ben Morgan and Tom Youngs.

Ben Morgan, in my eyes, is England's best number 8 and certainly better than Vunipola.

Why?

Watch any England game and see what he does when he comes off the bench. His ball carrying power is something to be frightened of and his overall presence on the field is felt even through the television screen. He is a player that should be in that team and Jones' decision to drop him is one that makes me scratch my head out of frustration and curiosity.

The same can be said with Tom Youngs.

The Leicester man has been a consistent starter for England with Hartley mucking about with his atrocious disciplinary record.

Granted his throwing has never been that consistent but what he lacks in that department he makes up in his power on the field.

He is an exceptional carrier of the ball and runs far quicker than any other hooker I have seen, this not being that surprising with him being a centre at the start of his career. Did you know that?

I think that dropping these two players is maybe a step too far in terms of 'changing things up'.

But what it does show is that Jones is a man of his word and certainly is starting fresh. He comes across as a man who will hold no prisoners and I for one can't wait to see how he moulds this England team to what he describes can be the most dominant side in world rugby.

MJ

Jones' first EPS; What to expect?

First of all, a huge apology on the sheer lack of content put on ATU in the last few months. There isn't really a clear explanation for why this happened but we can promise that we WILL be providing regular updates from now on.

Right, now onto the juicy stuff!

We will be publishing a post soon after the squad is announced and reviewing Eddie Jones' selections.

But for now, here's a short and sweet post about what to expect from the announcement at 2pm.

It won't be the inclusions that will grab the limelight but the exclusions.

There have been reports of players like Tom Wood, Danny Cipriani, Brad Barritt and Kyle Eastmond missing out.

Losing a player as solid as Barritt would be, for me at least, the biggest shock but this isn't to say it is the wrong call.

He is arguably the best defensive centre in the world and usually doesn't miss a tackle, even when his face is bloodied up and his eye-sockets have as much vision as I do after a night out.

However, by not picking him it shows real determination in playing attacking rugby and not defensive.

I believe that the EPS will throw up more surprises than we might have first expected and I truly believe that Jones will announce a squad that is looking for a wholesale change and not a quick fix. Not only in fortunes but in style also.

Who do you predict to be in and out of the squad?

MJ

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