Steffon Armitage: Opinion divided on whether he should be in England’s World Cup squad, but we all agree he's one of the game's rare talents

You don’t need searing sporting insight to see it coming: an outstanding performance by Steffon Armitage for his club Toulon against Clermont Auvergne in next Saturday’s European Champions Cup final at Twickenham, of all places, would raise a fresh din of dissent that the barrel-chested back-rower is not being selected by England. It is a running sore in the run-up to the World Cup, and unlikely to go away in the five months prior to the tournament kick-off.

England’s preliminary training squad of at least 45 players will be named in the second half of May and my opinion is that Armitage should be in it – not only to make use of his talent, but because when the squad convenes in June, it will be the best test of whether he can transfer his European Player of the Year form to the international stage. To compete with the England captain Chris Robshaw and the other contenders for the back-row places in the eventual World Cup squad of 31, Armitage needs to train and play alongside them, and he has not done that since his fifth and last cap in February 2010.

But, a-ha, if only it was that simple. England have a rule backed by the domestic Premiership clubs that prohibits the selection of overseas-based players. Armitage knew that when he joined Toulon from London Irish in summer 2011 – it was a decision with known ramifications, not very much different to Alan Shearer and Paul Scholes retiring from international football.

For England’s head coach Stuart Lancaster to pick Armitage would be to make an objection to that rule, which supposedly exists to ensure players are available for national training at all times and confront the fear expressed by English clubs that their top players might follow Armitage into the arms of the big-spending French. This is political, and protectionist, and controversial. The rules vary from country to country; Australia changed theirs only the other day.

open image in gallery

Lancaster has never actually ruled selecting Armitage out, and he could invoke the oft-quoted “exceptional circumstances” clause – just as he could if, for instance, a load of fly-halves suddenly get injured (it happened to New Zealand during the last World Cup) and he needed Toulouse’s Toby Flood. The clause may also serve to negate any legal challenge over restrictive practice.

And remember what Lancaster said on taking the England job on 4 January 2012? “I would prefer a traditional seven… a ball-winning seven [but] I am not sure there is someone around who is really putting his hand up.” He named five players with potential: Andy Saull, Matt Kvesic, Jamie Gibson, Tom Rees and Hendre Fourie. But the last two retired early with injury and Gloucester’s Kvesic, while ahead of Saull and Gibson, has yet to mount a sustained challenge.

Armitage is that openside. Playing in a superstar Toulon team has improved him. At 5ft 9in and 16st 5lb, he has a European Cup-leading 19 turnovers this season, grabbing possession or earning penalties. His first act against Leinster in Toulon’s semi-final win last Sunday was a classic: with fast timing and anticipation, Armitage clamped hands on the ball without losing his feet; Jamie Heaslip and Devin Toner, two much taller men, could not shift him. Jamie Cudmore, the experienced Clermont lock, calls Armitage “a real nuisance… he’s got that low centre of gravity and at the tackle area if you don’t neutralise him early he can be a real pest.”

Being an “unbelievable ball carrier”, as another regular opponent, Luke Narraway, describes him, Armitage has two possible edges over Robshaw. In the World Cup, England will face quality No 7s in the pivotal pool matches with Australia (Michael Hooper or David Pocock) and Wales (Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric). It needn’t mean the demise of Robshaw, who could play at No 6, although it may cause complications in the line-out, as Armitage and No 8 Billy Vunipola are not proficient there.

open image in gallery

Existing England players Tom Youngs and Tom Wood have been twitchy, hinting that squad morale might suffer. Narraway believes they would all “get on with it” if push came to shove. Armitage also has an allegation of assault hanging over him (he denies all charges) from a night out in Toulon in December, that may drag on until June, although indications are that investigations may clear him. England’s 2003 World Cup- winning coach Sir Clive Woodward wants Armitage in; Lancaster’s assistant Andy Farrell left all options open when he said: “Whatever makes them [the squad] united as one, and to feel right going into the World Cup, that’s got to be at the forefront of our minds.”

Should Armitage play? An england Player’s view

Luke Narraway (England 2008-2009 and London Irish)

YES

“I played in France and you know exactly what you’re doing when you cross the Channel. But Steffon is proven as one of the best players in Europe in any position, and he is the best English openside. Because this is a World Cup year, I’d select him in the long squad and after that if he doesn’t fit in, fair enough. But for England not to look at him at all would be a big mistake. He can win you a game.”

An overseas player’s view

Bakkies Botha (South Africa And Toulon)

YES

“Steffon is world class and I believe he can walk into the England squad. No coach can overlook his game. When he’s on the field, you only get one and a half seconds at the ruck before he’s in there, giving you penalties and shots at goal. He works hard at Toulon, you can see the eagerness in his eyes – he’s burning to play in the World Cup.”

A coach's view

ROB BAXTER (EXETER CHIEFS)

NO

“A rule is in place to protect English rugby. If Steffon had been around in this country the last two or three seasons he would have had chances internationally and maybe cemented his place. But for me that isn’t the issue. None of these guys were forced to leave this country; they would have got lucrative contracts staying in England and it’s no different to any job decision when you know the ramifications. If there is a U-turn, it would open up a far more complex issue of what the RFU and the Premiership clubs want.”