Lord’s, 21 May. England are in deep trouble. Again. Most of the top order has been removed. The score is 30 for 4. New Zealand’s top-rank fast bowlers are rampant. Something has to be done.
At a club that calls itself “The Academy of Football”, it would be no exaggeration to say that for West Ham United the breakout debut of Reece Oxford, aged 16, against Arsenal in Sunday’s win at the Emirates Stadium was not simply a triumph but a relief too.
The England midfield – some would call it the England minefield – will have a rookie-fresh appearance when World Cup preparations move up a gear with a match against France at Twickenham on Saturday night. Henry Slade, a career outside-half recast as an outside centre, and Sam Burgess, a rugby league forward controversially redeployed as a union back, have the unenviable task of showing the best of themselves on debut in the knowledge that one of them will probably be out on his cauliflower ear by the end of next week. Читать дальше...
