I’d wing it with Wade says supremo Robinson
Wade has declared himself fully fit ahead of pre-season training at Wasps after missing the second half of the season with an ankle injury and having been a frustrated spectator during England’s tour to New Zealand.
In his absence Marland Yarde, Jack Nowell, Manu Tuilagi, Jonny May, Chris Ashton and Anthony Watson have all had an opportunity to impress in an England jersey but Red Rose and Lions legend Robinson believes none have done enough to guarantee a start in the autumn internationals.
Wade made his England debut last summer but then was whisked across the world to join up with the Lions, while a hamstring injury cost him a start against the All Blacks during the autumn before the ankle problems of this year.
But with a little over 12 months to go until England host the 2015 tournament; World Cup winner Robinson has called on Lancaster to pick Wade and then give the Wasps man an elongated run in the jersey.
“It’s not to say there aren’t some good players, but at the moment there is not a level of consistency in their performances to warrant a starting place week-in, week-out.
“There is one player, though, who I think has the potential and what is great about Christian Wade is that he is an out-and-out attacker.
“He loves the spaces and even in confined situations he has got great feet, great balance, a low centre of gravity and he has got blistering pace.
“He was scoring tries for fun before he got injured so it will be nice just to get him back and just to have that threat.
“You look at other teams and you see how they have got numerous people in there who can produce something from nothing and he is one of those players. He has got the ‘wow’ factor and that is what I want to see in a game.
“When you do get the ball you want guys who are able to finish; he can make some really good players look very average.
“We certainly have the forwards to compete with anybody in world rugby and I just think we need to somehow find a settled back-line and get them playing regularly together – Christian Wade would be part of that for me.”
In the second Test defeat against New Zealand, Lancaster played Leicester wrecking ball Tuilagi out of position on the wing in order to accommodate both Luther Burrell and Billy Twelvetrees in the centres.
And Robinson, who played in various positions across the back-line has called on Lancaster to keep his premier No.13 in the centre berths.
“I’m sure there are a few headaches for him,” he added. “I think one of things we have got to nail down more than anything else is the back-line.
“Having Tuilagi on the wing for me was never going to work because there is a difference between playing on the wing and doing the wing role justice.
“Manu, for me, is a centre. He is a great battering ram and he is very effective in that role but sometimes if you don’t try you never find out.
“Thankfully it was out there and we found out – but there is great competition so it will keep a lot of players on their toes.
“Nobody’s place is a given and, hopefully, that will draw the best out of the players but Manu just has to play in the centre.”
PADDY VON BEHR
*This article was published in The Rugby Paper on July 13
