Ben Earl: 'I can't afford to slip up' in battle to make World Cup

England flanker Ben Earl admits that he ‘can’t afford to slip up’ as he competes for a Rugby World Cup spot for Steve Borthwick’s side

  • Earl is one of eight specialist back-rowers remaining in England’s training squad
  • He is among those striving to make his case going into the clash against Wales
  • In 2019, stars reportedly found out their World Cup selection on WhatsApp

Ben Earl and the other fringe candidates for places in England’s World Cup squad will be glad that they won’t learn their fate via WhatsApp – as was the case four years ago.

Saracens’ back-rower Earl is competing for selection in the most cut-throat area in the Red Rose camp. Head coach Steve Borthwick has already released one of the stars of the 2019 campaign in Japan – Sam Underhill, as well as Zach Mercer, who was feted in France during his time at Montpellier, and Lions No 8 Sam Simmonds.

There are still eight specialist back-rowers remaining in England’s training squad – Earl, Tom Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Lewis Ludlam, Tom Pearson, Billy Vunipola, and Jack and Tom Willis, along with three locks who can operate at blindside – Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes and George Martin. 

Earl is among those still striving to make his case going into the clash with Wales in Cardiff on August 5, two days before Borthwick publicly announces his 33 chosen men for the global showpiece. For better or worse, the 25-year-old is expecting to receive the important news directly from the head coach.

‘With Steve it has been very much more personal, and that’s been great,’ he said. ‘I know a lot of players have enjoyed that side of it – not staying up late at night waiting to be added to a WhatsApp group, which I know a few people have experienced. That has been a nice change.’

Ben Earl is fighting for World Cup selection in the most cut-throat area in the Red Rose camp

There are eight specialist back-rowers remaining in England’s training squad including Earl (left), Billy Vunipola, Tom Curry and more

Back in 2019, England players reportedly discovered if they had made the cut to go to the Far East when some were invited to join a new WhatsApp group on their way to Bristol for the official squad announcement. 

This time, the lines of communication will be very different but it is still a tense scenario for those uncertain of their places.

Though Earl is determined to avoid agonising over what awaits, after years of toiling in vain to become a Red Rose regular.

‘From my experience of being in and out of camps, and in and out of selection, I try not to waste too much energy on that,’ he said. ‘It’s so competitive and if you waste energy on that and you’re not focused on the (training) sessions, it’s all going to pass you by. 

‘Steve is so meticulous and demanding of every player that if one session passes you by, that will live long in the memory. So we can’t afford to slip up in that regard.

‘It’s kind of out of our control. I’ve got no clue what’s going on. It’s completely out of my control. As long as you feel like you’ve done the best you can and put your best foot forward, I can’t really have any regrets. 

‘It’s a massive moment, but whatever happens, happens. Obviously we are all dying to be involved. But if it’s not your day, it’s not your day – and you’ve got to crack on, I guess.’

Earl admitted that the level of competition in his area of the field was laid bare when Underhill – one of Eddie Jones’s cherished ‘Kamikaze Kids’ four years ago – was sent back to Bath. 

Earl (centre) says it’s a ‘nice change’ that players aren’t finding out about whether they’ve made the World Cup squad by being invited to a group on WhatsApp

‘In 2019, Sam was probably one of the players of the tournament,’ he said. ‘That just goes to show how competitive it is. Sam trained brilliantly and it was a shock to us all that he was no longer involved. That really struck home with us.’

Recent events in the Ashes have provided some timely inspiration for Earl, as his good friend Zak Crawley scored a scorching century against Australia at Old Trafford. ‘I was buzzing,’ he said. 

‘It was unbelievable, wasn’t it? I was so pleased and I watched it pretty much from end to end. It’s just a shame that it wasn’t for a winning cause, really.

‘He’s been very stoic and he’s stuck to his game plan, which I can really relate to; just trying to be myself and not trying to mould myself into someone else or trying to be a different type of player, just being the player you are. 

‘If the shoe fits and it’s your day, you’ve got to cash in on your day.’

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