Eddie Jones’ four options at hooker after damaging Jamie George injury
Eddie Jones and England were dealt the hammer blow today that Saracens and British & Irish Lions hooker Jamie George will miss the entire autumn international series with a foot injury sustained against Leicester Tigers on Saturday at the StoneX Stadium.
The 31-year-old was due to team up with England this week for their three-day training camp, but Saracens have confirmed he is out until December after appearing to roll his ankle in the first half against the Tigers before being taken off at half time. This came just after he set up one of the tries of the season.
To make matters worse for Jones, Harlequins’ Jack Walker also pulled out of the squad with an injury, meaning two of his three selected hookers are absent. Though there is no news yet as to whether Walker will be available for England during November, here are Jones’ options:
Luke Cowan-Dickie
Exeter Chiefs No2 Luke Cowan-Dickie will obviously be the starting England hooker this autumn and was going to battle with George for that starting berth anyway, as they have for the last few years and are likely to do so right up to the 2023 World Cup.
George McGuigan
It is not often that a hooker is referred to as a try scoring machine, but Newcastle Falcons No2 George McGuigan certainly deserves that title after finishing last Gallagher Premiership season as the second highest try scorer (one behind Max Malins’ haul of 16) and currently leading the try scoring charts this campaign, with five. The 29-year-old was called up to the training squad this week as a replacement for George and Walker, and has been in previous camps, but is currently uncapped.
Jack Singleton
The other player to be called up as a replacement for George and Walker, Gloucester’s Jack Singleton, has three caps to his name and has been in and out of Jones’ squads ever since making the 2019 World Cup.
Jamie Blamire
Not included in the training camp this month, Newcastle Falcons hooker Jamie Blamire has battled with Nic Dolly (who is still out with a long term knee injury) to be England’s third choice hooker over the last 18 months and has six caps to show for it, and, impressively, six Test tries. Due to injuries in the Falcons squad this season, Blamire has been used as a flanker, which Newcastle boss Dave Walder fears may have affected his England chances.
England face Argentina and Japan this November, both of whom are in their pool at the World Cup next year, before taking on the Rugby Championship winners the All Blacks and world champions South Africa.
