Rugby World Cup Barometer: Kerr-Barlow to cross Tasman Sea?
In the lead up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Morning Wire has put together a barometer in partnership with City Index to look at whose form is hot and not in the race to be part of the tournament in France later this year.
Player of the week
Rugby’s hottest new trend is the exploitation of residency rules by top tier nations which were put in place to help smaller countries reclaim players who ditched them early on in their careers.
But for La Rochelle scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow, there is a chance of adding to his 29 New Zealand caps with a couple from Australia.
Born in Melbourne, the 32-year-old has been lighting up the French Top14 and Champions Cup.
With a good boot, ample distribution skills and an ability to control a game, he could be on Eddie Jones’s radar for a call-up in the twilight of his career.
Who’s hot
- Henry Thomas is 31, playing in Montpellier and without an England cap since 2014. Yet the prop is in the provisional Rugby World Cup squad for Wales thanks to residency rules.
- While Worcester’s future remains uncertain, their former centre Ollie Lawrence has thrived at new club Bath, picking up the supporters’ player of the season award.
Who’s not
- England wing Jack Nowell confirmed his departure from Exeter on Sunday, but it remains unknown whether he will be eligible for Steve Borthwick’s World Cup side.
- Former France captain Charles Ollivon was shown a red card at the weekend playing for Toulon. It was controversial but referees will be looking out for high shots from the flanker from now on.
Previous Rugby World Cup Barometers
1: Pearson, Pollard, Hastoy, Sexton, Willis
2: Smith, Thorley, Amashukeli, McDermott, Smith
3: Botia, Dupont, Costelow, van Poortvliet, Malherbe