Fly-halves are becoming an endangered species, Matt Toomua’s upswing continues apace and Jim Mallinder has a tough decision to make
It has taken a series of injuries to highlight it, but there would appear to be a paucity of fly-halves in England at present. Bath have a headache there with Rhys Priestland injured and Freddie Burns almost certainly suspended following his red card in his first start for his home-town club against Worcester. Wasps, meanwhile, had to move Rob Miller in from full-back, with both Jimmy Gopperth and Danny Cipriani injured, and Dai Young admitted that finding anyone available to bring in at short notice would not be easy. The growing injury rate is alarming but if it is indeed down to an increase in the number of collisions then it would make sense that No10s are in the firing line. The fact that an 18‑year‑old with just five Premiership starts under his belt is already on England’s radar may suggest a deeper problem, however – though it must be said Marcus Smith played with real poise against Sale on Friday. Gerard Meagher
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