Andy Goode insists ‘no one can understand’ why Eddie Jones snubs Sam Simmonds and insists Marcus Smith is ‘ready now’ to challenge Owen Farrell and George Ford

Andy Goode insists ‘no can understand across the world’ why Eddie Jones does not pick Sam Simmonds for the England squad and believes Marcus Smith is ‘ready now’ for his chance.

The 2019 World Cup finalists have endured a tough 2021 following their Six Nations win at the back end of last year, with a mixture of indifferent results and performance souring that achievement.

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Defeats to Scotland and Wales have left England fourth in the table with just one round of fixtures remaining of the Championship, with no chance of retaining their crown.

In particular, defeat in Cardiff to a Welsh side now chasing an unexpected Grand Slam will have irked some critics of this English side as the normally reliable back row were bested by their counterparts in red.

Billy Vunipola, Tom Curry and Mark Wilson put in decent performances at the Principality, but Josh Navidi, Toby Faletau and Justin Tipuric edged the battle.

On the same weekend, Simmonds scored yet again for reigning Premiership champions Exeter and he now has 13 scores in 13 appearances – honing in on the record of 17 in a single season.

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New Zealander flanker Jerome Kaino described the 26-year-old as ‘the most consistent loosie in Europe’ and joined the growing list of dissenting voices as Jones continues to overlook the back rower.

And former England and Wasps fly-half Goode believes both Sam and brother Joe should be at least considered for international duty.

“Sam Simmonds, at the minute, is tearing up trees,” Goode told talkSPORT. “I think Joe is a quality operator as well.

“It baffles everyone in the world – not just in England – how he is not even in the squad.

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“We have got world class players in the back row; Billy Vunipola has come into form in the France game last weekend, Curry was out of this world last weekend and Mark Wilson is there as well, Underhill when he is back.

“We’ve only really played Curry and mainly Vunipola at number 8. Everyone wants to see Sam Simmonds in that environment, in that squad, where Eddie Jones can see him.

“From the outside, we can’t understand – no one can understand across the world – there’s no one reason. You can even say Sam Simmonds needs to put on 20 kilos to get in the squad, which has been labelled at him before.

“But the way game is played now, and his impacts on the game, he doesn’t need 20 kilos. He’s got the X-factor, his explosiveness, his yards after contact is huge, he bounces through tackles and that is what Eddie Jones wants.

“So I’m left scratching my head, as everyone is except for Eddie Jones. Whether it is a personal reason and he wants to prove a point that he won’t bow to media pressure of picking someone like Sam Simmonds.

“But he is an unbelievable athlete and an unbelievable rugby player and everyone wants to see him on the international stage.”

Like Simmonds, Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith can consider himself a tad unfortunate to not even be in contention for a place in the England squad.

Captain Owen Farrell struggled in his first two matches of the tournament, but looked like he could perhaps be back to his best during the razor-close victory over France at Twickenham.

George Ford has also looked as though he is doing everything he can to convince Warren Gatland to convince him to be part of the Lions ‘Tour’ this summer, which is likely to take place in the UK.

Yet Smith’s continued improvement and maturity as a No.10 for Quins this season means the 22-year-old can consider himself somewhat unfortunate to not have been included in a squad since before the World Cup in 2019.

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Goode added: “Marcus Smith this year…if I had an ounce of his talent when I had my career I would be very happy!

“He burst onto the scene as a youngster and you could see he had some unbelievable traits as a player, his attacking intent.

“But that is just not what a fly-half is about at international level; you need some of that but you need the building blocks to have a solid platform in the game for yourself. Your goal kicking needs to be world class – that is now for Marcus Smith.

“Your decision-making around game management needs to be world class, it can’t just be attack from everywhere and he is doing that week-in, week-out at Harlequins. His physicality in defence as well, which you look at from Owen Farrell as a big positive.

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“You watch Marcus Smith defend, he wants to make tackles and I would back him as a better defender than George Ford. Then his attacking intent and ability to put people through into space is second-to-none at the minute in the Premiership.

“You want to see him given an opportunity; it would be nice for Eddie Jones to get him into the squad. Marcus Smith is ready now.

“So I don’t know, is the answer to your question! A lot of people outside the England bubble have scratched their head at how these players are not in there, but it is Eddie Jones’ prerogative.

“He’s the boss and when you are the boss, you get to pick who you want and, at the minute, those boys don’t fit into the picture.”

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