Harlequins man will have a new role against Fiji in a side likely to deploy a similar gameplan to that which felled Australia
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pportunity knocks for Chandler Cunningham-South against Fiji on Saturday. He has 18 caps to his name but this will be the first time he has worn the No 8 jersey for his country and he has the chance to demonstrate to Steve Borthwick that he can offer something different in a back row brimming with talent.
Borthwick’s decision to omit Tom Willis from his squad on the grounds he is heading to France has meant there is an opening because, for all the quality options England have in the back row, there is a concentration of openside flankers and far fewer players who offer genuine size and power. Cunningham-South offers both in abundance.
He burst on to the scene a couple of years ago and caught the eye because of his raw power. When we talk about some of his performances for England, however, there is an emphasis on the word “raw”. He is the sort of player who lights up highlights reels but it has taken him a while to add the nuts and bolts to his game. He has more regularly been deployed at blindside flanker and he has shown his adaptability by covering the second-row but physically he is perfectly suited to playing at No 8. On Saturday, Cunningham-South has the chance to prove to Borthwick and the rest of the coaching staff that he can do the simple things, execute all the basics that are expected of him and then add the big moments to those foundations.
