SARRIE ON REGARDLESS

Earl has yet to become a Red Rose king but says: I won't look for excuses..I've got to fix it

- ALEX SPINK

BEN EARL refuses to reach for excuses as he prepares for another Premiership Final still no closer to his first England start.

Three years on from his international debut, the Saracens back row has 15 caps and has been the outstanding player in the Premiership for the past two seasons.

Yet despite a change of England coach he appears no closer to a starting position under Steve Borthwick than he was when Eddie Jones was in charge.

Earl, 25, works closely with former team-mate turned sports psychologist Calum Clark and regularly compares notes with cricket pal Zak Crawley, who knows how it feels to be in and out of an England team.