New England squad looks great

Discussion in 'Rugby Union Discussion' started by Farny, Jan 12, 2012.

  1. Farny AP Farnsworth

    Shame that Tuilagi and Lawes are injured though, and I hope Hodgson doesn't get a run out at 10.

    England's 32-man Elite Player Squad for the Six Nations Championship:
    Forwards: Props: A Corbisiero (London Irish), D Cole (Leicester Tigers), J Marler (Harlequins), M Stevens (Saracens), D Wilson (Bath Rugby); Hookers: D Hartley (Northampton Saints), L Mears (Bath Rugby), R Webber (London Wasps); Locks: M Botha (Saracens), L Deacon (Leicester Tigers), C Lawes (Northampton Saints), T Palmer (Stade Francais). Back-rows: C Clark (Northampton Saints), T Croft (Leicester Tigers), P Dowson (Northampton Saints), B Morgan (Scarlets), C Robshaw (Harlequins), T Wood (Northampton Saints).
    Backs:Full-backs: M Brown (Harlequins), B Foden (Northampton Saints), Wings: C Ashton (Northampton Saints), C Sharples (Gloucester Rugby), D Strettle (Saracens); Centres: B Barritt (Saracens), O Farrell (Saracens), M Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), J Turner-Hall (Harlequins); Fly-halves: T Flood (Leicester Tigers), C Hodgson (Saracens); Scrum-halves: L Dickson (Northampton Saints), J Simpson (London Wasps), B Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
    England Saxons 32-man squad for fixtures against the Ireland Wolfhounds and Scotland A:
    Forwards: Props: P Doran Jones (Northampton Saints),M Mullan (Worcester Warriors), H Thomas (Sale Sharks), N Wood (Gloucester Rugby); Hookers: C Brooker (Harlequins), J Gray (Harlequins), D Paice (London Irish); Locks: *D Attwood (Bath Rugby), *G Parling (Leicester Tigers), M Garvey (London Irish), G Robson (Harlequins), Back-rows: J Gaskell (Sale Sharks), J Gibson (London Irish), T Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), J Launchbury (London Wasps), A Saull (Saracens), T Waldrom (Leicester Tigers).
    Backs: Full-backs: N Abendanon (Bath Rugby), D Armitage (London Irish), *A Goode (Saracens); Wings: M Banahan (Bath Rugby), J Joseph (London Irish),U Monye (Harlequins); Centres: A Allen (Leicester Tigers), J May (Gloucester Rugby), *H Trinder (Gloucester Rugby), B Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers); Fly-halves: F Burns (Gloucester Rugby), R Lamb (Northampton Saints); Scrum-halves: K Dickson (Harlequins), M Young (Leicester Tigers).
    *denotes players who are providing temporary injury cover in the elite squad.
     
  2. Fiery GR Smith

    Pretty shithouse looking lineup
     
  3. Baxter MJ Deane

    Where's Haskell vanished too?
     
  4. Fiery GR Smith

    toooo many o's bro
     
  5. Farny AP Farnsworth

    Sabbatical in Japan.
     
  6. Verigoat S Verigotta

    Goode is good enough to not just be temp cover
     
  7. Benny BS Read

    Honestly only heard of Foden, Ashton and Tuilagi from that whole squad :s
     
  8. BoyBlunder BOY Blunder

    MAjor revamp. Not sure what to make of it really.
     
  9. BoyBlunder BOY Blunder

    Deacon and Flood are out too iirc
     
  10. Farny AP Farnsworth

    Please tell me you've heard of Tom Croft....
     
  11. Benny BS Read

    Yeah missed his name.
     
  12. Farny AP Farnsworth

    He's third choice 15, tbh. Brown is on fire right now.
     
  13. Luffers JRE Luffman

    Yeh a good squad IMO, it sounds bad to say but I'm quite pleased that Deacon is injured, I feel sorry for the guy but he's just not an international quality second row. I don't get why he's so popular.

    It's going to be very interesting to see what kind of team he goes for. I'm surprised Easter has been dropped, I understand that he's getting older and won't be around for the next world cup but that pack looks very inexperienced and to have someone like Easter there would be very reassuring. Apart from Morgan there doesn't seem to be another out and out number 8 in that squad, which I think is an oversight.

    The backs selection will be interesting, I can see Dickson getting a bench spot, and rightly so seeing as he's had a superb couple of seasons and offers us something different to Youngs.

    At fly-half with Flood injured I would start with Hodgson, putting Farrell in starting at 10 wouldn't be a great idea IMO. I can definitely see him being an England 10 in the future but he needs to get used to the international scene first, just like Jonny Wilkinson started his career on the bench and at 12 (first appearance was on the wing I think). Hodgsons been there and done that and by now I don't think playing 10 for England will phase him. His defence isn't great but I see him as a short term replacement so it's not too important.

    Centres will be very interesting, I've really got no idea who they'll pick. I wouldn't be surprised to see Farrell and Tuilagi lining up in the middle when Tuilagi has recovered from his hamstring. However I think Lancaster will go for the safe solid option of Barritt, he's an awesome defender and a solid attacking presence, without being terribly exciting I can't see him making an mistakes. If Tuilagi isn't fully fit at the start of the six nations I'm not really sure who'll be playing in the centres to be honest.

    Foden and Ashton are guaranteed to start the other wing position between Strettle and Sharples will be interesting, I like both and don't particularly mind who starts, I think he'll go for Sharples.

    So my predicted team...

    1. D Cole
    2. D Hartley
    3. A Corbeisero
    4. T Palmer
    5. A Corbisiero
    6. T Croft
    7. T Wood
    8. C Robshaw

    9. B Youngs
    10. C Hodgson
    11. C Ashton
    12. B Barritt
    13. M Tuilagi
    14. C Sharples
    15. B Foden

    Bench: M Stevens, R Webber, M Botha, B Morgan, L Dickson, O Farrell, M Brown

    Not hundred percent sure what he'll do with the back row, it's a difficult one. He may go;

    6. Croft
    7. Robshaw/Wood
    8. Morgan


    Overall apart from the backrow, which I think is very unbalanced it's a good squad.
     
  14. Luffers JRE Luffman

    Note that I'm predicting the team providing everyone is fit, Lawes and Tuilagi are slightly doubtful I know but that's the team I think Lancaster would go for if he had everyone available. Not my team but still a good one.
     
  15. Farny AP Farnsworth

    Centres will be Farrell and Barritt, then Farrell and Tuilagi once he comes back from injury. I'd be surprised if JTH sneaks in there, although I like him. I agree that they'll start Hodgson at 10, although I'd actually like to see Farrell playing there for the last half hour of any games that aren't close. Say, start with Hodgson, Farrell, Barritt, then bring JTH on for Hodgson.

    Also, I'm hoping for a back row of Croft 6 Robshaw 8 Wood 7, with Wood captain.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2012
  16. Luffers JRE Luffman

    Farrell at 13 or 12? It would make sense if he's going to play the sarries players to play them in all their regular cub positions, so Farrell at 13 whilst Tuilagi is injured. Yeah I agree that we should be getting Farrell at 10 as much as possible.

    As a quins fan I may be a bit bias towards the likes of Robshaw Marler JTH and Brown but to be honest I think Robshaw is the only guy out of the 4 to actually have a legitimate claim to a starting spot. JTH has been alright at 12 this year but not outstanding, I think he offers more in attack than Barritt but his hands aren't great. Good impact player though. When Flood comes back we will have a really exciting back line IMO, Youngs Flood Farrell Tuilagi Sharples/Strettle Ashton and Foden.

    Every single one of those players is capable of scoring a try out of nothing, and there's a lot of diversity there. Plus with the likes of JTH Dickson and Brown on the bench we could completely change the dynamics of the backline at will.

    It will be a very interesting 6N's. I think we have the potential to finish as grand slam winners through to 4th place. A lot depends on our game plan and forwards. Looking at the pack we do seem to lack big ball carriers, everyone is capable but no-one is outstanding, which may give Marler an opportunity. He's a big lump and a very dynamic ball carrier.
     
  17. Eds E Ames

    Wood captain? Really?
     
  18. Farny AP Farnsworth

    Definitely. Alternative would be Robshaw, but he'll likely be on the bench, and Hartley is still too much of a loose cannon.
     
  19. Luffers JRE Luffman

    Robshaw was great today for Quins, gotta be a starter in the 6N's. Brown scored again, looked good, he's so strong and hard, great change up option for Foden. JTH was average. Not a good enough decision maker IMO.

    Sharples didn't see much of the ball which was a shame, but Simpson-Daniel was awesome, as was Jonny May, he made Monye look pedestrian. Absolutely burned him, he's gotta be getting close to that England squad has a touch of the Jason Robinson about him, he seems to be stationary in mid-air then suddenly BOOM, he's accelerating past everyone.
     
  20. Eddie EI Morris

    Charlie Sharples getting his second cap today!

    He has been great for Gloucester all season and deserves his chance. Just gotta hope he doesn't mess it up :laugh:
     

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