Worthy of its own thread, clearly. I already have tickets to see us versus the Wobblies next Sat and the Argies the week after. The ABs will probably slip my grasp, but have a couple of chaps on the case still. Anyway, big talking points for England are: 1) Robshaw retained as captain; good thing or bad thing? 2) The new centre pairing; will we see two ex-leagueists in Eastmond & Tomkins sr? 3) Will Ashton retain his spot on the wing? 4) Who'll play #8?
I'll go for my XV, rather than try to second guess Lanky. With the proviso the skipper has to play, regardless of me rating him or otherwise (otherwise, ftr; think he's a bit of a hack, tbh) Corbisiero (assuming fitness; Mako Vunipola if not) T Youngs Cole Parling Lawes Wood Robshaw (c) (but would play Kvesic if I had my way) B Vunipola B Youngs Burns Yarde Twelvetrees Tomkins Wade Foden
for those like me who didn't know tuilagi was injured http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...internationals-with-torn-pectoral-muscle.html
Playing like a drain, currently. Looks like he might be carrying a knock, because he hasn't been making his lung-busting runs. & Big Ben's big strength is, well, his strength. In fact, were Lancaster not forced to name his "elite players" before the season started, I doubt he'd even be in the squad at all. On form it's a toss up for the best 8 in England between Billy V & (all bias aside) Sam Dickinson of Saints, with Dave Ewers of the Chiefs not far behind. With my Saints hat on it's nice to see Luther Burrell get a call up too; might even get a gig ahead of Twelvetrees, who's avictim of his pack's inadequacies down in Glos. 36 has enough credit in the bank for me tho. Big fan.
I'd like to see Twelfers pair up with Eastmond in the centres itbt. Would be pleased to see Foden at fullback but less keen on Lawes. Will be a card machine in Tests.
1. Think Robshaw is a bit better than he gets credit for, so I'm fine for him to start as captain. 2. Would play Twelvetrees and Eastmond personally 3. Shouldn't start but will 4. Billy
I think you're right. The only one there I'd disagree with is Brown, though he'll probably play anyway. Farrell seems to invoke short memories. It seems like the last thing you should do to be taken seriously as a handling flyhalf is be able to kick well.
Farrell's very solid and will, in all probability, get the gig. He just lacks that extra something that makes (to borrow Sir Alex's coinage) a top, top, top player. It may be partly the fault of his #12, tbf. Whatever his defensive qualities, Barritt isn't a test inside centre's bottom, really. Now I know it's one of my personal hobbyhorses, but I do like a ballplayer at 2nd 5/8 and 36 (or even Flood, if Lanky is feeling funkeh) is just that. Have a second serious option at inside might lift the shackles slightly. It's not coincidence that Wilko always looked a much more assured player with Greenwood or Catt outside him.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24707263 Thumbs-down to Eastmond, Burns, Burrell, Wade and Kvesic. Alex Goode also dropped (Huzzah). Parling out injured. Implying a likely side of 1. Marler 2. Youngs 3. Cole 4. Lawes 5. Launchbury 6. Wood 7. Robshaw 8. Morgan 9. Youngs 10. Farrell 11. Yarde 12. Twelvetrees 13. Tomkins 14. Ashton 15. Brown 16. Hartley 17. M Vulipola 18. Wilson 19. Attwood 20. B Vulipola 21. Dickson 22. Flood 23. Foden Still got fingers crossed for Foden myself. Haven't seen anything of Tomkins so I'll give him the benefit.
I was right. England team: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Chris Ashton (Saracens), Joel Tomkins (Saracens), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Marland Yarde (London Irish), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Lee Dickson (Northampton); Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Tom Youngs (Leicester), Dan Cole (Leicester), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Tom Wood (Northampton), Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens). Replacements: Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Joe Marler Harlequins), David Wilson (Bath), Dave Attwood Bath), Ben Morgan (Gloucester), Ben Youngs (Leicester), Toby Flood (Leicester), Ben Foden (Northampton). Dickson for Youngs, B the major surprised there, IMHO.
I KNOW NOTHING Brown was awesome. Time after time calmly fixing everything and almost always beating the first man. Great performance. Still only narrowly got MotM over Billy, whose carries were immense and he's got some nice hands when he wants to as well. 36 was stunningly crap. Wasn't quite as crap as Chris Ashton, but more noticeably crap. Lawes and Farrell both turned it around in the second half after being woeful in the first. I was at least right about Robshaw. Composed. Was a high quality back row showing in general. It's actually really encouraging to come away with a win even when half your game isn't going to plan. Feeling quite positive about the World Cup now, just quietly. Seems we can dig in and be really tough to be for the tourists at HQ, and we don't need a magical performance. Quade Cooper's got the skills to solve some of Australia's problems from the summer but I'll still never consider them WC contenders until they sort out their tight five. Embarrassing run out from Alexander in particular and I can't really see why he's still in the side.