RWC 2011 - New Zealand

Could have sworn that there was a thread for this already, but had a look through and couldn't find it.

England's 45 man squad named by Johno.

Forwards (25): Props: Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints), Tim Payne (London Wasps), Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks), Matt Stevens (Saracens), David Wilson (Bath Rugby). Hookers: George Chuter (Leicester Tigers), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Lee Mears (Bath Rugby), Steve Thompson (London Wasps). Locks: Mouritz Botha (Saracens), Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Tom Palmer (Stade Francais), Simon Shaw (London Wasps). Back row: Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Hendre Fourie (Sale Sharks), James Haskell (Unattached), Lewis Moody (Bath Rugby), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Joe Worsley (London Wasps).

Backs (20): Full-backs: Delon Armitage (London Irish), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints). Wings: Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints), Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby), James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester Rugby), David Strettle (Saracens). Centres: Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby), Riki Flutey (London Wasps), Shontayne Hape (London Irish), Mike Tindall (Gloucester Rugby), Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers). Fly-halves: Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers), Charlie Hodgson (Saracens), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon). Scrum-halves: Danny Care (Harlequins), Joe Simpson (London Wasps), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

Interesting squad IMO. Surprised to see that Delon is back ahead of Abendanon, he's improved this season, but he's definitely not back to the exciting style of play I liked when he first turned up on the scene. I've got big hopes that Waldrom, Tuilagi and Hodgson impress in the training camps. Got a pretty inexperienced backline, would be good if someone like Hodgson could come in and calm it down a bit. Hopefully he will have gotten over his habit of choking internationally by now...

 

Team I would like to see play:

1) Corbisiero
2) Hartley
3) Cole
4) Lawes
5) Palmer
6) Haskell
7) Moody
8) Waldrom

9) Youngs
10) Flood
11) Strettle
12) Banahan I guess, although would rather Tuilagi
13) Tindall probably
14) Ashton
15) Foden

Not a lot there in the way of centres, if Banahan were to play IC I'd want someone who'd play a good supporting game ready to pick up his offloads, however none of those centres have much pace tbh, so guess would go with Tindall for the experience and because he didn't go too badly in the six nations. Backrow is a bit of a toss up tbh. Wood was spectacular in the 6N but probably won't start, I would expect him to be a sub. Moody may well also come in off the bench seeing as he's had plenty of injuries. Waldrom in the 8 shirt because I'd rather see anyone but Easter take that shirt. I reckon Haskell and Croft may well be starting backrowers.

 

Nahh, if Tuilagi matures a little bit he will be a huge weapon for the England squad for a long time tbh. If he could calm down a little bit in defence, and make sure he doesn't attempt the big hits too often he will be far and away better than any other option we have at 12. Banahan is a winger, Hape just doesn't create tries and Flutey is no better.

 

I reckon Flutey/Tindall would be a better solution to the centres in retrospect, just because they suit each other as a pair.

 

Quotes out of context mean whatever I want them to mean.

 

I just remembering him waddling around behind the backline until he was needed for a kick

 

I would love to see Flutey play at 12. He has that attacking quality that Hape doesn't seem to have.