• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

[2013 EOYT] England

Sounds like marland yarde is going to be fit to play earlier than expected . Anyone else heard anything ?

Would be great if he had a few games under his belt before we play wales
 
So with the EPS and Saxons announcements only six days away, what changes would everyone make? Can this thread be resurrected in time?

As far as I know: Corbisiero, Croft, Foden, Parling, Tomkins, Tuilagi, and Wade are out for all of the Six Nations. With Yarde a serious doubt. Add to that Ashton, Barritt, and Goode who could all be (read: should be) dropped. Oh, and Flood's buggering off to France as well.

That leaves a prop, a lock, a flanker, two wingers, a fullback, and two centres to pick as injury replacements. And potentially another fly-half, centre, winger and fullback.

A good chance to experiment? Or a serious blow to England's chances in the Six Nations? For me it's the former.
 
What should happen IMO:

Retained:*

Dylan Hartley
Tom Youngs
Dan Cole
Davey Wilson
Alex Corbisiero (Nathan Catt)
Joe Marler
Mako Vunipola
Dave Attwood
Joe Launchbury
Courtney Lawes
Geoff Parling (Graham Kitchener)
Matt Kvesic
Chris Robshaw
Tom Wood
Ben Morgan
Billy Vunipola
Danny Care
Lee Dickson
Ben Youngs
Freddie Burns
Owen Farrell
Kyle Eastmond
Billy Twelvetrees
Christian Wade (Charlie Walker)
Marland Yarde (Miles Benjamin)
Mike Brown
Ben Foden (Anthony Watson)

Dropped:

Toby Flood
Joel Tomkins
Alex Goode
Chris Ashton
Tom Croft

Called up:

George Ford
Henry Trinder
Jack Nowell
Luther Burrell
Rob Webber
Luke Wallace

*Injured underlined - cover in brackets.

Will probably come up with a Saxons one too!
 
Last edited:
What should happen IMO:

Retained:*

Dylan Hartley
Tom Youngs
Dan Cole
Davey Wilson
Alex Corbisiero (Nathan Catt)
Joe Marler
Mako Vunipola
Dave Attwood
Joe Launchbury
Courtney Lawes
Geoff Parling (Graham Kitchener)
Matt Kvesic
Chris Robshaw
Tom Wood
Ben Morgan
Billy Vunipola
Danny Care
Lee Dickson
Ben Youngs
Freddie Burns
Owen Farrell
Kyle Eastmond
Billy Twelvetrees
Christian Wade (Charlie Walker)
Marland Yarde (Miles Benjamin)
Mike Brown
Ben Foden (Anthony Watson)

Dropped:

Toby Flood
Joel Tomkins
Alex Goode
Chris Ashton
Tom Croft

Called up:

George Ford
Henry Trinder
Jack Nowell
Luther Burrell
Rob Webber
Luke Wallace

*Injured underlined - cover in brackets.

Will probably come up with a Saxons one too!
Agree with almost all of that. Not convinced on Benjamin and thats as a Tigers fan but no other winger jumps out to me so I guess it is possible, if Ashton is kept though Id rather have Nowell. Same goes for Wallace but tbf I havent seen as many quins games
 
Last edited:
I'd take Nowell over Benjamin as well - especially as he can play 15 too, and as he'd be unlikely to start, it means he's more likely of a bench spot.

I'd take Cipriani over Ford too, and not too sure of Nathan Catt, but apart from that it's spot on. Wallace has been playing better than Kvesic and Robshaw this season, so would love to see him rewarded for that.
 
I've put Nowell in over Benjamin already - "Call ups" are permanent whereas injury cover is temporary.
I also put him as cover for Yarde who seemed to suggest he was going to be fit in time for the 6N - whether this is a case of optimistic doctors or not, we shall see!

Catt is obviously showing a slight Bath bias, but I reckon he's better than Mullan.
It's unlikely whoever is called in to cover Corbs will actually get used though.

I wouldn't be upset to see any of Ford, Cipriani or Slade called up... If it's Myler though :(
 
Last edited:
I'd take Nowell over Benjamin as well - especially as he can play 15 too, and as he'd be unlikely to start, it means he's more likely of a bench spot.
Wallace has been playing better than Robshaw this season, so would love to see him rewarded for that.

He's been playing the 'openside role' better yep, but all-round game I'd still have Robshaw. Robshaw plays with the same number on his back for both England and quins but has a different remit for each - for England he's the best fetcher but for quins he's not, so the expecations on him are different. Quins currently are showing that as long as you have balance, the number of your back is irrelevant - Robshaw has the 7 but he is carrying, tackling like you'd want from a blindside.

Re. Saxons: I'd love to see Jack Cooper-Woolley get the call up. What a find and talent.
 
If only we has LDL a settled centre combo is start with nowell on one wing and Watson on the other. But seeing as we will get a new 13 maybe we won't see that.

I'm still dreading barritt playing 13! Infancy how is trinders form at the moment?
 
Trinders been going well, haven't seen anything that would make me worry about him for England and he looks very sharp going forward.
It would be nice to see a pacy OC playing for England for a change - you never know... it may work!
 
Pacy outside centre I hear you cry? How about call up Daly over Benjamin or Walker (who isn't quite ready IMO) and out him on the bench. Start Trinder, Daly covers 15, 13 and potentially wing.

Worrying, Alex Goode performed a side step against Worcester. Will probably be taken as a sign of his brilliance by the management and see him return to the shirt...
 
Don't be silly. Goode is Flood's replacement at fly-half. So Daly might just make the bench yet!
 
On a more serious note, the Saxons should have a fairly good side this year. A bit weak in the front row, but the backs should be alright.

Something like:

1. Mullan
2. Paice
3. Thomas
4. Slater
5. Kitchener
6. Fearns
7. TBA (Anyone know of any good, young opensides that aren't injured? Could go Haskell and have an all eighteen-stone back row. For ****s and giggles.)
8. Ewers

9. Simpson
10. Cipriani
11. May
12. Allen
13. Joseph
14. Walker
15. Daly
 
Pacy outside centre I hear you cry? How about call up Daly over Benjamin or Walker (who isn't quite ready IMO) and out him on the bench. Start Trinder, Daly covers 15, 13 and potentially wing.

Worrying, Alex Goode performed a side step against Worcester. Will probably be taken as a sign of his brilliance by the management and see him return to the shirt...

Are you trying to out 'Elliot Daly' me, knave? I challenge you to a duel!
 
Last edited:
Whoops, missed Nowell there.
Put Nowell as injury call up instead of Benjamin, but Daly as permanent call up.
It'd basically be a full call up for Nowell, as he'll be there all 6N (and hopefully replace Ashton over the summer), and Daly is so deserving of a place in the England set up it's not even funny.



Also, with regards to loosehead call up, Alex Waller could be a decent option - been on fine form for Saints.
It'll most likely be Mullan, though.
 
Last edited:
He's been playing the 'openside role' better yep, but all-round game I'd still have Robshaw. Robshaw plays with the same number on his back for both England and quins but has a different remit for each - for England he's the best fetcher but for quins he's not, so the expecations on him are different. Quins currently are showing that as long as you have balance, the number of your back is irrelevant - Robshaw has the 7 but he is carrying, tackling like you'd want from a blindside.

Re. Saxons: I'd love to see Jack Cooper-Woolley get the call up. What a find and talent.

We probably want to get cooper Woolley in the Saxons ASAP he's played a lot of rugby in Wales so they might try to poach him !!
 
Are you trying to out 'Elliot Daly' me, knave? I challenge you to a duel!


Careful, or I'll go full fanboy and start banging on about how he should be our starting nine after he stood in there for Wasps a few weeks back!

But as has been said, he's ridiculously deserving of a spot in the EPS and I think most of us are assuming he'll be there.



Now, for a little rant before I go off to play rugby in the rain. We've had a lot of chat about how many young outside backs have appeared recently. In fact its not just TRF who have noticed this. Earlier in the week the Torygraph ran a piece on Charlie Walker not only noting that he is both young and full of potential but that he is just one of a growing number of new 'talent'. If you think about it he have Walker (21), Elliot(21), May (23), Nowell (20), Watson (19), Daly (21), Wade (22) and Yarde (21). Even if you exercise some healthy scepticism in thinking that while all of these guys have potential, some of them will never quite deliver on it (hence the inverted commas around talent earlier) thats still a pretty good selection of fullbacks and wingers, with a few guys who can play outside centre throw in.

However I think looking at this list shows just how badly the continued selection of Ashton and Brown/Foden on the wings has hurt us. Obviously in the short term it was galling because we had, and continue to have, much better options than them on the wings. However it has also put the spanner in the works of what, for now, I'm going to call the wing 'production line'. Ideally by now we'd have Wade and Yarde established as out two wingers, something I think most of us believe they are capable of being. That of course we leave the others competing for places in the EPS, pushing themselves to get into the team and acting as injury cover. The problem is that that hasn't happened. Wade and Yarde are still relatively unproven on the international stage while the others are stuck on the fringes. Not only does this hinder England in the long term (both for 2015 and beyond) but it also means that when we have injuries like we will this 6N we're going to end up falling back on boring, unambitious selection out wide.

This has probably all occurred to you but I thought I'd say it anyway.
 
As an aside from the toddler talk, I though Brown stood out (again) in a poor Harlequins showing. Even when Quins look dire, this season, he's been a shining light. Good to see him being so consistent with his form.


Also, Dave Seymour chased down a winger, from the opposite side of the pitch, to make a try saving tackle last night.
Now I'm not saying Robshaw couldn't ​do that, but..... :p

Also also, Cipriani played well (again) and Tommy Taylor had a great game too, especially in the lineout in tough conditions - wouldn't mind seeing him in the Saxons.
 
Toby Flood must be thinking he needs family on the selection panel to get a decent shot at starting first five for England.

Cipriani has got no chance with Daddy Farrell ushering his son into the position.
 

Latest posts

Top