[2013 EOYT] England

[ratsapprentice]

My point was that we completely underestimated their scrum last year.

 

[Maverick1987]

England captain for AIs?

Just interested to know who would be people's choice for captain for the AIs ?

Im im really stuck and am slightly leaning towards robshaw but him starting at 6 NOT 7 lol

also what's the general feeling on will Fraser ? I've seen him play a few times and he seems instrumental to what sarries do ?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

For me it's between Wood and Robshaw - I wouldn't have Robshaw in my XV, so I'll go for Wood (though I think Lancaster will pick Robshaw).

 

[Peat]

I'm tempted to say Parling. He's calm, he's influential, looked like he did a lot of talking on the Lions tour, but mostly I'm just a bit bleh over having the captaincy affect selection in such a tightly contested area of the team. Then again, Parling's place isn't exactly nailed on either. It's a shame Corbs doesn't exactly give off captain vibes.

It's going to be one of Wood or Robshaw, and the signs are pointing at Robshaw getting dropped, so Wood. Not sure I'm entirely happy about that, but there we go.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I think Wood was always going to be Lancaster captain, it's just that before his initial captain was picked Wood got injured and Robshaw took his place. I think Robshaw is a great player to have in the squad and i'd be happy with Wood or Robshaw at 6 really which makes it more difficult to pick a captain.....

so overall i think go with Wood and let Robshaw get into his game a bit more, he is not an internationl top class 7 it just depends on how long he gets played at 7.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

We have to have attwood & Willson in the pack. Make Cole work his way back up, Willson is in better form and playing better.

As for Attwood it's not jsut the scrum it's his general power aorund the pitch, however much i like Lauchberry i don't think him and parling offer a good combo as our pack lacks ball carriers.

1 Corbs
2 Youngs
3 Willson
4 Attwood
5 Parling
6 Wood
7 Kvesic/Robshaw
8 Binny/ Morgan

Thats an in form balanced pack, i think Lauchberry needs to either be a 4 or a 5. Cole needs to get back in form, as does Morgan really and we need to see how our 7's go in training.

What about Youngs as captain? He is a definate name on the team sheet??? Just a thought if wood isn't sure of his place.

 

[McTallshort]

Robshaw without question playing at 7 with Billy at 8. If Im honest Wood still has not convinced me and has not been as consistent as Robshaw in an England shirt but he has played at 8 a few times so that could explain it. If Croft was fit then Wood would struggle to hold his place, I think his profile in the press has not quite been matched on the pitch...Like I said not convinced.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Youngs would be a terrible captain IMO

I don't want to sound cruel, but he's not exactly the sharpest knife in the draw (by his own admission).

 

[McTallshort]

Which Youngs?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Both would make terrible captains.

 

[Patchey]

Tom might develop into a leader to be fair, he's got a fairly central role in the Leicester set up, looks to be England's first choice hooker and was a Lion. I don't see why he couldn't take on a leadership role etc.

Ben Young on the other hand, no. Just no. I'd be adverse to any scrum-half captaining a side considering how most good nines spend the majority of the game testing the referees patience around the breakdown and scrum and getting into scraps with their opposite number.

If Robshaw does lose the metaphorical armband I'm all in favour for Parling. I think we're all resigned to it being Wood though.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Which Youngs?

Yeah i meant Tom not Ben, i wouldn't even have Ben in my team but Lancester seems to rate his 3 step pass, bizaree!

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Robshaw without question playing at 7 with Billy at 8. If Im honest Wood still has not convinced me and has not been as consistent as Robshaw in an England shirt but he has played at 8 a few times so that could explain it. If Croft was fit then Wood would struggle to hold his place, I think his profile in the press has not quite been matched on the pitch...Like I said not convinced.

I think you've spent too much time in the wrong side of the midlands lol

Wood does all the dirty work you need from a 6, (yes his form at 8 wasn't great but he has never been an 8 not since under 16's or something crazy).

The point is people really miss what Wood does, Tackles, rucks, makes tight carries...that what you need from a 6, his england performance while playing 6 has been great.

 

[Big Ewis]

Both would make terrible captains.

:lol:



he's soooo happy to be doing the questions

 

[TRF_Olyy]

There's even a twitter run by some Tigers players (Tom Croft is one of them) that puts up daft things he's said:
https://twitter.com/stuffbensaid

 

[ratsapprentice]

http://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/feat...he-boy-for-england-no-12-spot-inside-tuilagi/

 

[Patchey]

Oh Jezza, have you only just cottoned on to this now?

I do like the point about England not having had a midfield 'general' since Greenwood. Twelvetrees is certainly the only player I'm (currently) convinced can come close to the way Greenwood played.

 

[j'nuh]

Twelvetrees does have a lot of momentum in his favour. He had a decent 6N when used, finished last season strong, was called up to the Lions as an injury replacement before Barritt was (whilst Farrell was backs coach!), and continues to look good this season. The sheer number of tackles he's getting through is impressive. He's made 26 tackles in the first three games. Kvesic made the second highest number of tackles with 18.

I think TT may have even kept the shirt has Barritt been available.

 

[McTallshort]

So have Englands performances with Robshaw at 7 I'm not saying wood is not a good player but he does not have the 6 shirt nailed IMO so would stick with Robshaw

 

[McTallshort]

Both would make terrible captains.

Very true