[2014 EOYT] England v Samoa

[tonydav58]

My sin bin XV would be tighthead prop,,,Cyril Smith.( pack leader)....Loosehead Bernard Manning,,,,Hooker,,,Katie Price (loads of experience) 2nd row Jaws from Bond movies Schlok from The Goonies Flankers Freddy Kruger ,Hannibal Lecter No,8,,Jack the Ripper....Scrum half and capt. Napoleon Bonapart (Great forward organiser ) stand off Adolf Hitler (great talker,good in attack and defence,a bit unpredictable tho) centres Lord Lucan (elusive runner) Michael Palin (been everywhere and done it),,Left wing Michael Jackson (quick feet,hard to tackle, always willing to help younger players) Right wing,,David Cameron no one will go near him cos hes full of s+++) Full back Gandalf the Grey (just magic) replacements,,,Leatherface (speaks for itself) Larry Grayson (????) Stuart Barnes (gobsh+++) Prince Charles (yet to fulfil his full potential) Attack Coach Ghengis Khan Defence coach That Gemma from Towie (no one will go near her with a bargepole),,,Publicity officer Jeremy Clarkson,,,Press officer Oscar Pistorius (tells it just as HE sees it) Team Doctor,,(Stephen Hawkings (knowall!) Entertainment officer jimmy Savile Selectors Cheryl Cole,Peter Andre,Joey Essex (all very knowledgeable) Head Coach,,,Pontius Pilate (a great judge of character but has a tendency to pander to the public)

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Meh, I think Wilson is already ahead of Cole anyway now and it's for Cole to prove a point. In theory, Cole would be a fantastic option to bring on 50 minutes or so into the game.

1. Corbisiero 2. Webber 3. Wilson
16. Hartley 17. Marler 18. Cole
+ Mullan/Vunipola, Youngs/LCD/George/Paice/Ward/Taylor/Gray (quite a lot of options, open to any of these as third-choice), Brookes/Sinckler

dat depth

Meh, I have far more confidence in Cole's ability to participate in the sort of 15 man game which I think we are aspiring to play. Wilson looked a bit out of place in that regard against South Africa. What I really want, is for Mako to learn how to bloody well scrummage.

 

[j'nuh]

I think that we should emphasise our set piece in the first instance, since that appears to be our strength atm. Start Attwood too. Cole, Marler and Lawes on when the game is a little looser would be a great second-half boost in theory.

 

[ratsapprentice]

It all depends on whether Cole's "form dip" in the year or so before he was ruled out was an actual dip in form or a direct result of his injury along with fatigue. I'm certain fatigue played a role - what we wont know for a while is whether he has been significantly disadvantaged by the new scrum laws.

 

[Peat]

What he said. I don't know who I'd pick when Cole's back, neither guy's been at auto-include based on most recent performances, and a lot depends on how strong Cole returns.

Also, much as I'd love to see a bigger emphasis on the set-piece, I just don't think Lancaster has any intention of doing so.

 

[Big Ewis]

sooo...
by.
How much pointage. Are English presumably increase the score.
To where, limit wise ? This Samoan. Teamm - concede for th e matches ?

Which does reckon, for you ? The total differents.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Might put a bet on Farrell scoring a try... so that there is a positive if he does.

 

[Patchey]

What he said. I don't know who I'd pick when Cole's back, neither guy's been at auto-include based on most recent performances, and a lot depends on how strong Cole returns.

Also, much as I'd love to see a bigger emphasis on the set-piece, I just don't think Lancaster has any intention of doing so.

Do you mean using the set piece as a platform? Because IMO the set piece itself has been world class this Autumn, we just haven't used it to get the backs in play.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Leota at 12 - going to enjoy running at Ford/an injured Farrell all evening

Gonna be at a gig when this is on, hopefully be able to find the full thing on Youtube (or something) on Sunday/soon afterwards.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I think he probably means we should value set-piece effectiveness more highly when it comes to selection.

 

[Peat]

I think he probably means we should value set-piece effectiveness more highly when it comes to selection.

Yup. Which we have through the grace of injury enforced change. Although we haven't made good enough use of the first phase ball from either scrum or lineout imo. We maul well, we get points off the scrum, good backs moves? Pretty spare if my memory is right.

 

[Maxwell]

As a long time passionate Samoan fan I wonder if Samoan Prime Minister Tuileapa has got to coach Stephen Betham. The selection of Ken Pisi at 15 is surprising at best and God knows what at the worst. We have test experience at 15 in Autagavia and playing exp at 15 in Ahsee Tuala. The latter for me is a poor selection as although having been good over the years for Counties, Tuala has lost speed. At test level 15 must be as fast as wingers. Poor James So'oialo has been discarded when he showed some promise and on top of the that is the best goalkicker Ive seen since Darren Kellett in the mid-90's.

Leiua on the wing I can accept but I honestly think David Lemi must be coming to the end of the road. Wing is a position we need one speedster and one monster ala Alesana Tuilagi.

This is a big game to throw in Ray LeeLo and I hope he can handle the pressure.

Johnny Leota Ive never seen as a standout.

Tusi Pisi was a predictable selection and needs to use position well be it in territory or setting the attack straight.

Fotualii if he has a big game can lift the team.

Im surprised that Taiasina Tuifua is missing along with Joe Tekori, both very destructive.

I hope out guys can stay with England till half time then reassess the situation.

As always go the Manu

 

[Every Time Ref]

I think Cole has to prove himself rather than walk straight back in but if he can show anything like the form of two years ago he'd be a shoe-in over Wilson. WIlson's a cracking scrummager and proved some doubters wrong (including myself, even as a supporter...) in stepping up to be a quality international prop, but Cole is no slouch in the scrum, and Wilson, for all his improvement, is still borderline liability in the loose I'm afraid to say. The extra Wilson might offer in the scrum is a lot smaller than the extra Cole definitely offers everywhere else.

If we're going to build on a strong set piece we still need runners hitting it up round the fringes, and we still need players hitting rucks, we still need tacklers, we still need players trying to get over the ball in defence. We should also be looking hard at Attwood if it's a set piece based game we're after, as he seems to be the centre point of the driving maul when he plays, both for Bath and England (I'm not going to lie, I am totally confused by mauling as a concept, anyone feel free to correct me ... ).

Also, can anyone tell me what's happened to George Pisi for Samoa? I rate him highly, if he was English, I reckon he'd be right up there among the outside centre options. Is he injured?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Attwood is the best mauling forward we have.

As you say, look at Bath's (and now England's) maul when Attwood is there and compare it with when he isn't... it's night and day.
Part of it is that he is a very big bloke, but his body position is awesome - like he's sitting on a stool and leaning against a wall at the same time.
Guys like Launchbury and Lawes just cant generate the power required to keep momentum in the way Dave can.
They are very long levered so require a large range of motion to do that - something that you aren't afforded in a maul.

 

[Tmartin995]

Just seen that Eastmond and Rokoduguni are starting for Bath at the weekend?!?!

 

[TommiG88]

Just seen that Eastmond and Rokoduguni are starting for Bath at the weekend?!?!

Lancaster dropped them due to injury so you're lying. Never question him again.

*whistle*

 

[goodNumber10]

Lancaster dropped them due to injury so you're lying. Never question him again.

*whistle*

how do you drop someone due to injury? Either you're injured or not. Regardless Eastmond was stood down for concussion protocol, Roko had a hip injury. People are questioning how they can be able to play on twitter.

Realistically Eastmond was unlikely to play against Samoa anyway.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I can understand Eastmond not playing for England - he would've been ruled out from training during the week, but then if he passed the protocols on Thursday/Friday back at Bath then he's good to go. England have to announce their 23/release players on Tuesday (is it?) and Eastmond is still on mandatory training break at that point.

Annoying to see Roko starting for Bath and not England, but for all we know it could've been the same situation - not fit enough on Tuesday/couldn't take the risk on him, so released him back. Hopefully we use him vs Aus if he comes through the Bath game with no knocks.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

TBH I've ranted about Farrell coming straight back form injury into the squad and although his was longer, I do feel players should have a lower intensity game if available after injury before going back to internationals.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Realistically Eastmond was unlikely to play against Samoa anyway.

What does this mean..? Why wouldn't he play if fit?