[2014 Mid-Year Tests] England

[Peat]

No Corbs is always a blow if you ask me. I'd like to see more of him under the new rules, but he's been so consistently destructive - often with little gametime - everytime that I just assume he'd do it.

For me, his name jumps into the mind every squad, no matter how long it is... such a shame the way so many talented players end up almost like ghosts around the squad, neither there nor gone, making the odd cameo to remind to you of what was and then disappearing again...

 

[McTallshort]

Lol! because i don't think he should tour it's a vendetta? turn it in it's not a personal thing, i just wanted to point out that what i said earlier in the week was highlighted today.

You reckon he's made great strides in defense, and today he got exposed in at least two of the trys where he just didn't make any effort at tackling - it was classic Cipriani - the challenge on Flood was amazing.

Got to back GN10 up on this, Cipriani was more mole hill than rock in defense but then the Sale team didnt seem to0 bothered full stop.

 

[Maverick1987]

Got to back GN10 up on this, Cipriani was more mole hill than rock in defense but then the Sale team didnt seem to0 bothered full stop.

To be fair cips defence has been quality all season . Diamond did say he thought their season was over before the Leicester game and the players seemed the same . Euro qualification was job done I think

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

To be fair cips defence has been quality all season . Diamond did say he thought their season was over before the Leicester game and the players seemed the same . Euro qualification was job done I think

I hate to be a stickler but cipriani has had average defence for a premiership flyhalf this season.

Farrell has had quality defence. Farrell has an average running game this season.

Cipriani has had a quality running game this season.

That's more like it

 

[Mumbles119]

Is it so wrong to be quietly happy with the possibility of 10.Ford 12.Farrell, and then both Eastmond and Daly on the bench?

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Kind of, if I'm honest ; Farrell has become a very good fly-half but I die a little death every time he plays at 12.

 

[Maverick1987]

I hate to be a stickler but cipriani has had average defence for a premiership flyhalf this season.

Farrell has had quality defence. Farrell has an average running game this season.

Cipriani has had a quality running game this season.

That's more like it

Yes that's true but the it's not a matter of cips displacing Farrell it's a case of who's going on a tour to NZ as cover . I feel Cipriani has built his game enough for that chance tbh .

 

[Maverick1987]

Is it so wrong to be quietly happy with the possibility of 10.Ford 12.Farrell, and then both Eastmond and Daly on the bench?

I'd go for 10. Farrell 12. Burrell 13. Tuilagi . But wouldn't be adverse to Barritt coming back in or eastmond either tbh

 

[ratsapprentice]

http://www.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/story/224451.html

He will take 12 specialist front-rowers and four scrum-halves to solve the headache caused by the lack of time between the end of the domestic season and the New Zealand trip.
PA Sport said he was likely to name a 15-strong training group next week after the final round of the regular Premiership season when the semi-finalists are known.
​

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Interesting....
Putting on my Lancaster hat (so what I think he'll choose, not necessarily what I'd choose)
Front rowers:
Marler, Mako, Mullan....???
Hartley, Youngs, Webber(?), George, Ward/Cowan-Dickie (if no Webber)
Wilson, Thomas, Doran-Jones....??? (Sinckler? Cooper-Wooley? More likely to be one of Wilson/Brookes, I think, despite being the worst two options)


Scrumhalves:
Care, Youngs, Dickson, Wigglesworth

 

[ratsapprentice]

I think Webber is long term injured - no announcements yet, so he could make it - but I wouldn't bet on it.

Marler, Mako, Mullan/Catt/Waller
Hartley, Youngs, Ward, LCD
Wilson, Thomas, Brookes/JCW, Sinckler/PDJ
Care, Youngs, Dickson, Wigglesworth/Robson/Simpson

Not sure whether Jamie George will even be in contention.
It's not like he's been on fire - he's been good, but hardly nailed on.
Because he's in the final I think he'll be left behind. He wont be available for the first test - so bringing him along just for a bench spot in the Crusaders game would be a little weird.

 

[Peat]

Taking Porno Dorm would make my head sink. He'd probably do ok, Rowntree seems to get the best out of him, but it would be such a pointless and retrograde seeming move.

I think Wigglesworth is out on the same logic that George is - no point taking squad players from the finalists.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I agree.

I think the last spot is between Robson and Simpson.

 

[goodNumber10]

Is it so wrong to be quietly happy with the possibility of 10.Ford 12.Farrell, and then both Eastmond and Daly on the bench?

Nope, it's very tempting after farrell and ford played so well at U20..

 

[ratsapprentice]

Don't think Farrell offers anywhere near enough of a running threat to play in the centres.
Would get shut down very quickly potentially.

 

[Peat]

Ford and Farrell didn't look good for the U20s, not in my eyes at least. It was ok at best, and a step down from Ford and Ryan Mills. Farrell has worked on his running threat since then, but a 12? Not for my money.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Agree with the above; all the evidence - including fairly recent gametime for both Sarracens and England - suggests that Owen Farrell is a terrible centre. Ignore this evidence at your peril. We know his limitations as a fly-half and he makes things difficult for whichever inside centre plays with him. Shifting him to 12 will just close down the options his outside centre has.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I still think George and Wigglesworth are in with a shout - I wouldn't pick them, but I think they are.
I hadn't thought about the impacts of the final on their chances, mind.

Would much rather Ward and Robson (or Simpson). I am yet to be convinced by LCD in the premiership (and I've watched most of his games), would take Taylor every day of the week over him - however I understand Rowntree or Lancaster specifically named him, so it'll probably be him.

 

[TheSaffycen]

George is a good player but I don't think he is going to tour this year, he isn't a bad 5/6th choice if you think about it though. Wigglesworth has a better kicking game than any of the other scrum halfs we have and he does what I want a scrum half to do which is give the fly half the ball quickly. But he offers little running threat and that doesn't work with Farrell, so you probably need Simpson/Youngs/Care to partner him. Anyway I would take
Marler, Mullan, Vunipola, dave from down the pub ?
Hartley, Ward, Youngs, LCD
Wilson, Sinckler, Cooper-wooley, Thomas

With the centre thing I already joked about Ford-Farrell axis but it could happen, it would not bloody work. Farrell is a good defensive 12 but offers nothing in attack because of his pace. We should try out a few combos
Ford- Eastmond
Ford- Burrell
Cipriani- Burrell
Cipriani- Tuilagi (Could really bring Manu onto the line and could really break the defence a lot)
Imagine 10.Cipriani 12.Eastmond/Burrell 13.Manu/Burrell

 

[ratsapprentice]

Mullan, Catt and Waller are more than adequate 3rd/4th choices at LH. We are blessed in that department.
Personally, I'd take Catt - possibly a little bit of Bath bias.
But he's a great scrummager, a destructive ball carrier and has a high workrate.
Waller is probably going to be a bit better than Mullan in the long run - but there isn't much "upside" in him from what I've seen.
So that's a heads or tails decision IMO.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>We'll have an England touring squad/injury update for you at 10pm tonight. Check back in with us later <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NZvENG&amp;src=hash">#NZvENG</a></p>&mdash; England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) <a href="https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/statuses/464063233171935232">May 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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