[2014 Mid-Year Tests] England

[Patchey]

Man speaks the truth, I can't imagine there is anyone in the England setup who isn't annoyed at what is an unnecessary clash.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Also, just on the RFU Twitter https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/status/466880122478682112. Says the initial training group for the tour AND the BaBaas game is being announced today, so safe to assume a good chunk of the names released will be going to NZ?

As Olyy has said - I think most of the BaBaas squad will not be touring.

- If we play guys in that game and they get injured then we are looking at potentially picking guys even further down the pecking order than we are currently... it's not worth the risk.
- There are enforced rest periods which I think make it very difficult to involve them anyway.

 

[Patchey]

BaBaas Squad/Test training group:

Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby)
Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs)
Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs)
Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Michael Paterson (Sale Sharks)
Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors)
Dan Robson (Gloucester Rugby)
Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Tommy Taylor (Sale Sharks)
Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks)
Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby)
Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)
Marland Yarde (London Irish)

http://www.rfu.com/news/2014/may/news-articles/150514_eng_squad_nz?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=2014

Named on the site as a 'training squad'. Some of these guys will undoubtedly fly out to NZ on 2nd June along with the Premiership finals guys.

The first group of players will fly to New Zealand on May 27 (arriving May 29) and the second group will fly on June 2 following the Aviva Premiership final and Barbarians game and join the squad in Auckland on June 4.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Eh? I thought 36 was definitely ruled out of the tour.

 

[goodNumber10]

Eh? I thought 36 was definitely ruled out of the tour.

yes.

and no.

they say his ankle might clear up for the last couple of weeks.

 

[Patchey]

Eh? I thought 36 was definitely ruled out of the tour.

Nope, should be fit for the third test, maybe he second. Probably included here so he can be rehabbed by England.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Do mine eyes deceive me?
FOUR Sale players?

Well done to Taylor, Cipriani and Paterson - all well deserved after a fantastic season.
Well done to Thomas for being an English qualified tighthead.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Lancaster outlined that he intends to give injured duo Billy Twelvetrees and Rob Webber as much time as possible to make the plane to NZ.

He's not necessarily even touring.

 

[Maverick1987]

Do mine eyes deceive me?
FOUR Sale players?

Well done to Taylor, Cipriani and Paterson - all well deserved after a fantastic season.
Well done to Thomas for being an English qualified tighthead.

Still no Seymour though ! ******** !!!

Just as a matter of interest what do people think of the young lad Stephenson that plays for Northampton in the centre ? Seems a classy player with a good skill set to me

 

[ratsapprentice]

Seems to have found the step up to senior rugby remarkably easy, that's for sure.

Will do well in the JWRC I think.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Very good young player. He will get quite a few caps for England but after 2015

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Still no Seymour though ! ******** !!! 

Used to it now

 

[McTallshort]

no wasps?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Their season hasn't finished yet.

 

[j'nuh]

Although it's odd for there to be so many Gloucester players all things considered, I think that most are there on merit.

Twelvetrees - obvious
Burns - terrible season, but should be kept in the setup to keep him updated with England calls and such. There's a good chance that this season was a one-off, and that he'll force himself into contention once more, especially with a change of scene. Lancaster has pulled a smart move in selecting him, Cipriani and Slade for the initial squad. Get a few fly-halves up to speed with the England calls so that our hands aren't tied.
Morgan - Despite a pretty poor season for Gloucester, still an obvious selection.
Kvesic - In on potential. As many players at Gloucester, I think we'll see the best out of Kvesic if the coaching structure is sorted out.
May - pretty obvious
Sharples - Has actually had a pretty good season for Gloucester. Still think he has the all-round game to come into contention somewhere along the line.
Robson - pretty obvious
Trinder - perhaps my only gripe. I just don't think he'll ever have the defensive nous that England selectors would look for in midfield. True glass cannon.

 

[Darwin]

Is that Michael Patersons name I see? I thought he thought he was Welsh? When did he decide that he is now in fact English? Perhaps this situation should be known as the 'double poach'.....

 

[ratsapprentice]

Oh, he's been English for all of one season.

As well as he's played, I can't help but feel he's more interested in the 15k match fee than honoring his grandfather.

 

[Patchey]

Yeah, I'm also not convinced by Patterson. He does at least have an English grandfather, so he isn't quite Shontayne Hape levels of poach, but I'd much rather see Stooke or Matthews involved in the BaBaas games. IMO guys who come through the age group system and perform strongly when they first become senior players should be given opportunities in games like this wherever possible.


Looking back through the squad I'm fairly happy with it considering its purpose. Only a handful of these guys are certs to end up on the plane, guys like May, Thomas, Yarde. I reckon we'll see something like:

1 Keiran Brookes
2 Tommy Taylor
3 Henry Thomas
4 George Robson
5 Michael Paterson
6 Tom Johnson
7 Matt Kvesic
8 Ben Morgan
9 Dan Robson
10 Danny Cipriani / Henry Slade
11 Jonny May / Charlie Sharples
12 Sam Hill
13 Henry Trinder
14 Marland Yarde
15 Chris Pennell

16 LCD
19 Dave Ewers
22 Freddie Burns

Which is fairly predictable but also, for essentially a third choice side, pretty solid. Interested to see how Taylor, Hill, Kvesic, Robson and Pennell get on especially. I don't think anyone deserves a run out at Twickenham more than Chris Pennell. I also think its possible we might see Morgan and one of May or Yarde rested for the BaBaas games with a mind to the first test.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Brookes is a TH.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Will be interesting to see who the looseheads named will be/how many will be named.

Mako, Marler, Mullan, Corbisiero and Waller are all likely to be there, but then who plays vs BaaBaas? We need to send 2 to NZ to prepare for the first test and 1-3 of these will be in the prem final.