[2015 Six Nations] England

[ncurd]

I think going into the World Cup, the only positions really up for grabs are 12 and 6.

I think the wingers will get rotated, as maybe the locks but for someone else entering the squad,

Maybe burgess at 6 or 12
Ewers at 6
Armitage at 6 (yes Lancaster would do that)
Hill at 12 or slade at 12?

Any other punters?

Burgess won't play in RWC barring some magic change over the summer, he might just be ready 2016 6N but not in time for the RWC. He's gonna struggle to not be on the bench for Bath for the rest of the season except for games like London Welsh

I full expect Burrell at 12 for England come RWC with only Farell or Manu considered over him dependant on fitness.

Armitage WON'T BE SELECTED unless he signs for an English club there is zero signs of that happening.

So it'll be Croft or Haskell @ 6.

Honestly we only have 3 warm up games between now and first game do not expect new players to be blooded at all.

 

[goodNumber10]

Burgess won't play in RWC barring some magic change over the summer, he might just be ready 2016 6N but not in time for the RWC. He's gonna struggle to not be on the bench for Bath for the rest of the season except for games like London Welsh

I full expect Burrell at 12 for England come RWC with only Farell or Manu considered over him dependant on fitness.

Armitage WON'T BE SELECTED unless he signs for an English club there is zero signs of that happening.

So it'll be Croft or Haskell @ 6.

Honestly we only have 3 warm up games between now and first game do not expect new players to be blooded at all.

Croft is unlikely to play again before the World cup so doubt he will, the 6's are likely to be Wood or Haskell with it being filled from within the squad if an issue arises.

I doubt Burgess will go back to the bench now JJ returns i think it'll be a shoot out between him and Eastmond and i reckon we'll see a lot of swapping between them. I think come the summer they'll pull Burgess into the EPS environment and he'll train with England as he has done and i reckon we'll get a look at him in one of the first two warm up games before the squad is finalised ahead of the final warm up.

So i reckon the squad will be along the lines of (I think it's still 31 players):

01 - 03: Corbisiero/Marler/vunipola
04 - 06: Wilson/Cole/Brookes (?)
07 - 09: Hartley/Youngs/Webber
10 - 12: Lawes, Parling, Launch,
13 - 15: Robshaw, Wood, Haskell
16 - 17: Morgan/Vunipola

18 - 19: Youngs/Wigglesworth
20 - 21: Ford/Farrell

22 - 24: 36/Burrell/Barritt
25 - 26: Tuilagi/JJ

27 - 30: Brown/Nowell/Watson/May

I think Cipriani will not make the cut with 36 the emergency 10 cover, so I think there is realistically one space up for Grabs.

 

[goodNumber10]

The Critics are sharpening their blades:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/32051398

 

[Patchey]

I don't think Martin Corry's opinion is going to shake Lancaster to the core...

Still highly confused about what Ian Richie was doing opening his gob though.

 

[goodNumber10]

I don't think Martin Corry's opinion is going to shake Lancaster to the core...

Still highly confused about what Ian Richie was doing opening his gob though.

I think Martin Corry is a complete plum, he had one good moment as an international (Lions 2001) and then that was it.

 

[Patchey]

Complete plum is a very nice summary actually.

 

[ncurd]

Yeah they are dredging if they are asking Corry for his opinions, how exactly was he even picked as as international let alone captain again?

He's certainly the most uninspiring choice I can remember (yes Borthwick was still a better choice than Corry).

 

[LiRFCMatt]

We had a look at 3 Things England Have Learned From The 6 Nations http://fourballsblog.blogspot.com/2015/03/3-things-england-have-learnt-from-6.html

We talk about the pack, the centres and George Ford.

 

[ncurd]

Sorry forgot I had to go to work when the thing about England squad came up.

I think Burgess will struggle to start for Bath ahead of Eastmond/JJ. He'll start the Welsh game as I belive Mike Ford has already said he'll rest the internationals for that game. However he hasn't got a chance of starting against Lenister in the Toulon Cup after that whilse they are all winnable games we have 4 in our run to make the Premiership playoffs and unless someone needs a rest I can't see Burgess breaking the 15. Remember the owner of Bath (whose name I can't remember for some stupid reason) has said this year is the one to stop being an aspiring team and really competing for ***les. they aren't gonna risk that on a unproven center when the other have been outstanding most of the season.

 

[LiRFCMatt]

We take a look at England's Most Exciting XV here http://fourballsblog.blogspot.com/2015/03/englands-most-exciting-xv-would.html

The team is:

M. Vunipola
T. Youngs
Sinckler
Lawes
Launchbury
Ewers
S. Armitage
B. Vunipola
Simpson
Ford
Nowell
Eastmond
Joseph
Wade
Watson

Do you agree?

 

[91jmay]

Don't think Simpson more exciting than Youngs or Care. That looks like a team that could be great at next World Cup if all develop to their potential. Obviously shed load of ifs and buts though.

 

[LiRFCMatt]

Don't think Simpson more exciting than Youngs or Care. That looks like a team that could be great at next World Cup if all develop to their potential. Obviously shed load of ifs and buts though.

Yeah, it was a tough call, especially with how Youngs played on Saturday, but Simpson is on much better form than Care this season, and is unfortunate not to be in for Wigglesworth, and I think that he has been sharper this season than Youngs.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I was an advocate of Simpson but Youngs has done well so far. All I worry about is the defense, with that side our only option is to play every week like we did in the final week of the 6N, we will let lots of points past but that is countered by the hope of scoring even more. It's very risky. The back line especially is very small and I don't think we can leave out Cole as he is one of our breakdown specialists. Imagine Cole and Armitage working together at breakdowns. Pity about Rokoduguni, I so badly want to see him on form again as I think he has the potential to be the most rounded winger in the country.

 

[TommiG88]

I think auterac looks better than sinckler at the moment.

 

[The Jones Boy]

England are in good shape for the RWC.
Home advantage tacked on to a big quality squad means they will be tough opponents for everybody and anybody they meet.
Like all the squads, injury will be an issue but as informal seedings go i would place England in 3rd place behind South Africa and the current champions.
England at Twickenham are a different creature compared to England anywhere else.
In their own back yard, and with a really strong squad, they will be very serious contenders to win the tournament and I place their chances higher than any of the other northern hemisphere teams, no question.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think auterac looks better than sinckler at the moment.

One's a loosehead, the other a tighthead, though.

 

[goodNumber10]

One's a loosehead, the other a tighthead, though.

Think he means around the park.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Think he means around the park.

Not really relevant though, is it? I mean they're not in competition for a spot.


I think Wade looks better on attack than Dave Wilson.

 

[goodNumber10]

Not really relevant though, is it? I mean they're not in competition for a spot.


I think Wade looks better on attack than Dave Wilson.

Yeah but his defence...

 

[ratsapprentice]

Sinckler is a phenomenal talent, with a slight (very over-egged, IMO) on-field psychological problem - he just gets too worked up.
He's in a not too dissimilar position to where Marler was at his age, although more talented IMO.