[2015 Six Nations] Wales vs England (Round 1)

[Peat]

I suspect losing weight has come from Lancaster's desire for more fitness.

 

[goodNumber10]

That's an exceptionally strange back-row...
Not sure why you'd have wood at 7 over....anyone, really.

On its own or is bit It's not when embedded in the team I posted earlier.

Couple that backrow with laws and Launch..... Big ball carrying backrow. Hard defensive backrow.

Will blow through the rucks and not mess about trying to win the ground battle.

And wood completely outplayed salvi who IMHO is the best 7 in the prem.

 

[Peat]

Forwards (14)
Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby)
Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
Nick Easter (Harlequins)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain)
Henry Thomas (Bath Rugby)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Backs (11)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints)
Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)


edit: While no fan of his as a human being, I wonder what on earth the point to Calum Clark being in every England squad when he never plays, no matter how good his form?

edit edit: No Kitchener? Wtf?

 

[goodNumber10]

Looking at that I now have a feeling croft will sit Haskell on the bench.

 

[Maverick1987]

Obviously going for Easter as the second row back up by the looks

Can't see that Croft with oust Haskell tbh Hask has been awesome for wasps and Croft has been injured unless it's all about the line out . What's crofts line out stealing like do you think ?

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Right.....

So both Easter and Croft/Clark will be on the bench, with Easter covering second row? #Askingfortrouble

- - - Updated - - -

Looking at that I now have a feeling croft will sit Haskell on the bench.

dear god I hope not....while we're at it, how about a complete repeat of 2013!?

 

[yaboyjj]

BBC says squad will be announced at 18:00 and Easter and Cips will be on the bench.

18:00? I'm sure it was at 9:45 tomorrow?

anyway as I was alluding to earlier what we are likely to see (according to reports) is Cipriani at 22, and assuming this is correct, I thinkf Joseph is covering the wing, thus leaving space for Cipriani and a centre (one of Burrell/Twelvetrees).

A 4/3 split on the bench with Clarke or Easter covering lock and backrow (a massive risk imo) would leave room for Cips, Burrell and Nowell (not plausable really).

edit: I will be seething if we don't have Kitchener on the bench, it's madness not having proper second row cover- neither croft nor Easter should be anywhere near the team. smh.
The bench should imo be: Youngs, Corbs, Brookes, Kitchener, Clarke, Care, Slade, Nowell (Ewers and Simpson if in the squad would be in)

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

18:00? I'm sure it was at 9:45 tomorrow?

anyway as I was alluding to earlier what we are likely to see (according to reports) is Cipriani at 22, and assuming this is correct, I thinkf Joseph is covering the wing, thus leaving space for Cipriani and a centre (one of Burrell/Twelvetrees).

A 4/3 split on the bench with Clarke or Easter covering lock and backrow (a massive risk imo) would leave room for Cips, Burrell and Nowell (not plausable really).

edit: I will be seething if we don't have Kitchener on the bench, it's madness not having proper second row cover- neither croft nor Easter should be anywhere near the team. smh.
The bench should be: Youngs, Corbs, Brookes, Kitchener, Clarke, Care, Slade, Nowell

well you can seethe away because the squads been announced and no Kitchener.

 

[Peat]

dear god I hope not....while we're at it, how about a complete repeat of 2013!?

Props are superior and we have a real 8; straight up removes us from that scenario. Theoretically at least.

edit:

well you can seethe away because the squads been announced and no Kitchener.

no Clark either, unless I've gone blind/copied the wrong list, and judging from people's chat I'm wondering whether I have...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, I don't get missing out a true lock replacement. Both Easter and Croft have covered there in the premiership, but internationally.....there's a big difference.
They must be really backing Kruis and Attwood to go the full 80.

 

[yaboyjj]

well you can seethe away because the squads been announced and no Kitchener.

I think that confirms a 4/4 split then, with Easter covering lock and second row- terrible, terrible decision.
Why do they keep making these awful calls? What if Attwood is injured in the first minute- the scrum and lineout would disintegrate! I think Lancaster has succumbed to popular opinion and tried to get Cipriani and Easter in the side at all costs. It reminds me of the Northampton match where they played Clarke in the second row for the game- unenforced in an international match this is a shocking call.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Props are superior and we have a real 8; straight up removes us from that scenario. Theoretically at least.

As should the presence of a ball-carrying 8, to be fair...
Still, Croft was SO ineffectual in that last game that seeing them in the mix just does not fill me with anything except dread.
What is excellent is the workrate we will have between Robshaw and Haskell - two hardest working 7's in the premiership imo.

Wales will target Kruis now I suspect

I think that confirms a 4/4 split then, with Easter covering lock and second row- terrible, terrible decision.
Why do they keep making these awful calls? What if Attwood is injured in the first minute- the scrum and lineout would disintegrate!

I don't think it does at all - one of Nowell/Watson (probably the former) won't feature - remember we need a second 9!

 

[goodNumber10]

Obviously going for Easter as the second row back up by the looks

Can't see that Croft with oust Haskell tbh Hask has been awesome for wasps and Croft has been injured unless it's all about the line out . What's crofts line out stealing like do you think ?

Croft has been rushed back in before....

 

[Irishkid]

Is care injured.

 

[goodNumber10]

Is care injured.

No, just out of favour

No way they'll go 4/4

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Just realised Mako is in over Corbs......
I mean Mako will add some power from the bench, but I'd rather we turned the screw in the scrum late on against Jarvis who, by all accounts, ain't all that.

 

[yaboyjj]

No, just out of favour

No way they'll go 4/4

So you think they'll have both Croft and Easter on the bench? Kitchener, Kvesic, Ewers and half the locks in the country will be crying themselves to sleep tonight! A man who hasn't strung more than three matches together for a year, and a 36 year old who has never been international standard in any position.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Just realised Mako is in over Corbs......
I mean Mako will add some power from the bench, but I'd rather we turned the screw in the scrum late on against Jarvis who, by all accounts, ain't all that.

I hadn't spotted that either. Big call.

 

[Peat]

Just realised Mako is in over Corbs......
I mean Mako will add some power from the bench, but I'd rather we turned the screw in the scrum late on against Jarvis who, by all accounts, ain't all that.

Well, there's one rod for Lancaster's back if it all goes wrong...

 

[Crapspray]

Torygraph has Corbisiero ahead of Vunipola: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...nglands-Six-Nations-opener-against-Wales.html

Anyone else remember the Six Nations last year? Where Lancaster selected a bizarre bench for the first game, which ended up costing England the match?

But lessons are definitely being learned. And Lancaster hasn't got to the end of the road.