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gjwoodq
Guest
Anyone know when Brian Ashton is going to do another chop? or will he just wait until announcing the final 30?
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Prestwick
Guest
Apparently he is waiting till as close to the 14th of August as possible to keep everyone in his squad guessing. Good idea really, he wants everyone in the squad to keep jumping through burning hoops as long as possible.
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Substitute
Guest
I think some big mistakes are going to be made in this chop. I think Ashton, who has failed to pick a consitent side, isn't quite sure of what it takes to win.
Apparently his watchword has become versatility and he will favour a lot of the players who play in numerous positions. Sadly Rugby Union positions are different and versatile players generally aren't as good as the specialist neighbours at international standard. Versatile players are good squad members but very few are great players.
This leaves apparently (according to the Mail and the Mirror - two reliable sources
) Farrell, Lewsey, Barkley, Hipkiss and Abendanon facing the chop. To be honest I'm scared at the possibilty of wingers at full-back, centres on the wing and what other awful combinations Ashton sees fit. And regardless of what he thinks Noon was not a success on the wing in SA!
I'm getting more and more concerned by Ashtons erratic and bizaare decisions. I think his style of rugby is the so-called total rugby that england experimented is. Sad thing is it didn't really work and we went back to playing positions.
As for the cut I'd expect a prop (Freshwater), a second-row (Palmer), a FH (Hodgson if unfit), a centre (please Farrell or Noon) and a wing (Sackey).
Apparently his watchword has become versatility and he will favour a lot of the players who play in numerous positions. Sadly Rugby Union positions are different and versatile players generally aren't as good as the specialist neighbours at international standard. Versatile players are good squad members but very few are great players.
This leaves apparently (according to the Mail and the Mirror - two reliable sources
) Farrell, Lewsey, Barkley, Hipkiss and Abendanon facing the chop. To be honest I'm scared at the possibilty of wingers at full-back, centres on the wing and what other awful combinations Ashton sees fit. And regardless of what he thinks Noon was not a success on the wing in SA!I'm getting more and more concerned by Ashtons erratic and bizaare decisions. I think his style of rugby is the so-called total rugby that england experimented is. Sad thing is it didn't really work and we went back to playing positions.
As for the cut I'd expect a prop (Freshwater), a second-row (Palmer), a FH (Hodgson if unfit), a centre (please Farrell or Noon) and a wing (Sackey).
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Prestwick
Guest
Sub, Bokmagic, QKXV, anyone familiar with South African rugby. Has there been a full back which has been guilty of consistently poor and wayward kicking (i.e. just kicking it down the throats of angry and fast opposition backs or...Francois Steyn like people)?
If not, why can't England produce a decent Full Back who can kick decently or (even better) just be a decent runner?! Actually, I want a running full back, kicking full back be damned!
Ashton is in a totally awful position. He should have been given the job at the end of England's 2006 Six Nations fiasco rather than being chucked the job at the very last moment early this year. He has had little development, little time to get to grips with the squad and the niceties of coaching England and he just hasn't had the time of say Eddie O'Sullivan or Graham Henry to prepare and work out a squad.
If not, why can't England produce a decent Full Back who can kick decently or (even better) just be a decent runner?! Actually, I want a running full back, kicking full back be damned!
Ashton is in a totally awful position. He should have been given the job at the end of England's 2006 Six Nations fiasco rather than being chucked the job at the very last moment early this year. He has had little development, little time to get to grips with the squad and the niceties of coaching England and he just hasn't had the time of say Eddie O'Sullivan or Graham Henry to prepare and work out a squad.
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gloucesterfan
Guest
I think ashton has already made a mistake by dropping morgan and lund. morgan is the best full back under a high ball and lund would be an excellent bench choice as he can play all 3 back row positions. im worried who will be the first choice full back now. cipriani would be a good choice but can he step upn to international standard in time???
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shtove
Guest
Those are the two centres I'd have starting for England (apart from Tindall, who's out) - a brick wall with kicking boots on. Forget the fancy dans, and just outmuscle the opposition. Not in Ashton's playbook, but he's old enough not to be wishing on a star.
Overall, the HEC showed you have a good selection of players on form. And - amazingly - Dan Ward Smith is back to add some pizzaz when Lawrence zimmer-frames himself off the pitch at 60 mins.
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Bullitt
Guest
Sad, innit? You have these all possible England teams which should at least be able to compete on an international stage, yet Ashton insists on selecting players from the Holy Trinity or 2003 favorates... For example, compare these's likely starting lineups compared to what would be ideal;
1. Sheridan - Sheridan (That's a fair selection)
2. Chuter - Hartley (All season has shown why he deserves the England shirt, yet hasn't even got a sniff of England training)
3. Vickery - Brooks/Freshwater (No explanation needed)
4. Kay - Deacon (Has easily been the best of Leicesters jumpers this year)
5. Corry - Palmer (a rubbish no. 8 in the Boiler Room? He's lost the plat)
6. Worsley - Haskell (No explanation needed)
7. Moody - Rees (Another season of doing f*** all means Moody is an automatic selection... <_< )
8. Horrible Italian c*** - Easter (No explanation needed, easily the best 8 in England dropped for the RFUs pet)
9. Perry - Richards (Being as Paul Hodgson and Danny Care will forever be overlooked as they play for the wrong trams)
10. Wilkinson - Geraghty ("He was good half a decade ago, he must e good now" says Rob Andrew...)
11. Cueto - Sackey (Much faster, nowhere near as injury prone and has played recently)
12. Farrell - Hipkiss (The worst rugby player of all time or the best young 12 in the NH... Hmmmm)
13. Tait - Clarke (Young Matthew played for Newcastle. Did you know Rob Andrew likes Newcastle players...)
14. Strettle - Strettle (The correct choice, so lets all wait and see Varndell play... <_< )
15. Robinson - Cipriani (Either retire or don't, don't sit on the fence).
What sad times these are.
1. Sheridan - Sheridan (That's a fair selection)
2. Chuter - Hartley (All season has shown why he deserves the England shirt, yet hasn't even got a sniff of England training)
3. Vickery - Brooks/Freshwater (No explanation needed)
4. Kay - Deacon (Has easily been the best of Leicesters jumpers this year)
5. Corry - Palmer (a rubbish no. 8 in the Boiler Room? He's lost the plat)
6. Worsley - Haskell (No explanation needed)
7. Moody - Rees (Another season of doing f*** all means Moody is an automatic selection... <_< )
8. Horrible Italian c*** - Easter (No explanation needed, easily the best 8 in England dropped for the RFUs pet)
9. Perry - Richards (Being as Paul Hodgson and Danny Care will forever be overlooked as they play for the wrong trams)
10. Wilkinson - Geraghty ("He was good half a decade ago, he must e good now" says Rob Andrew...)
11. Cueto - Sackey (Much faster, nowhere near as injury prone and has played recently)
12. Farrell - Hipkiss (The worst rugby player of all time or the best young 12 in the NH... Hmmmm)
13. Tait - Clarke (Young Matthew played for Newcastle. Did you know Rob Andrew likes Newcastle players...)
14. Strettle - Strettle (The correct choice, so lets all wait and see Varndell play... <_< )
15. Robinson - Cipriani (Either retire or don't, don't sit on the fence).
What sad times these are.
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stormmaster1
Guest
don't fully agree with your analysis. For me worsley and Moody are the best no 6s in England, both with different styles of play. I'd play one or the other and have Rees at 7. I wouldn't take Dallaglio though.
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Bullitt
Guest
Worsley has prooven time and time again that while he is brilliant Wasps player, somehow he's nowt more then a journeyman in an England shirt with not enough talent to cope under the pressure of the internationals.
As for Moody, the only reason he gets an England shirt is down to playing for Leicester and formerly being Hills understudy. Lund is also a better openside then him.
As for Moody, the only reason he gets an England shirt is down to playing for Leicester and formerly being Hills understudy. Lund is also a better openside then him.
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philhirons
Guest
Got to agree with mite on so many of his selections although with Hartley being suspended and clarke only having a few games under his belt this year neither of those where likely to make Ashtons side this time around.
But completely agree with the Moody angle , had an average season but because hes lewis moody hes straight in there...
And it really hurts me to agree with Hipkiss as i used to despise the bloke but hes come on leaps and bounds in the last season or 2 and definetly deserves a place.
The main concern has to be the dropping of Magnus Lund! i cant believe he would drop him!
But completely agree with the Moody angle , had an average season but because hes lewis moody hes straight in there...
And it really hurts me to agree with Hipkiss as i used to despise the bloke but hes come on leaps and bounds in the last season or 2 and definetly deserves a place.
The main concern has to be the dropping of Magnus Lund! i cant believe he would drop him!
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Prestwick
Guest
I'd agree with picking Lund over Moody if it was possible. Lund may have confidence issues and rabbit like tendencies in front of a huge and hostile crowd, but he doesn't get pinged time after time after time after time while wearing the England jersey.
Now, I'm very sure that both Lewis Moody and Danny Grewcock are good players, seriously, but as Brian Moore once said "you've got to prove that you can stay on the pitch for 80 minutes without a stay in the bin."
Neither Moody nor Grewcock can manage that and so, neither of them should be picked.
Now, I'm very sure that both Lewis Moody and Danny Grewcock are good players, seriously, but as Brian Moore once said "you've got to prove that you can stay on the pitch for 80 minutes without a stay in the bin."
Neither Moody nor Grewcock can manage that and so, neither of them should be picked.
