England EPS + Saxons

[TRF_Olyy]

I don't think he's bad, he's just not that great.

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[j'nuh]

I must admit, the second wing berth was the most difficult for me to fill. There's something a little uninspiring in expansive games about the older possibilities (Monye, Biggs, Strettle) and something a little too "raw" in tight games about the younger speedsters (Wade, Sharples, May). Sharples is stepping up his wet-weather game though, maybe too little too late. The only one which is incredibly comfortable in either kind of game, JSD, is (and I kid you not!) injured.

If Lancaster really wants three fullbacks in the squad (nothing wrong with that, it's a specialist position and gives us good cover), then an extra wing at the expense of one of the seven blindsides (when Robshaw/Wood is the almost obvious combination!) that have been taken might have been a good idea!

I just really don't see the point of playing double fullback. Their club form gives Lancaster a reason to pick them at 15, but they haven't demonstrated a full understanding of the wing position. It's like getting Dawkins in to do your heart transplant - "Oh, you're smart and know science, you'll do!"

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Abendanon is the perfect choice for a fullback being shoehorned in at wing - played a decent amount there for club and is on great form.

 

[Conal]

i haven't seen much of the prem
but has tomkins warranted his inclusion ? i have lots of league following mates and they hyped him up quite a bit

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

i haven't seen much of the prem
but has tomkins warranted his inclusion ? i have lots of league following mates and they hyped him up quite a bit

From what i've seen he has been used as a linchpin in defence but due to the stilted Sarriers approach to rugby we havent really seen much of his running offloading game. The thing i will say when i've seen him is that he always seems to do what ever he is doing well IE. He defends well, runs well, offloads well.

Maybe if they had him at 12 he would have been in the england set up being used more but he doesn't have that X-factor that Tuilaigi, Lowe, JJ, Daily has. He might be more steady than some of those though. It would be more interesting if he played for someone like Gloucester where he would be used more, then we could really judge his attributes.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm not a massive fan of Tomkins, and wasn't when he was in League.
Good player, but not great - gets talked about so much because of his brother.


I wonder whether Twelvetrees will get much gametime for England - him and Tuilagi had a good partnership (in the little time they played together, anyway) at Tigers, and also for Saxons.
I'm a big fan of Barritt, but with the exception of the All Blacks game the midfield hasn't really clicked with those two together.

 

[mstar]

i put a bet on Robshaw being in the Lions on Tuesday. I got great odds. I been saying this since the SA tour on this forum. People don't give him much credit but my reasoning is:

1. Warburton hasn't really shown the Lions captaincy credentials (YET), his form is average, and i have a suspicion he will be injured or carrying an injury come game time.
2. BOD i just feel will not be ready, injury may take its toll and he be injured come game time.
3. O'Connell will lack game time for Gats to pick him as captain
4. Who else is there?
5. England seem to have the team to win the 6N or come 2nd.
6. he is the only one performing week in week out in Heineken cup and club level

Gats always talked about he needs key leaders on the pitch and Robshaw (if he stays fit) will probably nick the number 7 spot and surprise people but not me. gats admires how robshaw has taken and leads from the front for england and quins.


s

 

[j'nuh]

Not even expecting to see Twelvetrees in an England shirt. There's no room for him on the bench because Tuilagi/Farrell will be seen as the replacement 12 and Barritt is obviously going to start. Sad thing is, if we had been thrashed by New Zealand, then the Autumn would have been remembered as a poor series and Lancaster would have to make some positive changes. Anytime the Barritt-Tuilagi partnership comes under flak, "that New Zealand game" will come up now. It might be that Barritt is the best guy for the job, I just dislike the fact that opportunities aren't opened to other players, that places in the squad are there to be lost, not gained.

 

[McTallshort]

i put a bet on Robshaw being in the Lions on Tuesday. I got great odds. I been saying this since the SA tour on this forum. People don't give him much credit but my reasoning is:

1. Warburton hasn't really shown the Lions captaincy credentials (YET), his form is average, and i have a suspicion he will be injured or carrying an injury come game time.
2. BOD i just feel will not be ready, injury may take its toll and he be injured come game time.
3. O'Connell will lack game time for Gats to pick him as captain
4. Who else is there?
5. England seem to have the team to win the 6N or come 2nd.
6. he is the only one performing week in week out in Heineken cup and club level

Gats always talked about he needs key leaders on the pitch and Robshaw (if he stays fit) will probably nick the number 7 spot and surprise people but not me. gats admires how robshaw has taken and leads from the front for england and quins.


s

Was the bet for him being in the Lions or Captain?

 

[Peat]

Agreed. Strettle had a good game vs Sale, but you shouldn't get selected off of the back of one good game vs weak opposition. Id pick most starting wingers in the prem over him, to be honest.
I imagine the Sarries connection in the backroom doesn't hurt his chances, mind.

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Ding ding ding, see also Tomkins. Why the hell couldn't they pick Kruis instead if they must have Sarries players?

 

[j'nuh]

We've got a lot of 6s already involved. Don't get Tomkins either though. Hopper could have been a decent option...

Let's talk Ashton. What do we all currently think about him? He got into England originally because he was the best supporting winger in England, ran great lines and linked up well with players in space. Great finisher too, and scored a lot of tries. I think it was his league background that gave him these traits. But over time, it's seemed to me as if he's losing a bit of that. Since those storming two seasons, 09-10 and 10-11, post-WC Ashton hasn't seemed nearly the same to me. But I'm not sure if it's because he hasn't had the same support as he did pre-WC (when he was at his best, it was when he ran off a top-form Flood and combined with a top-form Foden). Is he worth keeping? Is he living on his name at this point? Is he currently one of the top 2 (non-injured) wingers in England?

As far as a player scoring tries for fun goes, Varndell is already on 10 in the Premiership. Didn't even make the Saxons. <_<

Just noticed that Benjamin isn't involved in the Saxons either. He might have been injured for half a season, but when he's back and fit, I'm expecting big things from him.

 

[Joseph14]

They are simply courting Sam through Joel I reckon!

Look after big brother and it will hopefully entice little brother to switch.

Varndell? He won't get another chance. Biggest cert in rugby.

 

[Patchey]

Ashton gets in on a combination of his reputation and I suspect the hope that he well regain that form. Also I guess that unlike a lot of the wingers above him in the Premiership try scoring stakes he is a 'proven' international so a more conservative/sensible selection.

Uninjured JSD in the EPS would be magical though...

 

[Joseph14]

JSD, uninjured, in the squad would be fantastic.

Unfortunately, for some ridiculous reason, Lancaster doesn't want him involved. I find that a touch worrying.

 

[eot345]

Have we had a 7 since Neil Back?

I rate him playing 7 - he's just not an openside flanker. Nothin' wrong with that as the backrow/pack work well together and are a balanced unit. England don't play blindside, openside, 8 - they play flanker, flanker, 8 (or occasionally blindside, blindside, blindside ).

I'm sorry I'm sick of this Robshaw is a '7' he is the hardest working player on the pitch every game he plays and slows down opposition ball constantly (the qualitys of a truly great open side). If he was 2-3 inches shorter 6-7 kg lighter every one would call him an 'out and out 7' but as it stands he is 6'4 and more then 17 stone and has the hands of a fly half. Best backrower in the prem IMO and deffinately the best 7 in the prem and it's about time ppl stopped ignoring his abilities as a 7 just because he is big and strong aswell.

not directed at anyone just wanted to rant

 

[Maverick1987]

I agree with the above post just so you know you rent on your own

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Few movements in the squads:

Kvesic, Botha and Monye into the EPS due to injuries (Kvesic --> Johnson, Botha --> Clark, Monye --> ?)
Freddie Burns having a scan on his knee, which isn't great. Billy Vunipola also training with the EPS this week.

Jamie Gibson, Rob Buchanan, Nick Wood and Kieran Brookes also called up to the Saxons due to various injuries/callups.

 

[Teh Mite]

Botha? Really?

 

[j'nuh]

Kvesic in the EPS, now that's forward thinking. Very happy with Lancaster for that. That said, a little odd that he's there over Fraser surely? Kvesic is undoubtedly going to be a talent, but Fraser is further along in his development.

The one Sarries player I want in the EPS, and apparently he's not good enough!

 

[Peat]

Kvesic in the EPS, now that's forward thinking. Very happy with Lancaster for that. That said, a little odd that he's there over Fraser surely? Kvesic is undoubtedly going to be a talent, but Fraser is further along in his development.

The one Sarries player I want in the EPS, and apparently he's not good enough!

Further along in his development how? Kvesic has 18 more senior appearances than Fraser.