England Sqaud Announcement

[SaintDean]

I heard on the local radio that Johno will be picking the team at lunch today.

I was hearing that around 5 Saints playing could be making it into the team, but i think this is a bit of an exaggeration.

Looking forward to it?

 

[Daylightfire]

Yep,, I'm a glutton for punishment

Who knows we might be in for a surprise.

 

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Daylightfire @ Jan 13 2010, 09:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Who knows we might be in for a surprise.[/b]

Doubt it


I'm expecting the usual suspects (i.e the AI squad, with the players who were out with injuries back in, and the new guys back out)
Not what i'd like to see, but quite likely to happen

Five Saints could be right, though i think four is more likely: Hartley, Lawes, Foden and Geraghty/Ashton (don't think both, but one of those will be in i think, the other in the Saxons)

I'm more interested than usual in the saxons squad, would like to see James Gaskell make it into there

 

[SaintDean]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olyy @ Jan 13 2010, 10:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Daylightfire @ Jan 13 2010, 09:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Who knows we might be in for a surprise.[/b]

Doubt it


I'm expecting the usual suspects (i.e the AI squad, with the players who were out with injuries back in, and the new guys back out)
Not what i'd like to see, but quite likely to happen

Five Saints could be right, though i think four is more likely: Hartley, Lawes, Foden and Geraghty/Ashton (don't think both, but one of those will be in i think, the other in the Saxons)

I'm more interested than usual in the saxons squad, would like to see James Gaskell make it into there
[/b][/quote]

I think its more of a Foden/Ashton decision than the one you suggested. I dont think Geraghty would get in although he did pretty much win us the match the other week when he came on.

 

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SaintDean @ Jan 13 2010, 10:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olyy @ Jan 13 2010, 10:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Daylightfire @ Jan 13 2010, 09:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Who knows we might be in for a surprise.[/b]

Doubt it


I'm expecting the usual suspects (i.e the AI squad, with the players who were out with injuries back in, and the new guys back out)
Not what i'd like to see, but quite likely to happen

Five Saints could be right, though i think four is more likely: Hartley, Lawes, Foden and Geraghty/Ashton (don't think both, but one of those will be in i think, the other in the Saxons)

I'm more interested than usual in the saxons squad, would like to see James Gaskell make it into there
[/b][/quote]

I think its more of a Foden/Ashton decision than the one you suggested. I dont think Geraghty would get in although he did pretty much win us the match the other week when he came on.
[/b][/quote]
Good point,
Geraghty didn't impress in an England shirt in the AIs (due to being played out of position), i think one of Foden/Ashton will almost deff. get in, as Johnson (hopefully) discovered, he needs more fullbacks in his squads, beacuse playing someone who doesn't play there doesn't work out well

 

[Bullitt]

England have called up rugby league converts Chris Ashton and Shontayne Hape to their revised elite player squad for the forthcoming Six Nations.

Northampton wing Ashton, 22, is top try scorer in the Premiership this season while Auckland-born Hape has impressed at centre since joining Bath in 2008.

Northampton lock Courtney Lawes and full-back Ben Foden are also included.

Fit-again Delon Armitage, Riki Flutey, Toby Flood, Nick Easter and Lee Mears return after missing the autumn Tests.

More soon.

 

[Bullitt]

England EPS -

Forwards: Steffon Armitage (London Irish), Steve Borthwick (Saracens), Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Stade Francais), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Lee Mears (Bath Rugby), Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers), Tim Payne (London Wasps), Simon Shaw (London Wasps), Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks), Steve Thompson (CA Brive), Julian White (Leicester Tigers), David Wilson (Bath Rugby).

Backs: Delon Armitage (London Irish), Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks), Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers), Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Riki Flutey (CA Brive), Shontayne Hape (Bath Rugby), Dan Hipkiss (Leicester Tigers), Paul Hodgson (London Irish), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon).

 

[Olyy]

From the BBC

Hape, Ashton, Lawes, Flutey, Easter, Mears, Flood, Foden and Armitage anounced so far

 

[Olyy]

Payne picked over Cole =/

Exactly as i expected, really. Just same old same old with a couple of new names thrown in (though Hape shouldn't be in there as he's already represented NZ, i know it's at League, but it should count)

 

[Bullitt]

God knows what Ellis (can't get a look in at Leicester but earns a call up???), Hape( Who's pretty shite), Banahan (shown he's not up to it), Sheridan (injured) & Payne (crap) are doing there.

Still, a by the numbers selection overall.

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 13 2010, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

England EPS -

Forwards: Steffon Armitage (London Irish), Steve Borthwick (Saracens), Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Stade Francais), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Lee Mears (Bath Rugby), Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers), Tim Payne (London Wasps), Simon Shaw (London Wasps), Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks), Steve Thompson (CA Brive), Julian White (Leicester Tigers), David Wilson (Bath Rugby).

Backs: Delon Armitage (London Irish), Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks), Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers), Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Riki Flutey (CA Brive), Shontayne Hape (Bath Rugby), Dan Hipkiss (Leicester Tigers), Paul Hodgson (London Irish), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon).[/b]

 

[Olyy]

Sheridan will be fit by the third game apparently, but even so, he's had quite a while out, throwing his in at the deep end surely isn't the wisest idea. Then again, looking at the other props we've got on there, i suppose they really need him

 

[Bullitt]

They're ignoring the likes of Flatman, Cole (who's in rude form) & Golding though with a look to select the same-old & injured again.

 

[Bullitt]

If I were going to pic a 22 from that lot;

1. Wilson
2. Hartley
3. White (a notable lack of tightheads in the squad)
4. Shaw
5. Lawes
6. Croft
7. Moody
8. Easter
9. Care
10. Flood
11. Cueto
12. Flutey (I don't think he should be there, but he is so meh.)
13. Tait (One last chance to impress)
14. Ashton
15. D Armitage

16. Thompson
17. Payne (Sheridan once fit)
18. Deacon
19. S Armitage
20. Hodgson
21. Hipkiss
22. Foden

 

[Olyy]

Maybe Payne will break in two before the 6N and they can replace him with someone sensible



Good squad, Mite,
I'd have Haskell on the bench instead of Armitage, and Hodgson/Care switched over, but apart from that, that's our best

 

[Bullitt]

ENGLAND SAXONS EPS
FORWARDS
David Attwood (Gloucester Rugby)
Duncan Bell (Bath Rugby)
George Chuter (Leicester Tigers)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)
Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers)
Nick Kennedy (London Irish)
Matthew Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
David Paice (London Irish)
Tom Rees (London Wasps)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Andy Saull (Saracens)
George Skivington (London Wasps)
Dan Ward-Smith (London Wasps)
Rob Webber (London Wasps)
Nick Wood (Gloucester Rugby)
Ben Woods (Leicester Tigers)

BACKS
Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
Brad Barritt (Saracens)
Danny Cipriani (London Wasps
Shane Geraghty (Northampton Saints)
Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks)
Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints)
Olly Morgan (Gloucester Rugby)
Paul Sackey (London Wasps)
Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
David Strettle (Harlequins)
Dominic Waldouck (London Wasps)
Richard Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks)
Mickey Young (Newcastle Falcons)

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 13 2010, 01:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 13 2010, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

England EPS -

Forwards: Steffon Armitage (London Irish), Steve Borthwick (Saracens), Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Stade Francais), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Lee Mears (Bath Rugby), Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers), Tim Payne (London Wasps), Simon Shaw (London Wasps), Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks), Steve Thompson (CA Brive), Julian White (Leicester Tigers), David Wilson (Bath Rugby).

Backs: Delon Armitage (London Irish), Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks), Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers), Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Riki Flutey (CA Brive), Shontayne Hape (Bath Rugby), Dan Hipkiss (Leicester Tigers), Paul Hodgson (London Irish), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon), Chris Ashton (Northampton).[/b]

[/b][/quote]

My what an inventive selection of props.

Why is Tim Payne there? He's ****. He got absolutely destroyed by Coles last week, who is English, but not in the squad. Julian White and Sheridan are both injured, so that's a cop out of actually selecting anyone new at all until the last minute.

What Johnson has done is taken the Autumn squad and made it bigger with injury returns and a few new faces. No one who deserved to be culled, like Deacon, Payne or Banahan, has been kicked out.

What Johnson will pick, assuming everyone is fit:

1. Sheridan
2. Mears
3. White
4. Shaw
5. Borthwick
6. Croft/ Haskell
7. Moody
8. Easter
9. Hodgson
10. Wilkinson
11. Monye
12. Flutey
13. Hipkiss
14. Cueto
15. Armitage

on paper not a bad looking side. From the squad he's selected, I'd only change the fly half in that team, and move Wilson in at tighthead. However, Sheridan and White will be injured, which leaves Tim Payne playing prop, which will be a disaster when we play everyone apart from Ireland. And I bet we haven't seen the last of Deacon either.

 

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gingergenius @ Jan 13 2010, 01:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

What Johnson will pick, assuming everyone is fit:

1. Sheridan
2. Mears
3. White
4. Shaw
5. Borthwick
6. Croft/ Haskell
7. Moody
8. Easter
9. Hodgson
10. Wilkinson
11. Monye
12. Flutey
13. Hipkiss
14. Cueto
15. Armitage[/b]

Like you said, not an AWFUL side, could probably come 2nd/3rd by grinding out boring kicking games. Nothing exciting will happen though. Hopefully it'll be more like the side mite posted in the other thread
It's a pity we don't have Italy first, as that's when the younger/less established players (Lawes, Ashton) will get decent game time, and Johnson can see how well it can work to have people like them playing.

If Tait only gets 10mins game time, like in the AIs, i'll be sad

 

[Daylightfire]

Am shocked by Paynes inclusion,,

The only possible ray of light is that Johnno knows that one of Sheridan / White won't make it and is planning on calling up Cole as a replacement

 

[cyRil]

Is 13. Armitage, 15. Foden a no-go?