England Squad Announced

[j-dawg]

Im a forward, so I usually look at the forwards work then mumble curses whenever a back gets the ball and I was very happy with how Englands forwards played in the tournament. It was the stuff of fairytales. Also smashing the Aussies is always a delight (did you know they hadn't even booked flights home because they were so confident of a win?).

 

[SelimNiai]

I thought the last WC was boring for England
Don't get me wrong, I was very happy to see us get where we did, but we were hardly playing entertaining rugby

Best match we were involved in was getting smashed by SA in the groups, and that's because we got to see some tries




I say get Will Carling as England coach
He hates the RFU, so isn't going to pick the players they tell him to and he's always wanting to pick the players everyone with a brain wants (i.e Waldouck, Sharples etc.)
If it's a failure at least we'll see some good rugby being played

Plus endless amusement by calling him Billy Bumface :lol:

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The should get Brian Blessed to announce the team

They should also wheel him out before England matches
If NZ get the Haka, we get Brian Blessed shouting Henry V

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Forwards: (17)

Props: Dan Cole (Leicester, Age 24, 17 caps), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish, 22, 6), Andrew Sheridan (Sale, 31, 38), Matt Stevens (Saracens, 28, 34), David Wilson (Bath, 26, 18).
Hookers: Dylan Hartley (Northampton, 25, 29), Lee Mears (Bath, 32, 37), Steve Thompson (Wasps, 33, 67).
Locks: Louis Deacon (Leicester, 30, 24), Courtney Lawes (Northampton, 22, 9), Tom Palmer (Stade Francais, 32, 27), Simon Shaw (unattached, 37, 67).
Back row: Tom Croft (Leicester, 25, 25), Nick Easter (Harlequins, 33, 44), James Haskell (Ricoh Black Rams, 26, 36), Lewis Moody (Bath, 33, 67), Tom Wood (Northampton, 24, 7).

Backs: (13)

Full-backs/wings: Delon Armitage (London Irish, 27, 20), Ben Foden (Northampton, 26, 16), Chris Ashton (Northampton, 24, 12), Mark Cueto (Sale, 31, 52).
Centres: Matt Banahan (Bath, 24, 13), Shontayne Hape (London Irish, 30, 12), Mike Tindall (Gloucester, 32, 71), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester, 20, 1).
Fly-halves: Toby Flood (Leicester, 26, 41), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon, 32, 86).
Scrum-halves: Joe Simpson (Wasps, 23, 0), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 28, 7), Ben Youngs (Leicester, 21, 12).

 

[TRF_Olyy]

They've been bigging up this video thing all day, and then they put it up in text before the video starts, what's the bloody point?

Also, I mis-read "Simpson" as "Simpson-Daniel" and then was sad (though I'm happy Simpson is going)

 

[TRF_Cymro]

They've been bigging up this video thing all day, and then they put it up in text before the video starts, what's the bloody point?

Also, I mis-read "Simpson" as "Simpson-Daniel" and then was sad (though I'm happy Simpson is going)

BBC was my choice :lol:

 

[JW.]

Kicking myself, and whats up with this not giving everybody a hand....

 

[gingergenius]

hmmm, I don't believe that's the correct squad.

Firstly, I wouldn't be surprised if Foden was the '3rd' scrum half. Simpson's never been tried (cheers Johnson) and MJ's not one for a gamble.

Also, that midfield is far too risky. Just Wilko and Flood as 10s in the entire squad? That means he cannot be considering the possibility of playing Flood at 12.

Which means he must have other ideas for England's much-maligned centre pairings. There's no Flutey there either, so that's another solution out of the equation.

Hape, Tindall, Banahan, Tuilagi would have to make up 12 & 13. But Hape, despite having played 12 for England recently, is not a 12. And he hasn't played well either. Tindall we all know is a 13, as is Tuilagi. And Banahan is a 2nd row who plays wing who apparently can play 13 (and maybe 12) for England.

So that squad contains two people who could naturally fill the roles of 10 & 12 - Wilko & Flood, with just one other who's spent any amount of time there (Hape). One, or even two injuries and there's a massive spanner in the works of an already shite backline.

Surely, no selector in their right mind can pick a squad as badly balanced as that?

I notice there are 5 prop places according to the Daily Mail. I'd reckon only 4 props and Hodgson to go. Alternatively, 4 props & Flutey; or 5 props and Flutey instead of Hape. Otherwise, Johnson's really asking to be shot in the foot/ play 10man rugby in the world cup.

It seems Johnson is not in his right mind, for the above reasons. 30 men, just two fly halves, 0 inside centres. Enjoy 10 man rugby England.

Besides national pride, I really hope New Zealand win this tournament, simply for rugby's sake.

 

[SelimNiai]

In true "me" tradition.

Banahan = hahahahahahahahhahaha

in yer face Olyy

 

[Woozlewasp]

Think I'll revert to the Wifes family ties and become Irish, Banahan Lord Help us.

 

[Getofmeland]

Banahan to score the winning try in The Rugby World Cup Final...

Oh wait best stop playing Rugby World Cup 2011

 

[bmh16]

I feel sorry for Engish fans after seeing that selection. That's such a stupid selection as many have you have pointed out!! Hape over Flutey and 2 fly halfs have to be the worst things though. Absolutely terrible selection and proof England won't win this WC.

 

[Duckdee]

Not really much I can say, but considering I usually say nothing of value, that's a plus for you.

 

[Tom943]

Feel sorry for flutey i rate him much higher than hape. Hape seems to be lacking spark which flutey has. Hape and tindall in the centres are not creating any chances at all and arent working as a centre partnership

 

[Teh Mite]

Predictable squad is predictable.

That is all.

 

[AdyS]

I think Englands too area's of weakness are 12 and 8. Flutey would have given England something a little different. Jonny Wilkinson (http://bil.ly/hJM172 - take a look!) or Toby Flood might have to fill that spot, and Thomas Waldrom.....missed a trick I think!

 

[Muse_Cubed]

Feel sorry for flutey i rate him much higher than hape. Hape seems to be lacking spark which flutey has. Hape and tindall in the centres are not creating any chances at all and arent working as a centre partnership

True, although it doesn't hide the fact that Flutey is simply mediocre. We've not had a viable IC since Will Greenwood and unfortunately that doesn't seem like it's going to change soon, what with the Premiership's current fascination with crash and bash 12s.

Oh, and if Flood and Wilko get injured, never fear, Matt Banahan will slot in at 10. It's the only logical conclusion seeing as the England coaches want to shift him another spot up the line every 3 months or so.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Surprised he wasn't named in the scrumhalves ahead of Simpson

 

[JW.]

Next year he'll be back in the forwards where he belongs and the circle will be complete.

 

[Muse_Cubed]

Thing about the backs is that we haven't really moved forward from circa 2004-2005. We're still searching for a viable Matt Dawson replacement (Youngs may be it, but we have to see if last season was just a second year slump...still, he's better than Harry Ellis ever was); Hape + Tindall isn't far removed at all from Noon + Tindall and we're still trying to fit NZ rugby league converts in at 12 (Hape, Paul) who turn out to be useless. Then you've got Mark Cueto still on the wing (although I think he's brightened up over the last 18 months), Simpson-Daniel's still getting shafted and we're still relying on one or two players for all our attacking creativity (Foden/Ashton - Jason Robinson).

Only difference is that Jonny isn't injured. I guess that's something. Although then again, Charlie Hodgson's still around and still can't perform at the test level.