England Squad Announced

[nickdnz]

;412778]Botha, Fourie, Flutey, Hape and Waldron.

These are the ones that must bother the players like Narraway and the likes. If you are going to bring in a mercenary at least make sure they are a quality one. Someone who could make a real difference or add a bit of class to the team and the squad.

These guys are just screaming medocrity and that must be a kick in the goolies for all the other mediocre English players that are being overlooked.

I think we are all agreed that the rules should be changed with regards to eligibility, but until they are, Ive no problem with the selections.

Thomas Waldrom is a beast, he's hardly mediocre.

Bit sad to see Topsy Ojo has been left out again.


I think people need to forget about the whole Hape, Flutey, Vanikolo, Waldrom type of conflicts. Were they professional rugby players before they ever came to England? Yes. But at the end of a day, either through staying in the country a long enough time or qualifying through distant relatives, they are still being given an oppertunity that they may not have been given in New Zealand and they took it. Heck, some of them may consider themselves English by the end of their careers.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Faletau don't seem so welsh by the way... in french team Ouedraogo is born in Burkina Faso and anyway why this kind of pure french blood proud don't come out when speaking about football .... oh wait...

That's a myth. Most of them are born in France and those who say they are not french give arguments that are basically racist (i.e. if you're black or arab, you're not really french). Of the 2010 WC squad, only Evra and Mandanda were born outside France and they moved to France when they were 3 and 1, respectively. I tend to take this issue rather personally since I am son of immigrants myself, and it drives mereally mad when somebody says I'm less french because of that.

 

[Logorrhea]

Thomas Waldrom is a beast, he's hardly mediocre.

Currently backup to Jordan Crane at Leicester.

These guys are the very definition of mediocre.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Waldrom is the best backrow in Europe.
End of.


But seriously, he's a very good player, I wouldn't say mediocre. Not sure why Crane is preferred to him at Tigers, a lot of people are puzzled by it. Maybe because of Cranes lineout work, Waldrom is better impact than Crane as well

 

[iWin]

Don't go saying silly things like 'End of.'
It upsets people

 

[psychic duck]

Waldrom is not the best back row in Europe. End of.

Don't know why Crane is preferred to him though, he's in pretty much every Premiership dream team for a reason, better than Easter

Parisse is the back row in the world however

Heaslip, Ferris, O'Brien, Dusautoir, Harinordoquy, Croft and Gorgodze are probably better too

my European XV back row =

6. Stephen Ferris
7. Thierry Dusautoir
8. Sergio Parisse

second choice =

6. Mamuka Gorgodze
7. ?
8. Jamie Heaslip

* please Irish fans do not turn this into an SOB worship thread

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That.....that has nothing to do with the England squad

I was only having a joke

 

[Feicarsinn]

That.....that has nothing to do with the England squad

I was only having a joke

Hook, line and sinker. I actually read the white stuff, valid I guess. I'm pretty awesome like that.

 

[Teh Mite]

Waldrom is not the best back row in Europe. End of.

Don't know why Crane is preferred to him though, he's in pretty much every Premiership dream team for a reason, better than Easter

Parisse is the back row in the world however

Heaslip, Ferris, O'Brien, Dusautoir, Harinordoquy, Croft and Gorgodze are probably better too

my European XV back row =

6. Stephen Ferris
7. Thierry Dusautoir
8. Sergio Parisse

second choice =

6. Mamuka Gorgodze
7. ?
8. Jamie Heaslip

* please Irish fans do not turn this into an SOB worship thread

Shame they all get out of school in a minute.

 

[lucky number 7]

* please Irish fans do not turn this into an SOB worship thread

All threads are a SOB worship thread....

 

[Logorrhea]

All threads are a SOB worship thread....

He is kinda awesome though isnt he.

Could so with a Sean O'Brien tribute video or two in this thread.

 

[lucky number 7]

Or more.....went for a quick tug to ERC player of the year one ..

 

[iWin]

All threads are a SOB worship thread....

Ever since they stopped being Tommy Bowe worship threads

 

[lucky number 7]

Ever since they stopped being Tommy Bowe worship threads

SoB has always been the boss for me.

 

[Dougydeluxe]

I really think that Waldrom was picked because he offers something quite different to the other options at 8. I think that Crane is great, but he does have a very similar style to Easter, just younger and faster. So, when considering a team, it makes more sense to be able to put Waldrom in for 20 minutes and possible completely change the game up. He would really be a perfect “impact†player. As for Narraway, I can’t really comment as I have not really seen him play. Sounds like this guy might have just gotten the rotten end of a coin toss. Or he failed to put his hand up soon enough in the season to warrant a full call up. Besides I would not be surprised if half of these foreign players don’t make the 30 travel team.

 

[Logorrhea]

I really think that Waldrom was picked because he offers something quite different to the other options at 8. I think that Crane is great, but he does have a very similar style to Easter, just younger and faster. So, when considering a team, it makes more sense to be able to put Waldrom in for 20 minutes and possible completely change the game up. He would really be a perfect "impact" player. As for Narraway, I can't really comment as I have not really seen him play. Sounds like this guy might have just gotten the rotten end of a coin toss. Or he failed to put his hand up soon enough in the season to warrant a full call up. Besides I would not be surprised if half of these foreign players don't make the 30 travel team.

Yeah I kinda agree with that. Makes sense to me.

 

[Sarrie]

You want someone solid in midfield? Brad barritt maybe?...Plus he's half English. Also think Alex Goode should be in here. He's s godly

 

[Darwin]

Thomas Waldrom is a good player, but he is very one dimensional. He is great with the ball in hand, but that is it really. He offers next to nothing at ruck time (he generally stands off waiting to have another run), is an ok defender, and isn't a lineout option at all. I think he needs to be paired with a couple of flankers that play a much tighter game to form an effective loose-trio (that's why I think the Tigers preferred Crane at the end of the season, as Waldrom and Croft form a very 'loose' loose-trio).

It will be interesting to see whether he makes the final England 30-man squad; I think it will depend on whether they take 3 locks and 6 loosies (with Croft covering lock) or 4 locks and 5 loosies. If they take 6 loosies I think he will have a chance, but if they only take 5 loosies (which is more likely) I think it will be unlikely that he will be taken (especially considering he only covers one position).

 

[duncanb]

The whole make up could be up for grabs 2 scrum halves with Foden as emergency 3rd maybe 2 fly halfs flutey as emergency 3rd
4/5 props 3/4 2nd rows 5/6 back rows.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Didn't really read the whole squad too thoroughly and pretty much assumed Allen and Barrit would both be in there. I'm pretty shocked to find that heir not.

Be much happier if Hape Banahan Armitage Strettle and Wigglesworth werent there. But i'm thankful that Sharples JSD and Tuilagi got in there.