England - Squad Announcement Thursday 27th

[McTallshort]

In fairness if say Slade fits that description better, and he is in according to rumour

Not got the experience though has he? Big shame

 

[Every Time Ref]

Not got the experience though has he? Big shame

True, but he's always shown a cool head and stepped up to international level very well against France, I'm not worried about his temperament. I do see your point though, experience isn't just about temperament and I'd be happier with Cips stepping in to ten in a semi following a flyhalf injury crisis than I would Slade.

 

[TommiG88]

I personally would have cipriani and Farrell in the squad as our 10s. Ford is young and doesn't have what it takes in defence and loses it when behind a less than dominant pack.

 

[j'nuh]

On the one hand, yay, Slade is in. On the other hand, going back to what I said around the time of the Six Nations:

I think this Six Nations was the last chance saloon for any new players to be involved in time for the WC. I don't see why the coaches would leave Slade/Hill out all tournament if they were in the coaches plans for the WC.

I'm still reeling a little that we didn't throw Slade at 12 this tournament, I think it was a mistake by Lancaster not to. That ship may have already sailed by now.

Should have given Slade the experience when we had the chance. Lancaster has rightly included him, but wrongly left it so late to do so. 5 extra caps against Tier One Nations isn't a small amount of additional experience

 

[Every Time Ref]

I personally would have cipriani and Farrell in the squad as our 10s. Ford is young and doesn't have what it takes in defence and loses it when behind a less than dominant pack.

The problem of being crap behind a beaten pack (which he is) can be overstated though - we're not going to win with a beaten pack anyway. I do think that in a World Cup, where it only takes one loss, it is important to be able to ride out 40 minutes of losing upfront with minimal damage and give yourself a chance in the second half.

On the one hand, yay, Slade is in. On the other hand, going back to what I said around the time of the Six Nations:





Should have given Slade the experience when we had the chance. Lancaster has rightly included him, but wrongly left it so late to do so. 5 extra caps against Tier One Nations isn't a small amount of additional experience

We don't know he'd have done it at 12 though - after all, he hasn't been playing there.

 

[ZeroTwo]

I personally would have cipriani and Farrell in the squad as our 10s. Ford is young and doesn't have what it takes in defence and loses it when behind a less than dominant pack.

Something to be said for that but ignoring a very good 6 nations is tricky. I actually (despite all the criticism here) think Lancaster has a decent balance everywhere but in the flankers. The backs have a flavour or everything if the predictions here are true and we're able to have a plan B if plan A starts looking not so hot.

 

[Peat]

Think I'd describe dropping Cipriani as a 'courageous' decision, and I use courageous in the same sense they used it in Yes Minister. Don't really know the full story, as never really saw him do all the FB stuff, maybe it genuinely makes sense, but Saturday showed the ability to make a massive contribution at international level and offer an option very few other players in the squad could do.

Oh well.

Similarly, if Morgan really isn't fit enough, then I guess Easter is the right option and he's done decently for England, but that's a bitter blow and where any hint Lancaster got it wrong will result in a lot of anger.

Slade is nice though. But will he get big game time? I wish he'd got some of Twelvetrees' bench time during the 6N at least.

No Burrell is a sensible move, PR rumour has it Lancaster wanted him in ahead of Burgess but Catt and Farrell were for Burgess.

 

[Maverick1987]

The team you could make out of the players Lancaster has omitted from his squad is quite astonishing tbh .

1. ?
2. Hartley
3. ?
4. Itoje
5. Atwood/Kruis
6. Clifford
7. Kvesic
8. Ewers
9. Simpson
10. Cipriani
11. Yarde
12. Eastmond
13. Tuilagi
14. Roko
15. ?

That's a serious team to be fair . Feel free to fill the gaps I'm knackered and my brain is on go slow

 

[j'nuh]

Anyone know what's going on with Foden? Is he injury-free?

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

3. Kyle Sinckler?

 

[ZeroTwo]

The team you could make out of the players Lancaster has omitted from his squad is quite astonishing tbh .

1. Henry Thomas
2. Hartley
3. Brookes/Corbs (whichever gets cut)
4. Itoje
5. Atwood/Kruis
6. Clifford
7. Kvesic Or S. Armitage
8. Ewers
9. Simpson
10. Cipriani
11. Yarde
12. Eastmond
13. Tuilagi
14. Roko
15. Pennell or Abendanon

That's a serious team to be fair . Feel free to fill the gaps I'm knackered and my brain is on go slow

Filled in the blanks.

 

[Peat]

Anyone know what's going on with Foden? Is he injury-free?

Yes. Both he and Pennell recently trained with England, presumably to be up to speed in case injury strikes.

I think the England management are straight up not taking non-Colorado guys to the WC, but are willing to put late returners such as Foden onto their injury replacement list. I half feel like England would be better for a spate of last minute injuries.


I feel like Maverick's team would do quite a few things better than Lancaster's team. Mullan at loosehead, Thomas tighthead, and one of Foden/Pennell/Tait at full-back to round if off.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Or you could have a 23 of:
1) Mullan,
2) Hartley,
3) Thomas
4) Kruis/Attwood,
5) Slater
6) Itojie,
7) Kvesic,
8) Morgan/Easter
9) Robson,
10) Cips
11) Yarde
12) Eastmond
13) Manu
14) Roko
15) Tait/Pennell

16) Heywood
17) Waller
18) Snickler
19) Kitchener
20) Ewers
21) Cook
22) Myler
23) Lewington

 

[TobesHodges]

Just shows great depth, nice pick at 23 Tigs. I think we'll see some more of Lewington in the next 2-3 years, real natural talent on the wing..

 

[Banners_8]

I cannot understand why you would take 2 number 10s who have looked very ordinary in the last few internationals.

Everytime Cipriarni has come he has injected pace into the game.

And after last Saturdays game Ford looked very ordinary and unable to come up with any itdeas to change the game

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

I cannot understand why you would take 2 number 10s who have looked very ordinary in the last few internationals.

Everytime Cipriarni has come he has injected pace into the game.

And after last Saturdays game Ford looked very ordinary and unable to come up with any itdeas to change the game

...do you not think it would be utter insanity to not take the 2 fly halves who have played 95% of Englands matches in the last 4 years?

 

[goodNumber10]

...do you not think it would be utter insanity to not take the 2 fly halves who have played 95% of Englands matches in the last 4 years?

i think we'd need to consult some kind of irrelevant comparative statistical read out before making that decision.

 

[ncurd]

i think we'd need to consult some kind of irrelevant comparative statistical read out before making that decision.

Model/"Actress" girlfriends?

 

[goodNumber10]

Model/"Actress" girlfriends?

That's good enough, for me.

 

[Peat]

...do you not think it would be utter insanity to not take the 2 fly halves who have played 95% of Englands matches in the last 4 years?

A little, but it does feel pretty insane to me not to have Cips on board. I think I'd have preferred him on the subs bench to either, although one can't be sure as he's played so sparingly for England - which in itself feels pretty insane. I really hope Lancaster plans for better integration and more use of him after the WC... possibly as England's number one fly-half. I don't think the mini-effers have nailed down the spot enough to not speculate that way.

p.s. Another possible alternate XV

1. Harrison 2. Taylor 3. Cooper-Woolley 4. Garvey 5. Gaskell 6. Croft 7. Johnson 8. Beaumont 9. Chudley 10. Burns 11. Sharples 12. Hill 13. Daly 14. Wade 15. Miller

Staggeringly quick team that. Throw in a bench of Gray/Balmain/Collier/Paterson/Gibson/Robson/Devoto/Ashton, still doesn't look too bad. And everyone has been involved with England recently-ish.