England - Squad Announcement Thursday 27th

[msf]

The only good news apart from Slade is that, with Attwood and Burrell not being selected, Stephen Jones (the journalist) will be furious.

 

[j'nuh]

Attwood gave away a few brain dead penalties in the Six Nations and I have some major doubts about him after that.

On the other hand, our scrum is visibly better with him, and after the France performance, I'd be keen to have that option available.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Rumour has it that Russell Crowe is now going to give Lancaster a role in his next film.

 

[nickdnz]

Not to be too critical, but that England team looks like it will stuggle to make it out of pool stages. Lancaster's inability to stick with almost anyone in a backline since he's taken over (along with his decision to reward some of the least dynamic players) means I can't see England achieving much - and it feels like a wasted four year cycle for England IMHO. I could be wrong - I hope for the tournaments sake I am. So many questions.

What is the point of both Barritt and Burgess? Surely they both offer the same things: a physical defensive game and straight 'bosh' running.

What did May do to make a comeback? Like everyone in the England setup it seems they are arbitrarily dropped and then reselected. Why Alex Goode? .

 

[msf]

I totally agree, Lancaster has fudged this selection badly.

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I would love to hear a Kiwi take on who should have been picked instead of Burgess, Barritt, Goode and May.

 

[chippieolamus]

Not to be too critical, but that England team looks like it will stuggle to make it out of pool stages. Lancaster's inability to stick with almost anyone in a backline since he's taken over (along with his decision to reward some of the least dynamic players) means I can't see England achieving much - and it feels like a wasted four year cycle for England IMHO. I could be wrong - I hope for the tournaments sake I am. So many questions.

What is the point of both Barritt and Burgess? Surely they both offer the same things: a physical defensive game and straight 'bosh' running.

What did May do to make a comeback? Like everyone in the England setup it seems they are arbitrarily dropped and then reselected. Why Alex Goode? .

He was dropped because he was very poor in the 6 nations, both defensively and in terms of decision making. Not sure how he was picked ahead of Rokodunguni, but eh.

 

[Peat]

What is the point of both Barritt and Burgess? Surely they both offer the same things: a physical defensive game and straight 'bosh' running.

Barritt isn't very good as a bosher. His defence is exemplary, but he doesn't attack too great. Burgess offers great bosh and decent hands, but his defensive game is still shaky at this point - although not as shaky as Amiga says, or at least no more shaky than Burrell. Quite different at this point.

Besides, even if they were the same, we'd hardly be the first team to pick two players with the same attribute to allow continuity of gameplan.

What did May do to make a comeback? Like everyone in the England setup it seems they are arbitrarily dropped and then reselected.

Did great in training; but was still in Lancaster's 31 plans even when dropped in the 6N.

Why Alex Goode? .

No one knows, not even the angels.

France it's all the same place, full of cheese eating surrender monkey foreigners

I think the Lancaster/Armitage thing is more complex than that I think Lancaster didn't want to commit in case he proved as ineffectual as he did in his first stint in England colour's. Essentially Lancaster didn't want to be on record saying he definitely play him so he could choose not to.

There probably is more to it, but I think from Armitage's point of view, the extras don't matter too much: if the coach is lukewarm, the coach is lukewarm.

Exactly. Attwood hasn't looked particularly impressive when starting for England, but does offer grunt off the bench. Perhaps the concern is that if he was on bench he's too much of a risk to bring on in case of early injury? Stretching it, but otherwise can't really see why...

(My entry for Order of the Brown Nose)

Could be - but nothing's risk free, is it? It's an odd one, feels like they've never really rated him.

 

[McTallshort]

Unlucky cips, Easter and attwood. They obviously never appeared in SL plans from the start or they would be in and Kruis, Billy and Burgess would be out

 

[ncurd]

He was dropped because he was very poor in the 6 nations, both defensively and in terms of decision making. Not sure how he was picked ahead of Rokodunguni, but eh.

Poor two games and there is no proof that he has overtaken Nowell & Watson as first/second choice wing. What he has done is shown better decision making in his two chances vs. France. However as he was England's third choice during 6N he's hardly a shocking decision for the 3 wings are taking to the tournament.

I'd have taken Roko but taking May is hardly a shocking decision.

 

[Grizwald]

A couple of years ago I thought this world cup was too early for England to be credible challengers for the Webb Ellis trophy. I still think the same today.

The squad are carrying a few players who've had limited game time-/carrying injury Launch, Barritt, Morgan. At least two of those on their day are world class IMO so worth the risk.

What frustrates me isn't the squad selected today but the England's coaching apparent stubbornness on giving young/and or inform players international exposure. It seems to me that quite a few of England's relative successes have been on the back of arguably fortuitous circumstances (injuries in the main).

I agree with comments re: Attwood, all the other locks are very similar i.e. in the mold of get around the park athletic type locks with a good work rate. Parling was very anonymous in the first friendly but is otherwise once of our most consistent performers IMO.

I'm hoping home advantage takes us further through the tournament than the sum of our parts.

ETA now that we know the 31 what does Lancaster do against Ireland? Preferred 23 for Fiji?

 

[willutalk]

Cor this particular announcement will only increase my nerves when watching England step on the pitch.

 

[JJFlash]

This squad does not exactly make one optimistic, does it?
I would imagine that Wales and particularly, Australia, are already thinking about the Q finals.
Hey ho, it's only a game. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

 

[bw245]

Good old England... always reliable for f__king up and following meeja hype rather than reality.

Matt Giteau, Tevita Kuridrani and Israel Folau are currently having wet dreams about how they are going to run all sorts of angles around Burgress.

Hahaha!!

2 fly halves?? Really? George Ford is too young and inexperienced to handle such pressure. And Owen Farrell is, well, Owen Farrell. Cips really should be in there.

As for Burgess, theyre picking him cause he's f**king huge. Like Jamie Roberts, who implements Warrenball so well. Will we be seeing Stuartball too?

 

[goodNumber10]

And Owen Farrell is, well, Owen Farrell. Cips really should be in there.

That'll be the lad who's never lost to Ireland?

As for Burgess, theyre picking him cause he's f**king huge. Like Jamie Roberts, who implements Warrenball so well. Will we be seeing Stuartball too?

Hope so, we need to be a lot more route one.

 

[Amiga500]

As for Burgess, theyre picking him cause he's f**king huge. Like Jamie Roberts, who implements Warrenball so well. Will we be seeing Stuartball too?

There is two sides to the game.
Roberts has not often been founding wanting for positional sense.

This is not the same as playing London Welsh on a wet night at the Rec.

 

[seanlono]

It's a strong 31 but just think that coming into a world cup they have picked burgess instead of a very reliable centre in Burrell. He has only played once for England to which he had a decent game. A big gamble I think.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

This is not the same as playing London Welsh on a wet night at the Rec.

Might be a teensy bit similar to New Zealand in a RLWC final though... Is what Lancaster would say.

 

[j'nuh]

Hahaha!!

2 fly halves?? Really? George Ford is too young and inexperienced to handle such pressure. And Owen Farrell is, well, Owen Farrell. Cips really should be in there.

As for Burgess, theyre picking him cause he's f**king huge. Like Jamie Roberts, who implements Warrenball so well. Will we be seeing Stuartball too?

Three flyhalves if you include Slade. Slade can and will cover there; it's his preferred and more regular position. Some even want him to be the long-term option there. (Peat's talked about it quite a bit.)

He's been picked in the centres partly because he's as good a centre as a fly-half, and partly because England are far more unsettled with their centres than their fly-halves.

 

[Wendigo7]

Side for Ireland:

1. Marler
2. George
3. Cole
4. Launchbury
5. Lawes
6. Haskell
7. Robshaw
8. Vunipola
9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. Nowell
12. Burgess
13. Joseph
14. Watson
15. Brown

The negativity around the England camp is hilarious. It's a very strong outfit, probably only 91 and 03 are better England sides, so it's of a very good calibre. I find it very hard to believe we will play much worse again and we will be alot stronger the longer the tournament goes.

I'm fancying our chances alot right now.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Side for Ireland:

1. Marler
2. George
3. Cole
4. Launchbury
5. Lawes
6. Haskell
7. Robshaw
8. Vunipola
9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. Nowell
12. Burgess
13. Joseph
14. Watson
15. Brown

The negativity around the England camp is hilarious. It's a very strong outfit, probably only 91 and 03 are better England sides, so it's of a very good calibre. I find it very hard to believe we will play much worse again and we will be alot stronger the longer the tournament goes.

I'm fancying our chances alot right now.

Is that official? Looks like the starting side for any match of importance. Can't see much to argue with other than wanting the unpossible (i.e. players that should not be named. Ever again). Might start Slade at 13 though for the experience - JJ didn't look too rusty once he actually got some ball on Saturday so doesn't necessarily need a run out. Would bench him.